MDDM Ch. 75 Dixon's Search Engine

[Terrance]

Bandwraith at aol.com wrote:
> 
> Interesting to note that Dixon's technique of
> consulting the Bible, hoping for divine intervention
> in a "random" process to provide guidance, is
> quite biased toward the more central chapters, of
> which Job is one. Genesis or the final NT chapters
> would probably be much less likely to come into play
> by this technique. Also, those passages which were
> more frequently read would have an advantage over
> less favorite sections by the effects of use on the
> binding.


Bibliomancy was quite common at the time so again P's portrayal is
historical. 
Friends in the 17th century, even fallen ones like Dixon,  were never
averse to using the Bible in argument.  Friends   made -- selectively,
like other people -- a considerable use of the Bible, and as the Devil
is said to do, could quote Scripture to their own purpose. I think that
Robert's idea that Jere could be or might be pollicating Mason here is
interesting. I have to disagree however about the idea that chance or
fortune or omen or pagan derived practices involving chance are at odds
with Faith. Sure, they are at odds with Reason, but not faith
necessarily. Although the reasoned view is one view of Faith, faith does
not rest on logical proof or material evidence and is and was for many
Christians not a determined or pre-ordained grace. Bibliomancy was
frowned upon by some. 
So was chance and luck and fortune and gambling, but for many
christians, the old Roman Catholic/Pagan practices were not at odds with
Faith. Wesley, founder of Methodism, was criticized for  Bibliomancy.  

 Recall that when Dixon and Mason visit Washington and George quotes the
bible on Gershom, the men are a bit confused. Confused because a negro
slave is a Jew, but also because they interpret the passage differently.
And it's not only the bible, but letters from the RS or proverbs and
folk tales that are differently interpreted. Consider Dixon's tale of
the Worm. A traditional folk tale, but it seems to be his own telling of
the tale, unique. And all those that listen to it have different ideas
about its moral, its meaning. All very Modern. Indeterminate ironies
abound as the secular cities (not unlike Slothrop's London) of the
Modern world trap our boys in profane parables.

But the sacred surfaces. Often in dream, but sometimes when our boys are
awake or someplace in between. It **Materilizes** and burst out at
nightmare or comic subversion.
So Mason dreams of a tribute, a stage and a pit-- that crowd walking
round in a ring reminds us of ELiot and Dante, of the Unreal City and
the Inferno, while Dixon dreams of a stage where a  musical comedy
laughs at Death and the Elect.