Peradventure; or, The Silence of God

"Peradventure; or, The Silence of God" by Robert Keable is a novel written in the early 20th century. The story centers around Paul Kestern, a young and passionate evangelical who seeks to bring love and salvation to the underprivileged in Lambeth Court, a gritty and impoverished area. As he embarks on his mission, the narrative explores themes of faith, social justice, and the complexities of human relationships in the context of early 20th-century Christianity. The opening of the novel introduces us to Paul Kestern as he makes his first foray into Lambeth Court, where he witnesses the harsh realities of life for its residents, including poverty and sickness. Amid his observations, Paul’s fervent desire to spread the gospel leads him to devise plans for an open-air meeting to reach out to the community. His interactions with his family and peers reveal his idealism and strong convictions about faith and duty, setting the stage for deeper spiritual and moral challenges as the story unfolds. The initial chapters establish not only Paul’s character but also hint at the conflicts and transformations he will face as he navigates between his evangelical zeal and the complexities of a changing world. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Robert Keable was a British novelist, formerly a missionary and priest in the Church of England. He resigned his ministry following his experiences in the First World War and caused a scandal with his 1921 novel Simon Called Peter, the tale of a priest's wartime affair with a young nurse. The book sold 600,000 copies in the 1920s alone, was referenced in The Great Gatsby, and was cited in a double murder investigation. Fêted in the United States, but critically less than well-received, Keable moved to Tahiti where he continued to write, producing both novels and theological works, until his death at age 40 of kidney disease.