Project Gutenberg 1996-10-01 Public domain in the USA. 56 Van Dyke, Henry 1852 1933 Dyke, Henry Van Dyke, Henry Jackson Van Dyke, Henry I. Van The Mansion There is an improved edition of this title, eBook #38312 Produced by Michael Leonard "The Mansion" by Henry Van Dyke is a philosophical novella written in the early 20th century. The narrative explores themes of materialism versus spiritual fulfillment, focusing on the life of John Weightman, a wealthy banker committed to upholding societal norms and expectations. The book delves into the consequences of a life measured solely by material success and the inherent values of selflessness and love for others. The story follows John Weightman, who prides himself on his material achievements and societal respectability, as he navigates his relationships with his son Harold and wife. Harold, seeking a more authentic life, feels stifled by his father's rigid values and longs for freedom to make his own choices. After a Christmas Eve dinner where tensions rise, John Weightman experiences a life-altering moment that leads him to an unexpected understanding of his existence. In a surreal journey after his death, he encounters the Keeper of the Gate, who reveals the true measure of a person’s worth lies not in material possessions but in acts of love and kindness. Ultimately, John discovers that his earthly deeds, driven by self-interest, do not grant him the grand mansion he expected in the afterlife, but instead a humble abode reflective of his life's true essence. This transformation compels him to change his approach to life and relationships, particularly with Harold, as he learns the value of genuine giving and connection. (This is an automatically generated summary.) en Short stories Christmas stories Christian life -- Fiction Conduct of life -- Fiction Christian fiction Future life -- Fiction Immortality -- Fiction PZ PS Text Browsing: Literature Browsing: Religion/Spirituality/Paranormal Browsing: Fiction 80815 80762 2024-09-01T06:58:19.085682 2023-10-01T06:32:12.405033 text/html text/html 80808 80755 2024-09-01T06:58:19.244686 2023-10-01T06:32:12.543017 text/html text/html 76102 2024-09-01T06:58:22.512658 application/epub+zip 75258 2024-09-01T06:58:20.405680 application/epub+zip 75259 2024-09-01T06:58:19.669666 application/epub+zip 147524 2024-09-01T06:58:24.054653 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 140840 2024-09-01T06:58:21.957663 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 140978 2022-09-01T07:43:17.360325 application/x-mobipocket-ebook 69583 69573 2024-09-01T06:58:18.908755 2023-10-01T06:32:12.253022 text/plain; charset=us-ascii text/plain 69745 2021-01-01T10:48:38 text/plain; charset=us-ascii 27467 2021-01-01T10:48:38 text/plain; charset=us-ascii application/zip 19589 2024-09-01T06:58:24.185663 application/rdf+xml 11920 2024-09-01T06:58:20.009712 image/jpeg 3133 2024-09-01T06:58:19.839666 image/jpeg 77347 2024-09-01T06:58:19.253675 application/octet-stream application/zip Archives containing the RDF files for *all* our books can be downloaded at https://www.gutenberg.org/wiki/Gutenberg:Feeds#The_Complete_Project_Gutenberg_Catalog en.wikipedia