concerning the future. Its objed evidently is to maie the consecrated child of God acquainted with his Father' s plans, thus to enlist his interest and sympathy in the same plans, and to enable him to regard both the present and the future from God's standpoint. When thus interested in the Lord's work, he may serve with the spirit and with the understand- ing also ] not as a servant merely, but as a child and heir. Revealing to such what shall be, counterafts the influence of what now is. The effecl of careful study cannot be other- wise than strengthening to faith and stimulating to holiness.
In ignorance of God's plan for the recovery of the world from sin and its consequences, and under the false idea that the nominal church, in its present condition, is the sole agency for its accomplishment, the condition of the world to-day, after the Gospel has been preached for nearly nine- teen centuries, is such as to awaken serious doubt in every thoughtful mind so misinformed. And such doubts are not easily surmounted with anything short of the truth. In faQ;, to every thoughtful observer, one of two things must be ap- parent : either the church has made a great mistake in sup- posing that in the present age, and in her present condition, her office has been to convert the world, or else God's plan has been a miserable failure. Which horn of the dilemma shall we accept ? Many have accepted, and many more doubtless will accept, the latter, and swell the ranks of in- fidelity, either covertly or openly. To assist such as are honestly falling thus, is one of the objects of this volume.
On page sixteen we present a diagram, published by the " London Missionary Society," and afterward in the United States by the "Women's Presbyterian Board of Missions." It is termed " A Mute Appeal on Behalf of Foreign Mis- sions." It tells a sad tale of darkness and ignorance of the only name given under heaven, or among men, whereby we must be saved.
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