Preface<br > O those leaning on the sustaining infinite， to-day is 1<br > big with blessings. The wakeful shepherd beholds<br >the first faint morning beams， ere cometh the full radiance<br >of a risen day. So shone the pale star to the prophet-<br >shepherds; yet it traversed the night， and came where， in<br >cradled obscurity， lay the Bethlehem babe， the human 6<br >herald of Christ， Truth， who would make plain to be-<br >nighted understanding the way of salvation through Christ<br >Jesus， till across a night of error should dawn the morn-<br >ing beams and shine the guiding star of being. The Wise-<br >men were led to behold and to follow this daystar of<br >divine Science， lighting the way to eternal harmony. 12<br > The time for thinkers has come. Truth， independent<br >of doctrines and time-honored systems， knocks at the<br >portal of humanity. Contentment with the past and 15<br >the cold conventionality of materialism are crumbling<br >away. Ignorance of God is no longer the stepping-<br >stone to faith. The only guarantee of obedience is a is<br >right apprehension of Him whom to know aright is<br >Life eternal. Though empires fall， "the Lord shall<br >reign forever." 21<br > A book introduces new thoughts， but it cannot make<br > them speedily understood. It is the task of the sturdy<br > pioneer to hew the tall oak and to cut the rough 24<br > granite. Future ages must declare what the pioneer<br > has accomplished.<br > Since the author s discovery of the might of Truth in 27<br > vii<br ><br >