The Lost Word

by Henry Van Dyke

The Lost Word is a novel by Henry Van Dyke that tells the story of a man named Richard who is searching for the meaning of life. He is a successful businessman but feels unfulfilled and disconnected from the world around him. One day, he meets a mysterious stranger who introduces him to the concept of the ""lost word"" ������� a word that holds the key to happiness and fulfillment.Richard embarks on a journey to find the lost word, traveling to different parts of the world and meeting various people who offer him clues and insights. Along the way, he learns about the power of love, compassion, and selflessness, and discovers that the lost word is not a tangible thing, but a state of being.As Richard's search continues, he is faced with challenges and obstacles that test his resolve and force him to confront his own flaws and shortcomings. Ultimately, he realizes that the lost word was within him all along and that true happiness comes from living a life of purpose and service to others.The Lost Word is a thought-provoking and inspiring novel that explores the timeless themes of self-discovery, spirituality, and the search for meaning in life. It is a must-read for anyone who is looking for guidance and inspiration on their own journey of self-discovery.It was such a sleep that fell upon Hermas in the Grove of Daphne. An immeasurable period, an interval of life so blank and empty that he could not tell whether it was long or short, had passed over him when his senses began to stir again. The setting sun was shooting arrows of gold under the glossy laurel-leaves. He rose and stretched his arms, grasping a smooth branch above him and shaking it, to make sure that he was alive. Then he hurried back toward Antioch, treading lightly as if on air.This scarce antiquarian book is a facsimile reprint of the old original and may contain some imperfections such as library marks and notations. Because we believe this work is culturally important, we have made it available as part of our commitment for protecting, preserving, and promoting the world's literature in affordable, high quality, modern editions, that are true to their original work.

Genres: Christmas, Fiction, Holiday, Classics

48 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1898

About the author

Henry Van Dyke (1852-1933) was an American Presbyterian clergyman, educator, and author. He graduated from Princeton in 1873, and from Princeton Theological Seminary in 1874. He was pastor of the Brick Presbyterian Church, New York City (1883-99), professor of English literature at Princeton (1899-1923), and U.S. minister to the Netherlands (1913-16).

Among his popular inspirational writings is the Christmas story The Other Wise Man (1896). As President Wilson's ambassador to the Netherlands from 1913, Van Dyke was a first-hand witness to the outbreak of World War I and its progress, and was a key player in the President's diplomatic efforts to keep the U.S. out of the conflict.

Not to be confused with his father, Henry J. Van Dyke (1822-1891).

For more information, please see http://www.answers.com/topic/van-dyke...

Reviews

[Janis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I would say this book is about a young man who has a crisis of faith in long ago Turkey while Christianity was still somewhat new. I’ve never read anything quite like it. Excellent read.

[Greg Kerestan · Rating 3 out of 5]

To so many, Christmas and Advent have lost their vaguely occult colorings. It was once a time of darkness, when God, in preparation to enter the world, withdrew from it a little, so ghosts, devils and creatures of darkness could flourish in the winter nights only to be vanquished on Christmas. Van Dyke's story calls back to this time, when the Christmas season allowed the rise of demons and tempters, but the power of light and God could always send them away in the nick of time.

[Blossom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick easy read with a fitting lesson that still resonates today.
The line “ … It is a word that purifies love, and comforts grief and keeps hope alive forever. It is the most precious thing that ear has ever heard, or mind has known, or heart has conceived. …”
Beautifully written, Beautiful Word.

[Mbuye · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first, I thought this novella (pub. 1898) was about the Prodigal Son, but it is not. It is about disaffection, temptation and apostasy, and reads beautifully, like a parable or allegory. In this case, St John Chrystosom is on the spot to work a miracle, but the story rather begs the question: why does one remember God’s kindness and mercy only at moments of crisis in our lives?

[Susan Molloy · Rating 2 out of 5]

🖊 This was strange because the story did not seem to go anywhere. It rambled. ℳℯ𝓇𝓇𝓎 𝒞𝒽𝓇𝒾𝓈𝓉𝓂𝒶𝓈！ 🗑 Conversely, other readers may find this story their cup of tea and right up their alley.

📕Published in 1898.

જ⁀🟢 E-book version on Project Gutenberg.
જ⁀🟣 Kindle.
✴︎⋆✴︎⋆✴︎⋆✴︎

[sophiajamon · Rating 2 out of 5]

everything is going well which means something wicked this way comes

[rarefied _ orator12 · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully crafted Christmas tale, The Lost Word explores the spiritual journey of a proud and eloquent man who loses his gift of speech—symbolizing the loss of love and faith. Through poetic storytelling and deep Christian symbolism, Van Dyke delivers a touching reminder of humility, redemption, and the true meaning of Christmas. Short yet profound, this legend stirs the heart with its timeless message of grace and the healing power of selfless love.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a nice short story by Henry Van Dyke, the author of "The Other Wise Man". Unlike "Wise Man", this story does not really have a compelling, clever premise. It is about a Christian, named Hermas, who loses his zeal for his faith around Christmas time. It does not really have a Christmas theme, however, so sub-titles within the story such as "A Christmas Loss" are a bit misleading.

The story is, however, very well written and conceived. Hermas wanders until he meets a priest in a glade who promises to allow him to enjoy life, and the story goes from there. There is an appearance of John Chrysostom, a well-known figure in the history of the Christian church. The ending of the story is okay, but a bit cliched. It is better read for Van Dyke's style, which is wordy, but in a good way. Worth the read, but "The Other Wise Man" is a better choice for a good Van Dyke story.

[Bonnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

2014: A favorite, what I thought was yearly Christmas read, although it's not a Christmas book, per se, however, looks I've been reading this bi-annually. Must change that. This book forces me to look front and center where my priorities are, and to what Source one can turn for both joy and sorrow.

2012: Ditto!

2011: I read this book every year at Christmastime, lest I forget.