PEEFACE 9 



to guess the riddle of man's existence. How can he ? 

 Man is born into this world without his own voHtion ; 

 he has nothing whatever to say as to the age in which 

 he will live, the land in which he will be born, the race 

 of which he will be a member, the family which will 

 furnish the environment of his infancy and youth, or 

 even his sex. So far as he is concerned, he comes by 

 chance, knows not how long he will stay, or how or 

 when he will go hence. 



But w^hen man knows that God, after making all 

 other things, made man, not as He made all other 

 things but in His oimi likeness, appointed him com- 

 mander-in-chief of all that is and put the destiny of 

 the earth into his hands, he finds himself. He learns 

 from God's Word that while all is for him he must 

 render account for every moment of his life, every 

 atom of his power and every ounce of his influence. 

 The Heavenly Father has linked happiness to virtue 

 and success to righteousness, exacting from man in 

 return only one thing — obedience. 



Where in all other books can be found so much that 

 is vital to man? And besides these three verses we 

 have — the inspiration of the prophets, the consolation 

 of the Psalms, the instruction that comes from the 

 record of God's dealing with a chosen people; then 

 the New Testament with the story of Jesus and His 

 atoning blood, a code of morality that is to endure for 

 all time and a gospel for every human being. Behind 

 all these we have Christ Himself, with all power in 

 heaven and earth in His hands, and His promise, " Lo, 

 I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world." 



