Free Essays

Allusions to Revelations in "The Merchant of Heaven" by Margaret Laurence

The short story "The Merchant of Heaven" by Margaret Laurence is about Brother Amory Lemon who comes to Africa from the Mission of the Angel of Philadelphia. The church he is representing is based on the message of Apostle John to the Church in Philadelphia, as written in Revelation 3:7-13. In view of this fact, it is not surprising that we get numerous references to the Apocalypse of John in the story. These allusions not only assist in portraying the character of the evangelist, but also help us see the colossal gap between Christianity as preached by Brother Lemon and the real life of ordinary Africans.

Allusions to Revelation help us understand the character of the "proselytizer for a mission known as the Angel of Philadelphia" (216). He is an American evangelist who comes to Africa to preach to the people of the land. He wishes the best for them. His earnest desire is for the Africans to accept the gospel and be saved. The Bible is the best way he knows: "'I don't have any doubts about my religion, Mr. Kettridge. Why, without my religion, I'd be nothing'" (225). This is the reason he came to Africa - to teach its people this way. But it is impossible to teach those who are so immersed into their culture and traditions that they do not want to accept anything else. As a result, we such get examples as with the girl who after "being saved" still keeps selling wooden figures used to kill by sorcery. When the pastor hears about it, he, not wanting to believe it, goes to look for her, until he finds "what he had hoped not to find" (228). The representative of the Church of Philadelphia does not realize that lack of Christian background and lack of trust for this new for them religion stops the Africans from understanding the message of Revelation.

References to Revelation show us that Brother Lemon is so immersed into his dreams and plans that he does not even think of learning the language of the country he came to. He left the translation to a young African interpreter, whose "English vocabulary and... knowledge of fundamentalist doctrine were both strictly limited" (231). This causes the misunderstanding with the blind beggars, who get confused by the imperfect translation and their own misinterpretation of Christianity, and hear "what they wanted to hear" (231).

Most likely, the beggars were not the only ones to get the wrong idea about his message because of the poor translation. Had the American pastor made an effort to learn at least some of Ga and Twi at home, after some time in Africa he would have been able if not to preach in these languages, then at least to notice the mistakes of his interpreters.

Continued here: The Merchant of Heaven, Margaret Laurence: Part 2