The Coming Night

Hoare, Edward, 1812-1894Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

2.4

Word count: 28K words
Chapters: 3

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. The Coming Night by Edward Hoare. Author: Hoare, Edward, 1812-1894. Language: English. Class: BV: Philosophy, Psychology, Religion: Christianity: Practical theology, Worship. Release Date: May 9, 2016

Editor's review

The Coming Night is a work of practical Christian theology by the nineteenth-century English clergyman Edward Hoare, and the "night" of the title points to themes of judgment and the last things in a context of faith. Hoare's works are known for a preaching, exhortatory style, with clear argument and a solemn tone, making this a useful sample of Victorian-era English religious writing. The book is not a systematic theology treatise but something closer to devotional and admonitory writing for believers, and in reading it one senses the era's concern with faith, death, and eternal questions. For Chinese readers its value lies in providing primary material for the history of religious literature and thought, and it can also serve as a text for studying English language and rhetoric. Because of its subject matter and linguistic distance, ordinary readers without background knowledge of religion may find it rather preachy.

Who it's for

A good fit for

Readers studying nineteenth-century British Christian thought and religious writing
Believers with some command of English who are interested in devotional and eschatological themes
Language learners studying Victorian English prose and the sermon style

Not a good fit for

Readers with no interest at all in religious subjects who only want to read fiction
Beginners with weak English reading ability who are unfamiliar with Christian terminology

Reading tips

Before reading, learn the basic context of nineteenth-century British evangelicalism and eschatology
Read in sections by chapter, and after each chapter briefly note the core arguments and the scripture passages cited
Treat it as a sample of religious prose and pay attention to the author's rhetorical methods and exhortatory tone
If using it for language study, compile high-frequency religious vocabulary and compare it with modern English expressions

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 novel or a religious discussion?

It is not a novel but a discussion of practical Christian theology or a devotional work, with a preaching and exhortatory style. Readers should expect religious prose rather than look for plot or character development.

Can I understand it without a Christian background?

You can read it, but you will need some basic background, such as the concepts of the last things, judgment, and salvation. If you are completely unfamiliar with the terminology, it is best to read introductory material first before going to the original text; otherwise it is easy to remain at a literal level of understanding.

Is it suitable as English learning material?

It is suitable for intermediate and advanced English learners, because the text is nineteenth-century religious prose with long sentences and solemn diction. It is best used alongside an annotated edition or a modern translation, focusing on argument structure and rhetoric rather than merely memorizing words.

Comments

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About the author

Hoare, Edward, 1812-1894 Author

Edward Hoare (1812–1894) was a prolific nineteenth-century Christian author, with 32 works held in the collection. His writing centres on sermons and theological discussion, covering daily devotion, redemption, sanctification, the Lord's Supper, and hope for Jerusalem. His representative works show that he served readers with sermon collections such as Sermons for the Day, while addressing systematic theology in works like Sanctification, Redemption, and Evolution. The Doctrine of the Lord's Supper. As Taught by the Church of England reflects his attention to Anglican teaching, and Sermons on the Scriptural Principles of our Protestant Church shows an apologetic aim and a concern to clarify confessional positions. Because public information is limited, biographical details are difficult to verify, but the surviving works reveal a scriptural, sober, and plain style, with emphasis on doctrinal clarity and practical application for believers; these writings had some influence among English-speaking Protestant readers of his time.