een　the　two？　Who　wishes　to　be　absorbed　into　the　awful　peace　of　Nothingness？　Why；　such；　without　its　precedent　preparation；　was　the　refuge　of　the　Roman　who　opened　his　veins　when　things　went　wrong　or　Caesar　frowned！

Thus　it　es　about　that　these　seekers　after　spiritual　truth　remain　drifting　to　and　fro　in　their　little　boats　of　hope；　that　grow　at　length　so　frail　and　old；　and　mayhap　in　the　end　founder　altogether。

Or　perhaps　they　turn　in　despair　and；　aware　of　the　overwhelming　importance；　of　the　awfulness　of　the　issue　indeed；　to　which　all　other　things　are　as　naught；　face　the　situation　afresh；　study　afresh；　think　afresh；　pray　afresh；　perchance　for　years　and　years。　If　so；　there　is　really　only　one　work　with　which　they　need　trouble　themselves；　the　New　Testament；　and　parts　of　the　Old　such　as　the　Psalms。　At　least　that　is　my　experience　—　the　experience　of　a　plain　man　in　search　of　truth。

I　suppose　that　for　the　last　fifteen　or　twenty　years；　except　very　occasionally　through　accident　or　a　sense　of　unworthiness；　scarcely　a　day　has　gone　over　my　head　on　which　I　have　not　once　（the　last　thing　at　night）　and　often　more　than　once；　read　a　portion　of　the　Bible。　The　result　is　that　now　I　find　it　fresher；　stronger；　more　convincing；　more　full　of　hidden　meaning　than　I　did　when　I　began　this　exercise。　“Search　the　Scriptures”　was　a　very　great　and　potent　saying；　for　in　them　I　think　is　life。

What；　it　may　be　asked；　do　you　find　there；　beyond　picturesque　narrative　and　the　expression　of　hopes