The Tremendous Adventures of Major Brown

Recently, I read this short story by G.K. Chesterton, The Tremendous Adventures of Major Brown (read first - spoilers). Although the story fascinated me, it was Chesterton's point that drew me to read it again and now, again.

G.K. Chesterton in his story The Tremendous Adventures of Major Brown spells out a pivotal question, “What is the relationship between truth and fact?” His fascinating work moves towards a purpose: facts in and of themselves will not lead to truth. In fact, sometimes the facts can mask or in his words “obscure” the truth. Even with accurate facts, one can miss the truth. This was the case in the story of Major Brown. 

As I read I began to understand that Chesterton was not saying that all fact is misleading, but rather there are certain illuminating or unlocking facts that lead us to examine clearly all the facts and ultimately, the truth. In this story, the mix-up of Mr. Gurney Brown and Major Brown plays this role of the key fact.  This fact opens the eyes of the reader and the members in the story, allowing all of us to appropriately understand the events in the story.  

Still, if that is the case and we are without understanding until we find this central, illuminating fact, how do we know if we have found this fact? I think this is Chesterton’s point in the following rant: ‘You could not adopt the ordinary explanation. The ordinary explanation of putting on singular clothes is that you look nice in them; you would not think that Lord Kitchener dressed up like a ballet girl out of ordinary personal vanity. You would think it much more likely that he inherited a dancing madness from a great grandmother; or had been hypnotized at a séance; or threatened by a secret society with death if he refused the ordeal. With Baden-Powell, say, it might be a bet---but not with Kitchener. I should know all that, because in my public days I knew him quite well. So I know that letter quite well, and criminals quite well. It's not a criminal's letter. It's all atmospheres.' And he closed his eyes and passed his hand over his forehead. The unlocking fact for understanding Kitchener dressed up in a ballet outfit was Basil’s relationship with Kitchener. Also, it is Basil’s knowledge of criminals that leads him to see that this letter is not written by a criminal. This fact reveals to Basil that the story he has heard does not include the illuminating fact. The facts “obscure the truth.” Basil doesn't admit to know the illuminating fact, but rather, the absence of the fact. How does Basil arrive to this?

Relationship. People. What then leads us to truth? From his story with Kitchener and the criminals, Chesterton is saying only in light of relationship or persons can we know the truth. It is by knowing people (criminals and Kitchener) that he sees the illuminating fact (or lack thereof). 

Consequently, “Can we know truth in this life?” According to Chesterton, the answer is yes, but it can only be known through a relationship with a relational being: the God of heaven. Only through Him can we perceive facts clearly and truth ultimately. And this relationship can only come through the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. For us, it is this fundamental fact that leads to the truth which is the “green blood that springs, like a fountain, at the stars.”