The Gathering of Days
By Joshua Wong February 28, 2019
Would you help an elusive stranger against your father’s wishes and the law? In the book “The Gathering of days” Catherine Cabot Hall, a young 14-year-old, who is as innocent as a dove, only trying to help had to make this decision. Everyone agrees that the Phantom needed help. Some people believe Catherine should not have helped the phantom, and some believe otherwise. Catherine should not have helped the phantom for three reasons. First, the Phantom could be someone with intentions other than what Catherine believed. The second reason is that the Phantom was a stranger. The final reason is that she would be disobeying the law and her father.
The first reason Catherine should not have helped the Phantom is that he could be someone with intentions other than what Catherine knew and believed. Catherine didn’t know if the phantom was really in need. The Phantom could be someone taking the grace, kindness, and mercy and of others to his advantage
and stealing their belongings. The Phantom could’ve been playing a cruel joke on Catherine and her friends.
The second reason Catherine should not have helped the Phantom is that he was a stranger in the town. The Phantom was hiding from the townspeople and was being very mysterious to Catherine. The Phantom could have been running away
from the law in the south. For all Catherine knew he could’ve been a murderer. Lastly, Catherine only noticed the phantom once or twice, and even then only a small glimpse of him. She didn’t see if the man was mentally stable or capable of sound judgment.
The last reason Catherine should not have helped the Phantom is that she would be disobeying her authority. The phantom was a presumed runaway slave, and the law says to turn runaways into the authority. While Catherine eagerly and naively helped the phantom, her father agreed with the law saying “A slave is bound to stay bound”. The Law would punish the slave and the people who aided them, which would put Catherine and her friends at risk.
Some people say that Catherine should have helped the phantom. They say he was cold, hungry, and needed help. The only reason Catherine assisted the Phantom is that he took her notebook and claimed he needed help. The Argument is not suggesting that the Phantom did not need, help rather they just did not have solid evidence of his need.
In addition, people argue that he was a runaway slave, whose master
could’ve been cruel, heading to Canada, which was a free country. However, this argument is invalid because it was known that it was illegal to help runaway slaves. The Bible says, “Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere
heart, as you would Christ.” (Ephesians 6:5), and “Slaves, in reverent fear of God submit yourselves to your masters, not only to those who are good and considerate but also to those who are harsh.” (1 Peter 2:18) It is the slave’s duty to honor their masters even when their masters could be cruel.
Catherine should not have helped the Phantom for these reasons: Catherine did not know the intentions of the Phantom, the Phantom was a stranger, and Catherine would be disobeying the law. This argument is not suggesting that you should never help people you don’t know. This argument, in this circumstance, is saying that Catherine should not have helped a stranger in secret and without gathering enough information. This matters to Catherine and her friends for their safety and lawfulness could be at risk.
joshuas study cave 