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'The Calling of Dan Matthews' is a crime novel authored by Harold Bell Wright. It told the story of a young preacher who resigned from the ministry in order to retain his integrity. The book is inspired by Wright's own life, who used to be a preacher before resigning. In many of his writings, he attacked the hypocrisy and impractical nature of popular churches. To Wright, hard work, integrity and concrete efforts to aid people in need were far more important than church doctrines or sermons.

This 1989 second volume of Professor Williams' translation of al-Tabarī's account of the early 'Abbāsī empire focuses on the reigns of the son - al-Mahdī - and grandsons - al-Hadi and Hārūn al-Rashīd - of Caliph al-Mansūr, the subject of the first volume. This was the 'Golden Prime' of the empire, before the civil war between the sons of al-Rashīd and the movement of the capital away from Baghdad. Also considered is the story of the Persian aristocratic family, the Barmakis, who became the real rulers under the indolent al-Rashīd, until he destroyed them in a rage which astonished his contemporaries. The events are narrated through the reminiscences of eyewitnesses, woven together by the great historiographer al-Tabarī (d. 923). The translator of the volume is an Islamicist who has lived many years in the Arab world and has a rare knowledge of its culture and literature.

A best-selling writer of fiction, non-fiction, and essays during the first half of the twentieth century, Harold Bell Wright was a self-taught man who founded permanent churches in Missouri, California, and Kansas. He taught his religious principles through his many novels, which address moral and social problems. This trilogy gathers together for the first time Wright's three novels featuring the character Dan Matthews, based on Wright himself. The Shepherd of the Hills, originally published in 1907, is Harold Bell Wright's most famous work. The shepherd, an elderly, mysterious, learned man, escapes the buzzing restlessness of the city to live in the Ozarks. In the sequel The Calling of Dan Matthews, Dan Matthews becomes the new minister of the Midwestern town of Corinth. He battles his conscience about whether to be the spiritual puppet of the church elders or to prescribe a dose of heavy ministry to his ailing congregation. In the third novel, God and the Groceryman, Wright makes a plea for God's presence in all aspects of life and offers a criticism of churches run as morally bankrupt businesses. This novel is a call for the modern church to return to spirituality.

The night before, he had approached the town from the east, along the road that leads past Mount Olive, and hungry, cold and weary, had sought shelter of the friendly stack, much preferring a bed of straw and the companionship of cattle to any lodging place he might find in the city, less clean and among a ruder company. It was early March and the smoke from a nearby block of smelters was lost in a chilling mist, while a raw wind made the young man shiver as he stood picking the bits of straw from his clothing. When he had brushed his garments as best he could and had stretched his numb and stiffened limbs, he looked long and thoughtfully at the city lying half hidden in its shroud of gray. . . .

Harold Bell Wright’s timeless tale of a young minister and his wayward flock—in a new edition edited by an acclaimed Christian author. First published in 1909, The Calling of Dan Matthews tells the story of a young minister’s coming of age and the challenges he faces as he doggedly seeks to answer God’s call. Growing up in the Ozark Mountains, Dan Matthews is deeply devoted to his faith. But when he accepts a post in the Midwestern town of Corinth, he discovers a parish mired in resentment, politics, and hidden agendas. While some troubles stem from well-intentioned but misguided individuals, others are caused by selfish and evil motives. Is it any wonder that the town’s beautiful young nurse has no desire to join such a church? Now more than ever, Dan must trust in God’s wisdom and grace as he seeks to lead in the spirit of true loving kindness. A Higher Call is a compelling drama that challenges readers to think critically about the modern church.

The Shepherd of the Hills is the classic story of the stranger who takes the Old Trail deep into the Ozark Mountains, many miles from civilization. His appearance signals intellect and culture, yet his countenance is marked by grief and disappointment. What is his purpose in taking on the lowly work of tending local sheep? And how is it that he befriends these simple hill folk, despite his coming from the world beyond the ridges? Mystery and romance envelop this gentle yet compelling story as the identity and purpose of the stranger-turned-shepherd is gradually unveiled.

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