Quiet Atheism in Popular Fiction
By L. A. S.
The “quiet atheism” of recent works by prominent writers of fiction, is a subject of comment by a London journal, the British Weekly. Four of the “best-selling novels of the day” in England, are described as having this characteristic. If the four novelists who wrote these works “are truly describing the English life of to-day,” the Weekly says, “then Christianity has disappeared from our country.” The four writers to whom the Weekly refers are Mr. Anthony Hope, Mr. Barry Pain, Mr. Seton Merriman, and Mr. Jerome K. Jerome. Of the absence of religion in their latest works the Weekly says:— Mr. Hope has much to say of men and women in the greatest tribulation, deceived and deceiving, sinning and suffering, driven through anguish even to despair. But he never suggests that Christianity came once into their minds. They never pray, they never think of God, they do not fear God, or love God, or repent before God. They do not seem to know that a God exists. . . . Mr. Pain’s assumption appears to be that religion . . . is, though not a hypocrisy, an absurd delusion. Mr. Seton Merriman, whose moral tone was quite very high, never once suggests the action of Christian forces. He could draw noble men and noble women, chivalrous, honorable, brave, sincere, faithful unto death. But they were never re-enforced, so far as we can remember, by supernal powers, nor did they ever need such reinforcement. The atmosphere is purely pagan, though the paganism is of the loftiest and most heroic type. In Mr. Jerome’s book his sky is low and the heroism near, though within the limits there is much kindness and good fellowship. The decadence of religious faith is characteristic of the times, and the popular literature of the day is one of the principal channels through which this decadence is spreading. To some it appears that Christianity is soon to be wholly lost. But the Bible student knows that this condition of things was foreseen and foretold by him who views the end from the beginning. “When the Son of man cometh shall he find faith on the earth?” When atheism seems about to triumph, then the Son of man will come, and in the end the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea. L. A. S.