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This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description
After that talk with her father about the child and his mother, a certain silent change appeared in Maggie. People saw in her face an expression which they took to resemble that of one whose child was ill, and was expected to die. But what Maggie felt was only resignation to the will of her Lord: the child was not hers but the Lord's, lent to her for a season! She must walk softly, doing everything for him as under the eye of the Master, who might at any moment call to her, "Bring the child: I want him now!" And she soon became as cheerful as before, but never after quite lost the still, solemn look as of one in the eternal spaces, who saw beyond this world's horizon. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (2)

A Shorter Work with an Impressive Spiritual Lesson.
I have just finished this novel and I was very pleasantly surprise at how good it was. The first couple of chapters are a little dull, but as the story gets moving, it is as good as any of George MacDonald's otherstories. Now there is quite a bit of Scotch dialect and the story focusesmore on one event than do some of the author's other works, but I found thespiritual insight very, very helpful. This book was the next to the lastone that this author wrote. And he wrote it when he was 71 years old, so itrepresents an entire life of spiritual development.

The story revolvesaround a young preacher, Mr. Blatherwick, who because he is self-confidentand prideful, makes a very big mistake which dogs him like the hound ofheaven throughout the story. He refuses to face himself, his faults and hisneed for a redeemer until his conscience almost drives him mad. He hadbecome a preacher to make a name for himself, and in reality he had nothingto offer and everything to hide.

The characters here are very sympatheticand well drawn. We follow a grieving young girl, a compassionate olderminister from the neighboring town, the wise shoemaker and his daughter,and the dissapointed and alienated parents of the young preacher. Theending is quite a shocker.

Where pride rules, the soul is lost and the heart is dead.
James Blatherwick, the only son of Marion and Peter Blatherwick, is an arrogant, self-centered, independent individual who is firmly convinced that he requires no outside assistance, not even from God. He is proud, self-possessed and has no doubt that his intellect will guide him through the direst of circumstances.

It is, while disappointing, not at all surprising that such a one as he is preparing to enter the church as one of God's ministers. Is he dedicated to God, does he revere the Almighty Creator, are his motives pure and altruistic, does he ache for the lost, hurt for those who hurt, cry with those who cry? Not hardly. The ministry offers him the opportunity to display his intellectual prowess and scholastic achievements as well as provides a vehicle by which he may readily obtain prominence, position, power, influence, and a quite comfortable living with minimal exertion-not unlike many pastors, priests, and ministers who I have personally had the distinct misfortune toencounter in this century.

Rather than called of God, for he does not know God, to minister to His flock, Blatherwick has chosen the ministry as a profession. He cannot minister, for he cannot love. He cannot heal, for his heart knows no compassion. He cannot do anymore than repeat, from the pulpit, the words that he has memorized, the words that hold absolutely no meaning for him, the words which he himself does not truly believe.

There abides, however, a loving and patient God who will take whatever steps He deems necessary to redeem and recover His lost sheep. While Blatherwick feels himself quite safe and secure within his thin veneer of pride, the Almightybegins to work.

There resides in the same town in which Blatherwick is comfortably ensconced, a humble cobbler and his daughter, both, having neverattended seminary, know more of God than Blatherwick could have conceived possible. It is through the love, patience, understanding, and lives of these two children of God that Blatherwick begins to enter the 'fiery furnace' ofredemption and repentance.

The redemption of a single soul is, indeed, a process of rebirth, for intrinsic to this procedure is often to be found agonizing and excruciating birth-pangs. It is doubtful whether it could be accomplished otherwise. The old must die, and he does not die willingly, while the new struggles midst cries of pain, sorrow, andsuffering to the surface. As the new birth is taking place midst the death of the old, there are prayers innumerable ascending toward the Throne of God. The angels and saints in Heaven, the children of God on earth-all participate in this glorious event.

You are cordially invited to attend both the death and the rebirth of James Blatherwick. In attendance there may be many with whom you have had no prior experience. I ask that you pay particular heed to one old cobbler and hisloving daughter, Maggie. I also request that you not be shy, for this is truly a wondrous occasion. The Blatherwick family will be only too pleased towelcome you to the birth of their new son. ... Read more

Book Description
This digital document, covering the life and work of George MacDonald, is an entry from Contemporary Authors, a reference volume published by Thompson Gale. The length of the entry is 4691 words. The page length listed above is based on a typical 300-word page. Although the exact content of each entry from this volume can vary, typical entries include the following information:

• Place and date of birth and death (if deceased)
• Family members
• Education
• Professional associations and honors
• Employment
• Writings, including books and periodicals
• A description of the author's work
• References to further readings about the author

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description
But although he was no coxcomb, neither had fed himself on romances, as Lady Florimel had been doing of late, and although the laugh was quite honestly laughed at himself, it was nevertheless a bitter one. For again came the question: Why should an absurdity be a possibility? It was absurd, and yet possible: there was the point. In mathematics it was not so: there, of two opposites to prove one an absurdity, was to prove the other a fact. Neither in metaphysics was it so: there also an impossibility and an absurdity were one and the same thing. But here, in a region of infinitely more import to the human life than an eternity of mathematical truth, there was at least one absurdity which was yet inevitable. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.Download Description
Again without waiting to think, and only afterwards waking up to the fact and meaning of what she had done, she turned, went back to the entry-door, and knocked. It was almost suddenly opened by the cook, and at once the storm of her misery was assuaged in a rising moon of hope, and the night became light about her. Ah, through what miseries are not even frail hopes our best and safest, our only true guides indeed, into other and yet fairer hopes! ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. Literature -- History and criticism Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616 -- Criticism and interpretation Download Description
Schoppe, the satiric chorus of Jean Paul's romance of Titan, makes his appearance at a certain masked ball, carrying in front of him a glass case, in which the ball is remasked, repeated, and again reflected in a mirror behind, by a set of puppets, ludicrously aping the apery of the courtiers, whose whole life and outward manifestation was but a body-mask mechanically moved with the semblance of real life and action. The court simulates reality. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more

Book Description
This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery. ... Read more