Fourthly, Mr. and Mrs. Bumble are the worst liars in Oliver Twist, despite their condemnation of degenerate sinners and the biblical command “You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:16). During his years at the workhouse, “Oliver was the victim of a systematic course of treachery and deception.” (4). During the magisterial meeting to sign the indenture papers binding Oliver to Gamfield, Bumble claims “He doats on it [chimney-sweeping] ... If we was to bind him to any other trade to-morrow [sic], he'd run away simultaneous ...”, while “giving Oliver a sly pinch, to intimate that he had better not say” anything to the contrary. (20). Furthermore, Bumble declares he has “always loved that boy as if he'd been my - my - my own grandfather!” (401) at the end of the novel when earlier, he calls him “the ungratefullest, and worst-disposed” orphan he ever did see (27). In addition, Mr. and Mrs. Bumble deny selling anything to Monks, nor knowledge of him, nor possession of a gold locket and ring, all of which are falsehoods. They who are supposed to be the most pious and devoted Christians also represent the epitome of despotism and dishonesty.

Lastly, the parish officials ignore the biblical decree to “freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.” (Deuteronomy 15:11). Instead, they act with nothing but their own conceited self-interest in mind, as they “always had” (276), while they demand obedience and gratefulness from the destitute paupers in their authority. For example, one gentleman remarks, “I hope you ... pray for the people who feed you, and take care of you — like a Christian.” (10). Mr. Bumble echoes, “The kind and blessed gentleman ... are a going to ’prentice you [sic] ... although the expense to the parish is three pound ten! ... and all for a naughty orphan that nobody can’t love.” (18). It is ironic that Bumble’s parochial seal depicts “the Good Samaritan healing the sick and bruised man” (24) when he flogs and humiliates Oliver extensively. His philosophy of poverty relief is to “give the paupers exactly what they don’t want; and then they get tired of coming.” (169). For Bumble, the purpose of parochial efforts is to create a semblance of order, satisfaction, and welfare among the paupers, regardless of the cruel reality of their state, so as to rid the inconvenience of “troublesome questions” (5) by concerned onlookers and public scrutiny.

The behavior of parishioners is the antithesis of their own preachings and injunctions, the time-honored Ten Commandments, and the deep-rooted Christian obligation to provide relief for the needy. From Mr. Bumble who deliberately misrepresents Oliver in front of the magistrate to the gentleman in the white waistcoat who exclaims, “That boy will be hung,” (13) Dickens’ satirical novel paints the hypocrisy of the 19th century Anglican Church in vivid colors, and artfully demonstrates the corruption that results from the secularization of an originally religious institution.

       

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