First published in 1896, The Damnation of Theron Ware follows a young Methodist minister who comes to a small, upstate New York town to spread the gospel. Instead, his congregation slowly leads him down a path of enlightenment, encouraging him to question the very same scripture he has devoted his life to. While he embraces this fresh perspective, where it leads him is not at all what he expected. A forerunner of the naturalistic novels of the twentieth century, Harold Frederic's work is considered one of the great American novels of his time.