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The Gate Seldom Found
The Gate Seldom Found
by Raymond Reid This historical novel, drawn from actual incidents and real people, dramatizes the true story of a little-known house church fellowship that flowered late in the 19th century. The saga opens in southern Ontario during the blizzard of January 1898.Resolute men and articulate women play out challenging roles in a world of candlelight and kerosene lamps, of weather prediction by signs in the heavens, of cures by poultices and plasters. Tramps are invited to the table and the hired man takes his place among family festivities as the novel interweaves the textures of farm and village life, showing portraits of marriage, birth and death, youth and age in a rural society before the mechanization of agriculture.Alistair Stanhope, one of the main characters, is shaken by the finality of his friend's untimely death after a desperate battle with galloping consumption. The pain of this sudden loss causes Alistair to question his own faith. Unable to find the depth of spirituality that he is seeking within his church, he and his wife, Priscilla, turn to a close circle of friends for support. Disenchantment with organized religion and a thirst for more intimate fellowship inspire them to worship in their own parlours. Realizing that God doesn't live in structures of stone, they jettison former rituals in their quest for a deeper Christian life. As time passes, a few of these friends choose voluntary poverty, sell all of their possessions and give the money to the poor. When they travel to various settlements as itinerant preachers, they encounter violence and opposition to their simple message.This historical novel engages the reader in 504 pages of challenging reading. A glossary of historical terms and a map circa 1898 round out the saga. A Reference section details nearly 500 biblical passages that guided the group as it matured and developed.
by Raymond Reid This historical novel, drawn from actual incidents and real people, dramatizes the true story of a little-known house church fellowship that flowered late in the 19th century. The saga opens in southern Ontario during the blizzard of January 1898.Resolute men and articulate women play out challenging roles in a world of candlelight and kerosene lamps, of weather prediction by signs in the heavens, of cures by poultices and plasters. Tramps are invited to the table and the hired man takes his place among family festivities as the novel interweaves the textures of farm and village life, showing portraits of marriage, birth and death, youth and age in a rural society before the mechanization of agriculture.Alistair Stanhope, one of the main characters, is shaken by the finality of his friend's untimely death after a desperate battle with galloping consumption. The pain of this sudden loss causes Alistair to question his own faith. Unable to find the depth of spirituality that he is seeking within his church, he and his wife, Priscilla, turn to a close circle of friends for support. Disenchantment with organized religion and a thirst for more intimate fellowship inspire them to worship in their own parlours. Realizing that God doesn't live in structures of stone, they jettison former rituals in their quest for a deeper Christian life. As time passes, a few of these friends choose voluntary poverty, sell all of their possessions and give the money to the poor. When they travel to various settlements as itinerant preachers, they encounter violence and opposition to their simple message.This historical novel engages the reader in 504 pages of challenging reading. A glossary of historical terms and a map circa 1898 round out the saga. A Reference section details nearly 500 biblical passages that guided the group as it matured and developed.
631 pages, Paperback
First published March 1, 2004
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
November 11, 2019
Potent Quotables:
You can count the seeds in an apple, but you can never count the apples in a seed.
Because God is love, it’s only to the extent that He lives in us that selfless love can truly be expressed.
A well-rehearsed sermon gives a lot less nourishment than a simple, timely thought.
Everyone breathes the same sweet air, yet only a few will respond in awe to the breath of God.
Rules and regulations only divide people. Those who conform become self-righteous, and those who don’t become rebellious.
Faith and works can only be separated in men’s minds; for works flow spontaneously from ardent faith.
May 18, 2022
I first read this book 10 years ago and recently took it down from the shelf again (I would add I keep only books that speak to my heart) and from the first few lines, I remembered why I kept this book. Its gentle wisdom and heartfelt words are touching my heart again, this time in a new and profound way, causing my days to take on the same gentleness as the figures within its pages.
It is a pleasure to pick up this book read a chapter and then lay it aside and let the words and meaning stew in my spirit until the next time I pick it up if only there were more fiction books to feed my soul and spirit the way this one is.
It is a pleasure to pick up this book read a chapter and then lay it aside and let the words and meaning stew in my spirit until the next time I pick it up if only there were more fiction books to feed my soul and spirit the way this one is.
December 4, 2022
Well, that was quite the ride! The story in this book is compelling, but doesn't suck you in like fiction would. That can be a good thing, because The Gate Seldom Found is a book that informs and teaches as much as it entertains.
I enjoyed the many idioms, quirky phrases, and apt descriptions. The author did well at taking the story from place to place without losing me at the previous destination.
My rating here does not reflect my thoughts about all the theology in this book. As it is a novel, I'll try and judge this book for the story itself. I appreciated the emphasis at the Go-preachers simply obeying the Bible and teaching from that alone. Faith in God is the most important factor in our mission, and spiritual growth is based entirely on Jesus and drawing closer to Him.
I enjoyed the many idioms, quirky phrases, and apt descriptions. The author did well at taking the story from place to place without losing me at the previous destination.
My rating here does not reflect my thoughts about all the theology in this book. As it is a novel, I'll try and judge this book for the story itself. I appreciated the emphasis at the Go-preachers simply obeying the Bible and teaching from that alone. Faith in God is the most important factor in our mission, and spiritual growth is based entirely on Jesus and drawing closer to Him.
September 5, 2022
This book is packed full of wisdom!
April 8, 2009
Man's way to the Lord is not the best way. These people left the church as we know it and went after God. Wonderful!!!
December 31, 2009
I loved this book!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews