Thomas Wingfold, Curate
George MacDonald
Read by LibriVox Volunteers
Republished in modern times as "The Curate's Awakening". A young man (Thomas Wingfold) "enters the church" through no real faith and only for want of something to do. After an encounter with a brash young atheist, he is thrown into an emotional, spiritual, and vocational crisis. Through his own doubts and through developing clarity gained from the counsel of a singular friend, he begins a slow journey toward faith, or - as he would put it - "a lovely hope." (Summary by John Schuurman & TriciaG)
Note that there are two versions of chapter 67. Enjoy one or both of the renderings. (18 hr 48 min)
Chapters
01 - Helen Lingard | 12:06 | Read by John Schuurman |
02 - Thomas Wingfold | 10:37 | Read by John Schuurman |
03 - The Diners | 12:25 | Read by John Schuurman |
04 - Their Talk | 12:25 | Read by John Schuurman |
05 - A Staggering Question | 11:59 | Read by John Schuurman |
06 - The Curate in the Churchyard | 10:16 | Read by John Schuurman |
07 - The Cousins | 12:43 | Read by John Schuurman |
08 - The Garden | 10:14 | Read by John Schuurman |
09 - The Park | 9:12 | Read by John Schuurman |
10 - The Dwarfs | 13:04 | Read by John Schuurman |
11 - The Curate at Home | 14:32 | Read by John Schuurman |
12 - An Incident | 9:18 | Read by John Schuurman |
13 - A Report of Progress | 6:17 | Read by John Schuurman |
14 - Jeremy Taylor | 7:35 | Read by John Schuurman |
15 - The Park Gate | 9:10 | Read by John Schuurman |
16 - The Attic | 11:44 | Read by John Schuurman |
17 - Polwarth's Plan | 15:10 | Read by John Schuurman |
18 - Joseph Polwarth | 26:48 | Read by John Schuurman |
19 - The Conclusion of the Whole Matter | 9:20 | Read by John Schuurman |
20 - A Strange Sermon | 13:41 | Read by John Schuurman |
21 - A Thunderbolt | 10:42 | Read by John Schuurman |
22 - Leopold | 8:02 | Read by John Schuurman |
23 - The Refuge | 13:49 | Read by John Schuurman |
24 - Helen with a Secret | 7:25 | Read by John Schuurman |
25 - A Daylight Visit | 10:43 | Read by John Schuurman |
26 - Leopold's Story | 9:34 | Read by John Schuurman |
27 - Leopold's Story Concluded | 14:39 | Read by John Schuurman |
28 - Sisterhood | 8:21 | Read by John Schuurman |
29 - The Sick Chamber | 12:56 | Read by John Schuurman |
30 - The Curate's Progress | 12:38 | Read by John Schuurman |
31 - The Curate Makes a Discovery | 14:59 | Read by John Schuurman |
32 - Hopes | 7:59 | Read by John Schuurman |
33 - The Ride | 15:11 | Read by John Schuurman |
34 - Rachel and Her Uncle | 6:12 | Read by Chessie Joy |
35 - A Dream | 14:18 | Read by Chessie Joy |
36 - Another Sermon | 10:15 | Read by Chessie Joy |
37 - Nursing | 9:22 | Read by Chessie Joy |
38 - Glaston and the Curate | 8:54 | Read by Chessie Joy |
39 - The Linen-Draper | 17:05 | Read by Chessie Joy |
40 - Rachel | 14:44 | Read by Chessie Joy |
41 - The Butterfly | 5:09 | Read by Chessie Joy |
42 - The Commonplace | 11:03 | Read by Chessie Joy |
43 - Home Again | 6:30 | Read by Chessie Joy |
44 - The Sheath | 11:30 | Read by Chessie Joy |
45 - Invitation | 6:16 | Read by Chessie Joy |
46 - A Sermon to Helen | 14:26 | Read by Chessie Joy |
47 - A Sermon to Himself | 4:55 | Read by Chessie Joy |
48 - Criticism | 10:38 | Read by Chessie Joy |
49 - A Vanishing Glimmer | 7:36 | Read by Chessie Joy |
50 - Let Us Pray! | 7:15 | Read by Chessie Joy |
51 - Two Letters | 5:11 | Read by David Wales |
52 - Advice in the Dark | 8:43 | Read by TinaNygard2 |
53 - Intercession | 4:33 | Read by Lynne T |
54 - Helen Alone | 7:22 | Read by TinaNygard2 |
55 - A Haunted Soul | 8:45 | Read by TinaNygard2 |
56 - Compelled Confidence | 10:29 | Read by Anna Roberts |
57 - Willing Confidence | 5:49 | Read by Anna Roberts |
58 - The Curate's Counsel | 9:49 | Read by Keri Ford |
59 - Sleep | 7:54 | Read by TinaNygard2 |
60 - Divine Service | 12:01 | Read by KHand |
61 - A Shop in Heaven | 21:33 | Read by Keri Ford |
62 - Polwarth and Lingard | 19:20 | Read by Lynne T |
63 - The Strong Man | 10:57 | Read by David Wales |
64 - George and Leopold | 7:41 | Read by David Wales |
65 - Wingfold and Helen | 13:57 | Read by David Wales |
66 - A Review | 8:29 | Read by David Wales |
67 - A Sermon to Leopold | 26:07 | Read by David Wales |
67alt - A Sermon to Leopold (alternate reading) | 25:43 | Read by Jon Smith |
68 - After the Sermon | 12:43 | Read by Jon Smith |
69 - Bascombe and the Magistrate | 8:56 | Read by Lynne T |
70 - The Confession | 8:02 | Read by Miyune |
71 - The Mask | 10:10 | Read by Larry Wilson |
72 - Further Decision | 6:34 | Read by Thomas A. Copeland |
73 - The Curate and the Doctor | 11:58 | Read by Phil Schempf |
74 - Helen and the Curate | 12:17 | Read by Larry Wilson |
75 - An Examination | 5:09 | Read by Blaze Dragon |
76 - Immortality | 11:35 | Read by TriciaG |
77 - Passages from the Autobiography of the Wandering Jew | 6:28 | Read by TriciaG |
78 - The Wandering Jew | 18:22 | Read by TriciaG |
79 - The Wandering Jew | 21:38 | Read by TriciaG |
80 - Remarks | 5:36 | Read by TriciaG |
81 - Struggles | 10:38 | Read by TriciaG |
82 - The Lawn | 14:59 | Read by Ellen Preckel |
83 - How Jesus Spoke to Women | 14:08 | Read by Larry Wilson |
84 - Deliverance | 9:18 | Read by Françoise |
85 - The Meadow | 17:05 | Read by Ellen Preckel |
86 - Rachel and Leopold | 11:32 | Read by Françoise |
87 - The Blood-Hound | 7:32 | Read by Ellen Preckel |
88 - The Blood-Hound Traversed | 19:23 | Read by Françoise |
89 - The Bedside | 19:19 | Read by Françoise |
90 - The Garden | 5:12 | Read by ToddHW |
91 - The Departure | 9:52 | Read by Larry Wilson |
92 - The Sunset | 13:37 | Read by Larry Wilson |
93 - An Honest Spy | 7:30 | Read by Lynne T |
94 - What Helen Heard | 9:10 | Read by Lynne T |
95 - What Helen Heard More | 17:31 | Read by Françoise |
96 - The Curate's Resolve | 16:38 | Read by Françoise |
97 - Helen Awake | 10:12 | Read by ToddHW |
98 - Thou Didst Not Leave | 9:00 | Read by Ellen Preckel |
Reviews
Thomas Wingfold, Curate
Ryan in Romania
George McDonald always has a compelling story. For those seeking to know if there is a God and what he is like this book is in excellent journey to answer the question. There are many readers some sound as though they are professional and there are a few who were a little difficult to understand. I am very thankful for all the readers time and energy. Thank you Libravox for all that you do!
Somewhat tedious
kim
I love George McDonald but found this book hard to get through. The texts were long and too drawn out for me. The first reader was wonderful to listen to but then came some readers I could barely understand.
S W
The story was thought provoking. As a Christian who has had many doubts, I appreciated the themes. I found myself wanting to love Christ more. I was uncomfortable with some characters' negative opinions of Leopolds Indian background, but it was unclear if those were meant only to be characters' opinions or if it represented any bias of the author. Certainly he was treated overall as a beloved character. at least you see that by the end. I also questioned why there was not a strong concern for the family of E. Trying not to give spoilers, though! But despite some flaws, I recommend this book. Some readers were hard to understand, but it was still worthwhile and I may read the book again on my own.
some is hard to listen to.
A LibriVox Listener
I'm thankful for the people who record these books. I love listening to George MacDonald. this is a challenging book but well worth it. I do have a hard time with the chapters read by the lady who always lifts her voice up at the end of every single phrase it maybe have to get the book and read those chapters. but I must be thankful anyway I'm sure it took a lot of time.
Amazing story!
Landon Letsinger
The story was amazing, and the first reader was fantastic! He really got into the characters voice and mannerisms I have not often heard in Librivox readers. Many of the other readers did well too, but two in particular were not good. One seemed like he had never read the text before, the other had a beautiful accent, but made it rather difficult to understand what was being said much of the time. Overall, great!
S Fowler
This is an excellent book, fit to refresh the spiritual vitality of any Christian who listens earnestly and takes to heart what is sometimes expressed in stuffy-sounding words but which carries every hearty ounce of intended meaning. Some of the readers did well, but unfortunately some of the readers were too difficult to listen to and I had to read through those chapters on the Gutenberg Project.
Raises the ultimate question
Phxjennifer
MacDonald tells an engrossing story, and he's not afraid to raise the ultimate question, 'Is there a god?' He's also not afraid to skip the easy answers and insist that his readers think! With all that, there's some Dickensian satire, a lurid murder, a runaway wife and a charming cow.
it's good
A LibriVox Listener
there are some long sermons and some flowery text and poetry. The story is simple and enjoyable but left me a little bit dissatisfied. most of the reading is solid but a few readers I found a little bit hard to follow. overall it's good and worth listening to.