Within the Gates

After the news of the death of her beloved brother, Royal Cabot, Mary Cabot of Massachusetts was shattered. Royal was a soldier who got shot in the American Civil War. Their parents are dead, and Mary could not find sympathy and relief from anyone, including her acquaintances, the church deacon, or the pastor. She slowly starts to despair and loses faith in religion. She finally turns to Winifred Forceythe, her widowed aunt who luckily arrived from Kansas with her daughter, Faith. The novel follows their conversations. Winifred portrays a fascinating image of heaven and slowly restores her niece's faith. Several significant events follow as the story moves forward.

The author shows a brilliant development in the character of Mary. Much of the plot is presented as a dialogue about the afterlife between the niece and the aunt. The novel describes heaven as somewhat similar to Earth but a lot better. In contrast with the beliefs of Calvinism, the author's version of paradise is more human, where the dead have spiritual bodies and live in houses, raise families, and experience various activities.