INTRODUCTION.
The world possesses an extensive and rich library of spiritual books — doctrinal and ascetic works of great variety, utility, and profundity; but worldliness creating a general disrelish for anything that savors of deep spirituality, hinders spiritual books, so called, from having a wide range of readers. Beyond the professedly devout or religious class there are very few to whom even the titles of such works are familiar.
The century's materialistic notions do not excite an appetite for this wholesome and delicious food of the soul; and unless this food is presented in form acceptable to the undisciplined and restless intellect, it is likely to be entirely rejected.
The possibilities of biography to attract and instruct, make the lives of the Servants of God of inestimable value. An interest is aroused as our own thought or feeling finds echo in the disclosures that reveal to us what others have thought and felt; in the manifestation of power and weakness; of conflict— struggle and victory, or unrighteous condescension and defeat, often so akin to our own experiences as seemingly to be a subjective reality. All this is enticing; and along with
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