The Old Church

Name: The Old Church
Author: Annie Fellows Johnston

A historical fiction novel set during the American Civil War. The story follows a group of Union soldiers who occupy an old church in Kentucky, which was previously used as a hospital for Confederate soldiers. The soldiers must navigate the complexities of war and their own personal struggles while stationed at the church.

By Annie Fellows Johnston · First published 1912 · Genre: Historical Fiction, Religious Fiction, Drama · 285 words

First lines

CLOSE to the road it stood among the trees, The old, bare church, with windows small and high, And open doors that gave, on meeting day, A welcome to the careless passer by.

Its straight, uncushioned seats, how hard they seemed! What penance-doing form they always wore To little heads that could not reach the text, And little feet that could not reach the floor.

What wonder that we hailed with strong delight The buzzing wasp, slow sailing down the aisle, Or, sunk in sin, beguiled the constant fly From weary heads, to make our neighbors smile.

What this Textopian page supports

The Old Church is listed on Textopian as a short story by Annie Fellows Johnston, dated 1912 CE.

This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.

Work type: Short story
Author: Annie Fellows Johnston
Date: 1912 CE
Language: English
Genres: Historical Fiction, Religious Fiction, Drama
Length: 285 words
Structure: 1 section, 6 paragraphs
Reading fit: Fairly Easy (7th Grade)

Good citation fit

Work identity for The Old Church by Annie Fellows Johnston
Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
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Discussion starters

What should a reader notice first when entering The Old Church?
How does this short story by Annie Fellows Johnston fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
Where does Historical Fiction first become important in the reading?

Similar titles

Genres

Historical Fiction — The book is rooted in a specific historical period and is focused on the details, context and reality of that time period.
Religious Fiction — The storyline revolves around an old church and spiritual themes are present throughout the story.
Drama — The book presents conflicts among characters and dramatic events