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Lovecraftian themes abound in the tales of an intern at a madhouse and an illiterate madman. Slater, the madman whose unspeakable crimes led him to the madhouse, is continuously awakened in this story by surprisingly literate hallucinations of a glowing entity seeking revenge. Inspired by Slater’s uneducated background and the telepathic machine that he had made in his yesteryear, the intern delves deep into Joe Slater - who is receiving telepathic messages from a being of light.

A plague known as the Red Death has swept through the country, killing half the kingdom. Prince Prospero hides away in his castle with his favorite courtiers, unconcerned. One night, he throws a lavish masquerade ball, but the party goes south when a mysterious guest appears dressed as a plague victim.

Theodore Roosevelt began this 1899 speech with his thesis: “I wish to preach, not the doctrine of ignoble ease, but the doctrine of the strenuous life.” He discusses how the many hardships of his life shaped him for the better. Roosevelt believed that if Americans wished to succeed in the world, they would need to embrace the virtue of hard work. He applied this same belief to foreign affairs, stating that America must establish itself as a powerful military force and exert this power when necessary.

These 31 devotionals have the power to transform your prayer life in just one month. Andrew Murray, a 19th-century South African missionary, penned this collection of Christian meditations to guide believers into a closer relationship with God. How often are our prayers concerned primarily with ourselves? Murray asks. He encourages listeners to shift the focus to patient meditation on God and then wait to see what this awareness will bring.

The Roman statesman Sulla had the nickname “Felix” - meaning “lucky.” Yet his accomplishments were more a matter of brute force than good fortune. He put an end to a civil war, declared himself dictator, and used his power to bring Rome back to its former value system, purging thousands of Roman enemies along the way. Plutarch’s biography of Sulla shows how one man’s use of force to obtain political power influenced many who came after him, most notably Julius Caesar.   

It may seem odd that Mark Twain delivered a 4th of July speech in London in 1907. Aside from poking fun at the American obsession with fireworks and drunken revelry, however, the brilliant Twain knew just how to tie the topic of American independence with his British audience. He recounts how the Revolutionary War was fought between Brits over a Declaration of Independence written by Brits before the United States officially formed as a nation.

When Thomas Watson tells Christians to enact “holy violence”, he’s not talking about physical warfare. He’s urging Christians to take up spiritual arms in their pursuit of righteousness. Watson, a Puritan preacher and writer, uses passionate language to capture the fervor with which Christians should perform their duties of prayer, Bible-reading, meditation, and more. This fiery text is perfect for anyone looking to reignite their spiritual life so they can, as Watson puts it, “take Heaven by storm” and fight against evil.

Einhard served Charlemagne, king and Holy Roman Emperor, for 23 years. From that experience, combined with his in-depth research, Einhard penned this biography of Charlemagne in the style of Suetonius’ Lives of the Caesars. Because he felt indebted to Charlemagne, Einhard wrote in a partial tone, exalting the man’s achievements and overlooking certain unflattering details about his life. Despite this, historians regard The Life of Charlemagne as an important historical account that, while not far-reaching, is largely reliable.  

John Stuart Mill is regarded as one of the most influential thinkers of the Victorian Era. In this speech, he defends the practice of capital punishment. He states, “I defend this penalty, when confined to atrocious cases, on the very ground on which it is commonly attacked - on that of humanity to the criminal; as beyond comparison the least cruel mode in which it is possible adequately to deter from the crime.” Though written in the 1800s, Mill’s argument is still relevant in contemporary discussions of capital punishment.

Mr. Winkleman thinks he ought not to have to watch his tongue in his own home. Yet one morning, his angry words bring his wife to tears, and he faces the conviction that perhaps a kind tone is not such a strenuous demand after all. Arthur begins and ends this story with verses from "Proverbs" describing the power of the tongue. Moral stories like this one helped define middle-class values in the 19th century.

Cat haters beware. This piece by H.P. Lovecraft is largely memoirish, whereby the narrator is compelled to tell the listener about Ulthar after petting his own cat. When a travelling caravan passes through, a young orphan named Menes finds his beloved black kitten has gone missing and fears the worst - that his kitten had suffered a torturous end at the hands of the town cat killers. Annoyed by the lack of action on the part of the townspeople, Menes invokes a prayer that results in the cats of the town rising and slaying the cat-killing couple.

On the Decay of the Art of Lying is a classic essay penned by Mark Twain in 1880. This narration is performed by Larry G. Jones.

The Wicket Gate is the term first coined by Paul Bunyan for the narrow path to Heaven. In Around the Wicket Gate, Spurgeon speaks to those who are near the gate but have not yet walked through.

Septima Collis, a native of South Carolina, married Union general Charles H.T. Collis prior to the Civil War. She supported and accompanied her husband during the Civil War. This rendition is beautifully narrated by Suzi Woods.

Hippocrates revolutionized the study of medicine in Ancient Greece, but some of his ideas still influence the medical field today. In his book On Ulcers, Hippocrates details the recommended treatment for this ailment. While modern medicine has moved beyond using honey, boiled leaves, and white wine to treat ulcers, Hippocrates’ advice on diet and rest hold true. This text is fascinating for anyone interested in the historical development of medical practices.

In this story, the narrator is recovering from an illness in the company of Lucy Latimer, a local lady who loves to help the ailing. When he notes a look of sadness in her eyes, she tells him of the “one great sorrow” of her life. Her brush with tragedy reveals the fruits such experiences can have in our lives.

The Life of Aratus is one of the many biographies detailed in Plutarch’s integral work, Parallel Lives. In The Life of Aratus, Plutarch details the dynamic work done by the successor of Nicocles and talks about his advocacy to turn Greece into a united country. Working as a soldier first and then a diplomat, he fought for the betterment of his fellow countrymen. Disaster hit during his later reign, as it so often did, and though many wanted him dead, the great Oracle at Delphi had other plans.   

The public mourns when a beloved magistrate dies, a man of upstanding character who had a reputation for bringing criminals to justice. Yet when our tale’s narrator stumbles upon the man’s diary, he discovers another side to this public servant. One entry reads: “It must be a pleasure, unique and full of zest, to kill.”

When it came to Athens and their leaders, few were as influential as the politician and Stratego Nicias. In Plutarch’s Parallel Lives, he documents the Peloponnesian War and other great achievements of the time through the life of Nicias. Most importantly, he helped negotiate peace after a decades-long war, which made him popular after an unsuccessful start in politics. However, after many years of political truces and actions, his life took a turn for the worse.   

Daniel Webster gave this speech in honor of George Washington on the centennial of the first US president’s birth. In it, he praises Washington’s attributes and recounts his service to America. He states that Washington is a man “whose name is intimately blended with whatever belongs most essentially to the prosperity, the liberty, and the renown of our country”. In recounting the life and work of Washington, however, Webster’s speech also serves as a reflection on the past 100 years in American history and the birth of a great nation.