Under the stress of World War I Wells went through an extended period of what he called in his autobiography "deistic phrasing," without, however, making "any concessions to doctrinal Christianity." But "[a]fter The Undying Fire, God as a character disappears from my work, except for a brief undignified appearance, a regrettable appearance, dressed in moonshine and armed with Cupid's bow and arrows in The Secret Places of the Heart (1922).
During World War I, Wells's writing underwent a significant transformation, characterized by "deistic phrasing," which reflected his non-Christian beliefs. However, "[after The Undying Fire], God ceases to play a prominent role in my work, except for a brief and somewhat awkward appearance in The Secret Places of the Heart (1922)."