Christoph von Schmid (1768–1854)

The Captive is a story of a young Italian nobleman, Anselmo, who is taken captive by pirates and sold to a Muslim family. Set in the nineteenth century, the story is unapologetically Christian in its themes, as Anselmo suffers his trials with humility and faith and ultimately wins his captors to Christ. The author, Christoph von Schmid, was a 19th-century priest, educator, and author who wrote children's stories as rewards for his students.

This audiobook was dramatized by Lamplighter Theatre show more and hosted by John Rhys-Davies. It is quite a well-executed radio drama. The sound effects, acting, and music are all good, and even as I noted the awkward or unrealistic moments in the plot, I was drawn in by the performances and wanted to know what would happen next.

The frame story is a bit awkward; a couple who want to learn to evangelize better are taken on a magic journey by their friend, who introduces them to Anselmo through the pages of his book. Things get much better once Anselmo's story starts.

Yes, sometimes it's a bit preachy. I think preachiness (or at least a perception of preachiness) is inevitable when the religious elements are made explicit in a fictional frame. But it was the sort of preachiness that I agree with, and as a piece of didactic art, The Captive shines. Anselmo consistently views his afflictions as being straight from God's hands, opportunities to manifest Christ to others—such a refreshing attitude in fiction!

One criticism I would make, however, is that everyone, even the radical Muslim son, eventually sees the truth of Christ and converts. Not that radical Muslims can't or don't, but real life rarely works that way. Even if I am a perfectly consistent and faithful witness and suffer in a way that pleases God in every circumstance, there is no guarantee that every hard heart around me will be melted. (I mean, look at Jesus's own ministry... He had nowhere near the 100% conversion rate portrayed in this story!) I think it sets unrealistic (though unspoken) expectations that everyone will get saved if you are just faithful enough. Not true.

However, despite these reservations my husband and I enjoyed this production quite a bit, and will probably look up more by Lamplighter Theatre dramas when we have children old enough to enjoy them. show less

Having never read a Christoph von Schmid book before, I was interested to read The White Dove when it came up on my list of classical books recently. This story ended up being a much faster read than I anticipated—only half an hour or so. It’s a sweet story, one that I think my younger siblings would really enjoy, although it’s old enough that younger people might struggle to read the old English style in which it is written. Many years ago, I think I would have been entranced by this show more book—the way Agnes caught and tamed her dove, how she selflessly gave it away, and how her generosity ended up being an even bigger blessing than she anticipated.

I was bothered by the story a little; as I’ve begun noticing in a lot of 19th- and 20th-century stories, characters are portrayed as being able to decide to change their personalities in a positive direction, and then—voila!—their desired result happens, without a mention of needing God’s help for change. In my opinion, stories like this could be misleading in this area, even though otherwise, they are solid, well-written literature.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. It’s short, sweet, and the kind of book I imagine many children would enjoy reading. I’d like to read it to my siblings at some stage. show less

Beloved nineteenth-century priest and teacher Christoph von Schmid had a beautiful and engaging way of teaching important moral principles. He believed children learn and cherish these truths best when taught by the examples of relatable and admirable characters.

In this captivating collection of stories, readers come to know and love faithful Mina, whose simple, earthen water pitcher brings remarkable blessings; wise Frederic Vollmar and a sacred painting that reveals a generation-long show more mystery; and honest Mary, with her beautifully woven basket of flowers that both condemns and liberates her. Though they each face difficult trials, these characters learn the value of trusting and loving God completely and witness the blessings that come when they put Him before all else. show less

I've really enjoyed all the Christoph von Schmid books I've read so far and this one is probably a tie in with The White Dove. His stories are all very similar but they have a charm to them that works well. They are adventurous quick reads that I, personally, find hard to put down. Most can be read in 60-90 minutes though this is one of the larger ones.

I actually read this as a bookend to my devotion time which worked well since little sermonettes close out most of the chapters. A chapter or show more two each day had it read in about 7 days and didn't add much time to the morning. If you have a harder time with didactic stories, this may be an easier way to read them and get out of them what they intend.

It takes the first three chapters to get this one off the ground but from there it moves quickly. Mary finds herself in seemingly the worst of circumstances. Her father's care in raising his child has shown her to deal with these circumstances in manners that we should all strive for. Mary's adventure lasts a few years and through God's intervention she is cared for and sustained, much due to the prayers of others even when she is unaware.

If you enjoy any of the other von Schmid books, I can't imagine you wouldn't enjoy this one. show less