march december british novelist missionary priest church_of_england resigned ministry following experiences world war caused scandal novel tale priest wartime affair young nurse book sold copies 1920s referenced great cited double murder investigation united_states critically received moved continued write producing novels theological works death age kidney complaint raised educated cambridge entered theological college graduation ordained priest spent years missionary africa stationed returning europe army chaplain world war met fell love young nurse development eventually quit church_of_england left wife returning england war resigned ministry began write novels simon called peter runaway success launched life literary celebrity increasingly disillusioned saw contemporary british life left europe couple lived happily death health began fade nonetheless struck later relationship woman son continued publish novels death kidney condition famous publication novel produced literary output spanning theological tracts poetry travel guides simon called peter sequel film later novels attracted substantial attention writings generally met greater popular critical sufficiently banned book nonetheless contemporary best seller fiction contained autobiographical elements attitudes experience christian religious establishment fictional produced final non fiction work great outlining religious views developed lifetime uneasy relationship catholicism came believe historical jesus bore little relationship jesus christian tradition great attempted reconcile church enduring belief loving god views earned unfavourable reviews contempt church practised ideas free love prominent later 20th century early life named father successful businessman son ordained anglican priest vicar younger brother henry died young attended school surrey nicknamed noted fluent contributions school paper influenced father active lay preacher member teenager anglican upbringing effect biographer suggested leave young man somewhat writing style particularly tied specific faith raised went cambridge peers included future explorer 1st baron contemporaries described quiet devout student initially associated religious minded men later rowed college second took history graduating receiving great friend future commissioner daughter biography father described undergraduate devout earnest somewhat introspective deeply literary records spent university missionary work known taught auspices climbed significant acquaintances cambridge brothers fellowship arthur sons highly accomplished academic religious family father archbishop_of_canterbury mother sister philosopher set lesbian household daughter previous archbishop canterbury husband death years came cambridge hugh inspiration character father departed upbringing favour roman_catholic_church ordained catholic priest according contemporaries met neighbour staircase invited lunch fell spell winning personality wrote college acquaintance anglican loyalty remained new kind loyalty spoke catholicism chapel crossed strange mystic element deep began stir suspected posed clever mind clever arguments recently brought catholicism novelist influence sensory aesthetic dimension writing faith began develop rome elected anglican joining theological college serving canon completing studies ordained priest friend regretted turned catholicism decision felt lead ultimate church letter told met know knows christ turning know knows african missions sent overseas decision intended save rome served staunch anglican clashed objected unorthodox methods training black african priests supporter priests saw prejudice views inspire bishop character novel africa wrote books darkness light history manuscript city dawn published portrait showed genuine religious characteristic returned result illness precipitated service insisted offered church posting sheffield declined fearing pull rome left reach catholic influences britain instead attempts enlist armed service world war ill health thwarted returned africa mission work rector parishes including diocese published works works missionary practice time including loneliness christ book verse titled songs narrow way damaging effects illness suffered compounded assault field accounts vary friends recalling received blow head powerful native describing gunshot wound thigh inflicted probably drunk biographer cecil suggested incident married pair met religious strong social conscience robust health big handsome thought beautiful woman auburn hair suited demands life missionary wife inspired character later novel pair ill matched described biographer cecil sexually incompatible children suspected marriage gesture render impossible lingering prospect monk world war eventually achieved wish going war south african contingent mustered military service france volunteered chaplain experiences form basis successful novel appointed army chaplain travelled sector native labour contingent men men paid month supply ships provide infrastructure support military operations europe chaplain rank captain expected disposal army large seeing active infantry service labourers formally required remain lines apparent nonetheless saw realities like world war approach congregation men came believe cared finer points anglican theological dispute church wanted entertainment barely spiritual form practical christianity argued openly suggesting protestant france amalgamated operations roman catholic different immediate relationship celtic companies remain public airing views attracted church particularly serving reflected popular officers france known share officers mess title character simon called peter acquainted religious french prostitute experience war acquaintance known year old nurse prominent british family daughter ancestors included driving trucks met pair began lifelong affair leave wife instead war close returned remained torn increasing church experiences war wrote novel intensive day spell laid life bare said writing didn care damn resigned ministry left anglican church literary career leaving church moved england settling began explore roman_catholic_church converted devout catholic read works contemporary philosophy books appears briefly lost faith altogether wrote history christianity creative evolution work don know inclined think believe old concept god covers support family worked assistant master served following year continued write manuscript simon called peter found publisher constable liked prospects commissioned second novel commenced mother living intense love drama set south_africa reflected new interest african traditional religion featured concept life force alternative theology simon called peter published met astonishing success book reportedly sold copies 1920s reaching edition largely autobiographical work tale priest affair wartime france nurse named title character faith love experiences direct revelation christ watching catholic mass given lover sees sincerity runaway popularity won level celebrity spent lot time london took usually known betty token called bill met salon near friends fully overt displays distressed parents wife time appears measure proponent open relationships free love concluded right pursue relationships men firm evidence warm spontaneous sexual nature far conflict christian love fact manifestation developing attitudes relationship betty disgusted wife devout catholic refused divorce left unable marry contributed growing sense english society managed legally separate wife took suggestion college friend colonial administrator visit fashionable destination 1920s europeans south seas appeared offer escape british society climate better suited constitution sailed aboard south pacific australia undertook book tour giving lectures broadcast new sexual ethics unmarried couples love deeply moral relationships stayed convention sake committing acts deep views contemporary press noted correspondence priest useful tale remain resident rest life wrote regret succeeded converting nineteenth century christian missionary sent attempt bill betty settled home house luxurious overlooking bay views island drove dodge enjoyed ample supplies cheap french wine gesture spiritual eventually moved household inland native style house surrounds near couple friends swedish artist continued write adding novel sequel simon called peter undertook book tours united_states spent spare time answering swimming sailing fell pregnant couple agreed return england better healthcare birth went set home mother help early november gave birth prematurely son anthony days later died poisoning administered pain delivery grief stricken health worsened advised return baby weak travel left england jack friends couple salon days eventually adopt remained health suffered weight loss diabetes high blood pressure fever stemming kidney illness nonetheless completed novel numerous treasure begun death tale woman shared cocktail brand cigarettes commercial success considered valuable portrait early century life health spirits rallied years death completed travel book book tour united_states europe returning struck relationship mixed race named new friends including writers elder brother inspired visit numerous treasure described period clad princess bare bare black hair falling waist white flower ear house noted suggesting cup tea voice took years earlier summoned parish children sunday school treat darkness ann decides important novel tale catholic priest restored faith woman love poorly received follow comedy went worse instead helped overcome failing devoted attention great non fictional account historical jesus relationship jesus religious tradition away writing conceived child gave birth son named meaning glorious warrior delighted bequeathed properties november initiated formal divorce proceedings attempt son december contracted worsened kidney infection december died home new_york_times obituary identified illness killed bright disease term refer number kidney conditions according acquaintances friends heard departure provision scholarship named college literary assets death valued received protestant burial accounts suggest weeks life formally converted catholicism commentators suggest pagan sentiments expressed birth new son social convention tend indicate argues death likely able reconcile ideals romantic erotic religious die peacefully accepting rituals loved religious views religious views developed leaving church_of_england influenced novels eventually articulated theology final book great theological work views received reviewer novel observed starts church_of_england tract appear roman catholic tract end reached reader doubt sort tract book great characterised biographer attempt love jesus failure believe god book sought distinguish historical jesus record traditional jesus church worship historical jesus said poorly known survived little information line obituary instead figure christians traditional jesus recorded oral tradition biographical traditional jesus literary jesus central figure figure distinct actual historical jesus contemporary church centred sought attitude contemporary church traditional jesus given rest traditional religion discarded pains stress traditional jesus seen discarded traditional jesus said reason leave church traditional jesus predicted western fade fall critical specific ways contemporary church jesus attempts traditional jesus historical jesus considered impossible blamed actions church declining numbers accused draining christianity relying heavily rigid structure believed historical jesus barely known nonetheless devoted attention trying understand figure emphasised humanity historical jesus wrote shared humanity ignorance blessed mind wrote jesus tolerant fond understanding importance love sex average man advocated love important thing church rule regulation jesus great prophet free love associated harmony spirit life great received new_york_times reviewer called finding claims jesus contrary efforts understand worship frankly know suppose street preaching cambridge climbing logic critical reception novels won immense international popularity intense controversy novels similarly tale religious doubt clergy published years earlier editor magazine comparison respect noting need twentieth century novel reader morally lighter nineteenth reporting death melbourne attributed best selling popularity novels contents literary value college acquaintance james later wrote friends sought dissuade publication transition beautiful book loneliness christ central african period simon called peter came great shock known loved earlier days calls novels erotic correspondent birmingham alabama accused critics called success attributed readers reviewers suggested contrast ecclesiastical background frank sexual content novels attracted curiosity time columnist expressed fascination overtly responding piece titled censorship thought contributed volume sic publication notorious surely modern personality worth study wrote noting romance unusual circumstances quiet english clergyman author sensational best seller taken permanent residence south seas long jump person said novels striking impress radical gentleman suggest resigned clergyman author books marked sex melodrama fact scholarly bearing mark country acting character novel passing maiden ladies drawing room instead writing new novel numerous treasure simon called peter tale wartime romance english priest red_cross nurse acquired notoriety best selling print editions story adapted stage play enjoyed popular success chicago moving new_york great deal media coverage simon called peter concerned involvement prominent united_states court case double murder new_brunswick new_jersey rector married member congregation conducting affair courtship hall presented mills copies featured romance priest woman mother living secretary seized fact tried books american publisher arrested claimed simon called peter corrupt seduce innocent published title religion written clergyman innocent look admitted society ordinary novel magistrate declining request issue arrest warrant publisher nonetheless agreed book nasty particularly written clergyman shortly boston judge deemed book fined librarian protested long queue patrons waiting borrow book circulating professed surprise intensity reaction book saying missionary military experiences perceptions general public felt response banning boston books numerous treasure wrote editor past month received request photograph girls high school library adopted literary patron class american university feel boston ought told net effect simon called peter controversy celebrity book known described novel immoral gave protagonist read famous novel great character terrible stuff whiskey distorted things didn sense book sequel optioned film starring found screenplay altered original text proposed write novel based visit united_states autumn announced new_york_times took production simon called peter stage play new_york returning new_orleans los_angeles san_francisco return times printed lengthy letter subject origins cocktail headlining makes case greek paper received second novel mother living favourably reviewer called better artistic point view simon called peter general outlook mature book worth feel inclined comparatively weaknesses reviews favourable characters criticised lacking depth reviewers said served vehicles conveying different theoretical points view later book ann decides dismissed new_york_times piece contemporary religious literature years died called life spiritual tragedy described thinking fundamentally contradictory mind like rock reveals strata volcanic experiences subjected distinction historical traditional jesus wilson argued ultimately internally inconsistent contemporary church odds conviction late 20th century received attention peter came print recent edition published biographer hugh cecil including anthology neglected great war writers concluded early career talents seized life hands works seldom read mean achievement high quality rarely sustained book divided twentieth century man self realization faith guilt self hatred seen unhappy book robert experience war reveal nature real goodness loyalty love
Robert Keable