Executive Director Curator Susan Warner

Say and Seal, Volume I Executive Director Curator Susan Warner

Say and Seal is an inspiring novel by Anna Bartlett and Susan Warner, who skilfully tell the reader how pure devotion to the Christian faith can triumph above the greatest of obstacles.

We follow the adventures of Miss Faith, a young, impressionable but bright young woman. Raised in the 19th century, a time of great adversity for ordinary American Christian people, it is with resolution and determination that Faith must avoid the myriad evils of the era. It is only her pure belief in Jesus that shields Faith from succumbing to the dangers which surround her.

The protagonist, Mr. Linden, is a wonderful companion in this regard. Although not all of his efforts to help Miss Faith are successful, Linden is marked by his determination to keep Faith on the straight and narrow path to a virtuous life.

Frequently quoting and drawing upon Biblical wisdom, Say and Seal is a novel of great profundity and genuine piety. Reasonably popular in 19th century America for espousing Christianity in the context of a drama set in a place readers could understand and relate to, it is no exaggeration to term this book a lesser-appreciated Christian classic.

In modern times, Say and Seal is perhaps most famous for being the first place Warner published her poem "Jesus Loves Me". This verse would attain enormous popularity in church denominations and Christian publications in the United States and further afield, becoming one of the Warners' most celebrated works.