Books with author Hesbra Stretton

Christmas Williams was well respected in his town. He cared nothing for the new prayer meetings and the talk of God and Savior. When Christmas’ daughter, Easter, believed in Jesus as her Savior he threw her out of the house and promised not to talk with her. She became married and had a son, but he kept his word and did not speak to them. The story progresses and “keeping his word” becomes hypocritical. In the end, pride and reputation are seen for what they are in God’s sight.SARAH SMITH (1832–1911) was born in Wellington, England. She had the good fortune of being able to read books from her father’s bookshop and her mother was a strong evangelical. When she began writing Hesba Stretton became her pen name. She was familiar with the troubles of street children whom she visited and helped. She wrote over 60 books and stories.

Michel Lorio was a lonely Protestant who lived in an isolated Catholic community. Few residents greeted, or bothered with him at all. He found a friendship with the daring and spirited Delphine that brought out the best in him. A similar event was recorded in Miss Stretton’s travelogue to Mont St. Michel, which is included in this edition. The travelogue was published in Leisure Hour Magazine in 1873, three years before Michel Lorio’s Cross.

This story takes place in the coalfields of South Staffordshire. Disaster came to the coal mine one day when it flooded with water. Simeon, Rueben’s brother, was trapped along with several other people. Rueben went into the mine to save them, but had unexpected difficulties along the way, hence the title of the story for this time period. This story illustrates several Biblical principles such as “Greater love hath no man than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.”—John 15:13.

In this sequel to “Jessica's First Prayer,” Jessica, Daniel and the minister were at the church when a tragedy occurred. Daniel went home and discovered Jessica’s mother crouching on his doorsill. She looked like a heap of rags and defiantly demanded Jessica. Daniel grew spiritually closer to God as he sought to know how Jesus might respond. This edition includes the five illustrations from the initial publication of Jessica’s Mother in “Sunday at Home” magazine in 1867.

This book is merely the story of the life and death of our Lord. It has been written for those who have not the leisure, or the books, needed for threading together the fragmentary and scattered incidents recorded in the Four Gospels. These records have been searched diligently for the smallest links, which might serve to complete the chain of those years passed amongst us by One who called himself the Son of man, and did not refuse to be called the Son of God. The great mystery that surrounds Christ is left untouched. Neither love nor thought of ours can reach the heart of it, whilst still we see him as through a glass darkly. When we behold him as he is, face to face, then, and only then, shall we know fully what he was, and what he did for us. Whilst we strain our eyes to catch the mysterious vision, but dimly visible, we are in danger of becoming blind to that human, simple, homely life, spent amongst us as the pattern of our days. Happy they who are content with being known of God.

Hesba Stretton (1832-1911) was the nom de plume of Sarah Smith, an English author of children's literature. The name Hesba came from the initials of her siblings. She was the daughter of a bookseller from Wellington, Shropshire, but around about 1867 she moved south and lived at Snaresbrook and Loughton near Epping Forest and at Ham, near Richmond, Surrey. Her moral tales and semi-religious stories, chiefly for the young, were printed in huge quantities, and were especially widespread as school and Sunday school prizes, She won wide acceptance in English homes from the publication of "Jessica's First Prayer" in 1867.

Enoch Roden began his apprenticeship in printing with a bad accident, but as the story progresses, his training becomes more spiritual. Mr. Drury, his boss, trusted in God’s provision for his business but when business went bad, it led to confession of his faults. Enoch questioned his attitude of despising God’s daily gifts, thinking he was in rebellion like the Israelites. Trusting God’s providence when it doesn’t seem like He is paying attention is a training many go through. An important verse is Psalm 37:7—“Rest in the Lord, and wait patiently for him.”

"Half Brothers" by Hesba Stretton. Published by Good Press. Good Press publishes a wide range of titles that encompasses every genre. From well-known classics & literary fiction and non-fiction to forgotten−or yet undiscovered gems−of world literature, we issue the books that need to be read. Each Good Press edition has been meticulously edited and formatted to boost readability for all e-readers and devices. Our goal is to produce eBooks that are user-friendly and accessible to everyone in a high-quality digital format.

The crew of the Dolphin encounters countless dangers on the high seas! Venturing forth on a ship that may not be what it seems, the crew is assaulted by crushing waves and vicious winds. And yet greater trials of character may prove more difficult still. Through all the storms of life we are encouraged to see that God holds the very seas in the hollow of His mighty hand! Those who call upon Him will be heard!

Jessica's first prayer, possibly Hesba Stretton's most popular book, was first serialised in the magazine Sunday at home in 1867. The book went into numerous editions, and the story was reproduced in penny pamphlets, lantern slides, and even a film (in 1906). It led to a whole school of writing about poor homeless orphans or waifs, rescued from poverty and vice by a benevolent (middle-class and evangelical) Samaritan. In this book and in others on the same subject (Little Meg's children, Alone in London), she writes movingly about the plight of the "street arab", a subject on which she felt very strongly.

A farm family lived by Lake Heron, during the Civil War. The father left home to fight in the war and the children were sent to Cloverley, England. The life with their cousins in Cloverley is an adjustment with less heavy labor and more education. The coal mining town is out of work until the new shaft is completed, but first the will of God must be trusted. The theme of the story is submission to the will of God in all things. An important verse is Matthew 6:10—“Thy will be done on earth, as it is done in heaven.”