Say Fellows—

Wade Cothran SmithProject Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

1.8

Word count: 211K words
Chapters: 22

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today."Say Fellows—" by Wade C. SmithAuthor: Smith, Wade C. (Wade Cothran), 1870?-1960,Language: English, Class: BV: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: Practical theology, Worship, Release Date: Sep 27, 2005

Editor's review

Say Fellows— is a practical Christian text by Wade C. Smith addressed to general readers, classified under practical theology and worship. Judging from its title and classification, it reads more like a set of short exhortations or talks pitched to a group and marked by a colloquial form of address—direct in tone and close to everyday life rather than a systematic theological treatise. Its value lies in showing one strand of popular Christian expression in the early twentieth-century English-speaking world: how faith and life were discussed in plain language, and how brief, forceful exhortations were delivered in group settings. For readers studying popular religious writing, the church talk genre, or English exhortatory literature, this public-domain e-book offers a usable sample. The barrier to entry is low, but readers need a basic familiarity with the Christian context; otherwise some wording and assumptions may feel remote. It suits casual browsing as a stylistic sample or as short devotional pieces, and one should not expect rigorous argumentation or historical scholarship.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers interested in early twentieth-century popular English Christian writing
Writing researchers seeking samples of the short exhortation or talk genre
Readers with a Christian background who want light devotional reading
Students of practical theology and the church talk tradition

Not a good fit for

Readers expecting systematic theology or academic scholarship
Readers with no interest in or aversion to religious topics
Readers seeking contemporary Chinese devotional material rather than an old English work

Reading tips

Browse it as a stylistic sample, noting the colloquial address and the rhythm of short sentences.
Read one or two pieces at a time rather than straight through; it suits fragmented reading time.
If using it for research, record its exhortatory structure and common rhetoric and compare it with popular religious writing of the same period.
Before reading, learn about early twentieth-century popular Christian publishing in English to reduce the contextual gap.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a systematic theology work?

No. Judging from its title and its classification under practical theology, it is closer to short exhortations or talks addressed to a group, colloquial in tone and close to everyday life, rather than a rigorous systematic theology treatise; it should not be read with the expectations of an academic monograph.

Can I read it without a Christian background?

You can, but some wording and assumptions require some contextual knowledge. If you are unfamiliar with the Christian tradition, it helps to learn first about the basic church talk genre and common expressions; otherwise the point of some exhortations may be hard to grasp.

Is it suitable for devotional reading?

Yes, but be aware that it is an early twentieth-century English text whose language and concerns differ from contemporary devotional material. Readers with a Christian background can browse it as light short pieces and should not expect contemporary applied guidance.

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About the author

Wade Cothran Smith Author · American · 1870–1960

Wade Cothran Smith (c. 1870–1960) was an American writer active mainly in the early twentieth century. Public information about his life is quite limited: reliable records of his early education, professional career and the beginnings of his writing are lacking, so a complete biographical picture cannot be drawn. The only confirmed work is Say Fellows—, whose category is not specified in the available data; judging from its title and period, it appears to be a popular book for general readers, possibly essays or discursive prose. Smith wrote against the backdrop of a growing popular publishing market in early twentieth-century America, addressing a broad public rather than specialists in plain, accessible language. With few surviving works and little scholarly attention, his place in literary history is modest, and he is usually mentioned only as an incidental example of popular American writing of the period.