My father-in-law is up at present. He's been speaking at an Open Air Mission workers gathering. He picked up a nice little book I'd never seen. It's a 1895 editon with lots of nice illustrations by man called Charles Tresidder. It's referred to in
Protestant nonconformist texts by Robert Tudur Jones, Alan P F Sell and David William Bebbington, p 119 (See Google Books)
M G Pearse, Daniel Quorm and his Religious Notions, 1875
Mark Guy Pearse (1842—1928) was a Wesleyan minister who, despite preaching for C H Spurgeon, developed unusually liberal theological views for his denomination. His fictional output began with Daniel Quorm, and his Religious Notions, London, 1875, which is often classed as the first Methodist novel but which has a tract-like religious message. Daniel is a wise Cornish class leader who has to deal with difficult characters like Widow Pascoe. See Mrs G Unwin and J Telford, Mark Guy Pearse, London, 1930.
They quote this fascinating extract from pp 144-7 of the novel (not sure which edition)
Mark Guy Pearse (1842—1928) was a Wesleyan minister who, despite preaching for C H Spurgeon, developed unusually liberal theological views for his denomination. His fictional output began with Daniel Quorm, and his Religious Notions, London, 1875, which is often classed as the first Methodist novel but which has a tract-like religious message. Daniel is a wise Cornish class leader who has to deal with difficult characters like Widow Pascoe. See Mrs G Unwin and J Telford, Mark Guy Pearse, London, 1930.
They quote this fascinating extract from pp 144-7 of the novel (not sure which edition)
On Winning Souls
Strangely enough, it was Widow Pascoe who most commonly suggested this topic. Partly by the selfishness of her sentiments, partly by her dismal looks and tones, but still more by the impression that all about her made on ones mind. Though she never said it in so many words, there were a hundred things about her that kept saying it over and over again — ‘The Lord’s people are a peculiar people, a little flock. You only know that the way leads to Heaven if a very few there be that find it. Therefore receive all new comers with cold suspicion. Most likely they are hypocrites, and if not, they will probably be back in the world again in a month. Keep the way as much as you possibly can to yourself …’
Dan’el listened with a sigh and spoke slowly and sadly, - ‘ Well, if we don’t take care, I‘m afraid some of us’ll never get to Heaven.’
This was threatening: it even disturbed Widow Pascoe‘s composure for a moment.
Dan’l continued, as if explaining what had gone before, ‘Or if we get there it won’t be like the Lord Jesus went. You remember that Jesus wouldn’t go to Heaven alone, even He took a soul with Him, and said 'Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise.’ An’ the only sale way for us is to go is like the Blessed Mister went.' …
You know, my dear sister you’ll never get anybody to go along such a dismal old road as you make of it. Never. An’ what’ll you do if you get up to the golden gate all by yourself? You know the Lord wouldn’t let the beasts go into the ark one by one, not even the unclean beasts; not a cat or a dog could go in by itself. An’ if ‘tis anything like that what will folks do who have never got a soul to go to Heaven with ’em ? Besides it would be a’most impudence to knock to the door and ask the glorious great Archangel to open it just to let in one.’
Strangely enough, it was Widow Pascoe who most commonly suggested this topic. Partly by the selfishness of her sentiments, partly by her dismal looks and tones, but still more by the impression that all about her made on ones mind. Though she never said it in so many words, there were a hundred things about her that kept saying it over and over again — ‘The Lord’s people are a peculiar people, a little flock. You only know that the way leads to Heaven if a very few there be that find it. Therefore receive all new comers with cold suspicion. Most likely they are hypocrites, and if not, they will probably be back in the world again in a month. Keep the way as much as you possibly can to yourself …’
Dan’el listened with a sigh and spoke slowly and sadly, - ‘ Well, if we don’t take care, I‘m afraid some of us’ll never get to Heaven.’
This was threatening: it even disturbed Widow Pascoe‘s composure for a moment.
Dan’l continued, as if explaining what had gone before, ‘Or if we get there it won’t be like the Lord Jesus went. You remember that Jesus wouldn’t go to Heaven alone, even He took a soul with Him, and said 'Today shalt thou be with me in Paradise.’ An’ the only sale way for us is to go is like the Blessed Mister went.' …
You know, my dear sister you’ll never get anybody to go along such a dismal old road as you make of it. Never. An’ what’ll you do if you get up to the golden gate all by yourself? You know the Lord wouldn’t let the beasts go into the ark one by one, not even the unclean beasts; not a cat or a dog could go in by itself. An’ if ‘tis anything like that what will folks do who have never got a soul to go to Heaven with ’em ? Besides it would be a’most impudence to knock to the door and ask the glorious great Archangel to open it just to let in one.’
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