The Crown of Thorns: A Token for the Sorrowing

"The Crown of Thorns: A Token for the Sorrowing" by E. H. (Edwin Hubbell) Chapin is a compilation of religious speeches from the 1800s that contemplates suffering, faith, and how Christians view pain, all to comfort those who are hurting. Drawing from personal grief, like the loss of someone dear, the author provides an emotional element to the book’s subjects. The book starts by explaining why these speeches were written, focusing on the author's own sadness and wish to sympathize with others in similar situations. The first speech, called "The Three Tabernacles," thinks about wanting to hold onto happy times and the human desire to make temporary things last forever. Chapin uses Peter's wish to build tabernacles during the Transfiguration to teach about facing life's difficulties and seeing suffering as part of a spiritual journey to better know God. This beginning introduces the idea of suffering as something that helps people improve and find faith.