Throughout the Lockdown and the Permanent Abnormal that followed, the lights stayed on at SteynOnline, even as they flickered and dimmed elsewhere. The Mark Steyn Club is well into its eighth year, and we're very proud that this website now offers more free content than at any time in our twenty-two-year history. But we also provide some premium extras especially for our Steyn Club members, such as these nightly serialisations of classic fiction and our newish weekly audio show.
Lord of the World is a far-sighted novel of 1907 by Robert Hugh Benson speculating on the world of the early twenty-first century ...in which a young American senator who has seemingly appeared out of nowhere is on the verge of taking over the planet. Steve, a Manhattan Steyn Clubber, writes:
As a First Fortnight Founding Member, I have appreciated many Tales for Our Times over the years. The Lord of the World is, at least from an American perspective, a very compelling juxtaposition with current events. Just when our national government gives us a basis for hope that we may have a restoration of sanity, this novel is forcing us to think about the End Times.
Since this Tale for Our Time is expressly based on the Bible, I thought it might be useful to check on the words in the source. The Second Epistle of St. Paul to the Thessalonians, Chapter 2, is clearly the scripture that has inspired Father Benson:
Let no man deceive you by any means, for unless there come a revolt first, and the man of sin be revealed, the son of perdition Who opposeth, and is lifted up above all that is called God, or is worshipped, so that he sitteth in the temple of God, shewing himself as if he were God.
I guess this explains why the American 'Son of Man' spurned honorary titles such as 'Counselor' to the British government. Felsenburgh is aiming much higher.
And lo and behold, in tonight's episode:
There was no doubt at all that the news was true; and it seemed that Felsenburgh must have waited deliberately for the offer. All others he had refused. There had been a Convention of the Powers, each of whom had been anxious to secure him, and each of whom had severally failed; these private claims had been withdrawn, and an united message sent. The new proposal was to the effect that Felsenburgh should assume a position hitherto undreamed of in democracy; that he should receive a House of Government in every capital of Europe; that his veto of any measure should be final for three years; that any measure he chose to introduce three times in three consecutive years should become law; that his title should be that of President of Europe...
Oh, my word! An evildoer on the scale of Cruella von der Leyen?
Members of The Mark Steyn Club can hear me read Part Seventeen of Lord of the World simply by clicking here and logging-in. Earlier episodes can be found here.
If you prefer our musical attractions, you might like to check out today's new audio episode of our Song of the Week, which runs the gamut from the moon and the sun to New Jersey.
Membership in The Mark Steyn Club is not for everyone, but, if you've a pal who enjoys classic fiction, we'd love to welcome him or her to our ranks via the birthday present that lasts all year: A gift membership in the Steyn Club, which comes with access to our entire archive of Tales for Our Time, including Nineteen Eighty-Four, The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, The Time Machine and many more. For more details on our special Gift Membership, see here. And please join me tomorrow evening for Part Eighteen of Lord of the World.
