“Now for the grand secret”

Across the English-speaking world from 1800 to 2000, confidence in life after death and expectations of Heavenly reunions peaked in the early 1800s and again in the 1860s. Wars, pandemics, and infant deaths contributed to a culture of solace, including commercial elements. However, much more was occurring, particularly with individuals’ statements about their access to Heaven. The solace dimension, fading substantially by 1900, was not the only …