Volume 2 in the WholeHearted Family Classics Collection

Even though our culture seems to have outgrown the word, if the idea of a "noble" young man has appeal to you, then you will be drawn to this book. In this allegory of the Christian life, first published in serial form in England in 1860, you will meet a noble young man named Eric, son of the King. In his failures and victories as he follows his "gold thread" through the forest back to his father, you will find a pure literary model of youthful nobility, an antidote to the spirit of cynicism and commonness that pervades our ignoble culture.

Besides being a good Christian and moral story, The Gold Thread has a place in the history of children's literature, which as a genre dates only to the early 1800s. Scottish pastor Norman MacLeod drew upon the parables of Jesus and Pilgrim's Progress in writing his allegory. Unlike every other "Christian" books of his day, Macleod chose to use a literary form to tell his story, rather than the more common moralistic formula. He was, perhaps, the first children's writer to do so. His story was popular in its day and still being reprinted 50 years later.

Rather than simply telling the story, though, let me add here the comments of Donald MacLeod from a preface for a 1906 edition of his brother's work.

It is not easy to write a story for boys, especially if it is intended to convey moral or religious teaching. The ordinary "religious story" frequently misses its aim, for a boy has little caring for the "goody" sentiment that is unreal to his experience. It requires one in full sympathy with manly boys' nature and who has the art of stimulating the imagination to write a tale which will awaken interest, and, without preaching, make highest duty at once attractive and heroic.

In Norman MacLeod's (the author's) preface to the 1860 edition, he wrote "To My Children":

I wish to help and encourage you, and all who read this story, to learn the great lesson which it is intended to teach . . . that we should always trust God and do what is right, and thus hold fast our Gold Thread in spite of every temptation and danger, being certain that in this way only will God lead us in safety and peace to His home.

This attractive WholeHearted Family Classics Collection hardcover edition will make a worthy addition to your "legacy library".  It includes many beautifully detailed lithographic illustrations by some of the most noted artists of Macleod's day, reproduced from an 1861 first edition. We pray your children will be encouraged to hold tight their own gold thread and pursue what is noble and good in life.

But wait, there is still more "gold" in this 200 page book! We've included three other illustrated short stories, not seen in print since the turn of the last century, each of which reinforces the principles of faith and faithfulness found in The Gold Thread, and each penned by a noted Victorian author you will recognize.

The Rose Child, by Johanna Spyri:  A sweet story of the faithfulness of a little girl to serve others even despite her own worries and concerns. Johanna Spyri, author of Heidi, wrote numerous novellas of godly children in the Swiss Alps.

The Five Happy Weeks, by Margaret E. Sangster:  Three young siblings learn biblical principles of faith while at an aunt's house during their mother's recuperation from an illness. Sangster was the voice of Christian Victorian womanhood.

The Four Happy Days, by Frances Ridley Havergal:  A drawn-from-true-life story of a young girl who loses her mother but finds Christ. Havergal is the beloved English hymn-writer and poet.

"I see the thread quite plain," said the boy to himself, "the very place where it enters the dark wood on the other side. I will just jump to the nest, and in a moment I shall have the eggs in my pocket, and then spring back and catch the thread again. I cannot lose it here, with the sun shining; and, besides, I see it a long way before me."

So he took a few steps to seize the eggs; but he was in such haste that he fell and crushed the nest, breaking the eggs to pieces, and the little bird screamed and flew away, and then all at once the birds in the trees began to fly about, and a large owl flew out of a dark glade, and cried,

"Whoo - whoo - whoo-oo-oo" and a cloud came over the sun.
Eric's heart beat quick, and he made a grasp at his gold thread, but it was not there! Another, and another grasp, but it was not there! and soon he saw it waving far above his head, like a gossamer thread in the breeze. You would have pitied him, while you could not have helped being angry with him for having been so silly and disobedient when thus tried, if you had only seen his pale face, as he looked above him for his thread, and about him for the road, but could see neither! And he became so confused with his fall, that he did not know which side of the open glade he had entered, nor to which point he was raveling. But at last he thought he heard a bird chirping, "Seek - seek - seek" and another repeating, "Try again - try again - try - try!" and then he remembered what the lady had said to him, and he fell on his knees and told all his grief, and cried.

"Oh, give me back my thread! and help me never, never, to let it go again!"

As he lifted up his eyes, he saw the thread come slowly, slowly down; and when it came near, he sprang to it and caught it, and he did not know whether to laugh, or cry, or sing, he was so thankful and happy!

"Ah!" said he, "I hope I shall never forget this fall!"

That part of the Lord's Prayer came into his mind which says, "Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil."

"Who would have thought," said he to himself, "that I was in any danger in such a beautiful, green, sunny place as this!"