Cover of A Lost Cause

A Lost Cause

  • Free to read
  • 4 hours to read
  • 14 chapters
  • Reading level: 6th grade

"A Lost Cause" by Guy Thorne is a novel written in the early 20th century. The book appears to address the tensions within the Church of England, particularly focusing on the conflict between traditional Catholic practices and rising Protestant sentiments. The opening revolves around Father Blantyre, the vicar of St. Elwyn's, and the dramatic circumstances surrounding a Catholic Mass that becomes interrupted by a protest led by the antagonistic Hamlyn family. At the start of the narrative, the atmosphere is tense as preparations for the High Celebration at St. Elwyn's unfold. The church is filled with worshippers who are poised for a sacred experience, but the solemnity is shattered when Samuel Hamlyn publicly protests against the rituals of the Mass, igniting chaos among the congregation. This confrontation not only reveals the divisions within the church community but sets the stage for a deeper exploration of the characters' motivations and beliefs. The implications of this conflict extend beyond the church walls, hinting at broader societal debates about faith and tradition during the period.

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  • England
  • Church of England

Read the opening

Chapter I

THE INTERRUPTED EUCHARIST

The Church of St. Elwyn was a building of brick that went up to a great height.

In the crowded district between Hornsey and Wood Green, it was one of the largest buildings, and, though not externally beautiful, acquired dignity and impressiveness from its setting of small villa houses, which made an interminable brick wilderness all round it.

It was nearing the time of the High Celebration on a Sunday morning in summer. Matins had been said in a side chapel, to a scanty congregation, at half-past nine, and now the central act of the day was to take place.

The interior of St. Elwyn's was severe but beautiful, save for one or two minor blemishes here and there.

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Contents

  1. Preface
  2. Chapter I
  3. Chapter II
  4. Chapter III
  5. Chapter IV
  6. Chapter V
  7. Chapter VI
  8. Chapter VII: The Offices of the "Luther League" — An Interior
  9. Chapter VIII
  10. Chapter IX
  11. Chapter X
  12. Chapter XI
  13. Chapter XII
  14. Chapter XIII

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About this edition

This free edition of A Lost Cause by Guy Thorne comes from Project Gutenberg eBook #40539, released 2012-08-19. It is in the public domain in the United States, so you can read it here in full at no cost, on any phone, tablet or computer. Genre: Novels, British Literature, Religion/Spirituality.

Summary provided by Project Gutenberg (automatically generated).

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