PREFACE

To mortals, toiling in this world of perplexities, afflictions, temptations, persecutions, and death, how important to have the anchor of hope to steady our barque, threatened as it is on every hand with destruction amid the rocks and shoals of sin and sorrow. While toiling on, beating against the current, how the heart is cheered with a knowledge of the fact that we have a kind Father who pities us “like as a father pitieth his children.” While we humbly trust him, our Father is at the helm to guide us, and the star of hope is before us to cheer us with its clear shining.HPGO iii.1

The question proposed on the title page of this book relates to the gospel hope. It is an object of inestimable value, a prize that mines of gold will not buy, and which worldly honor and fame cannot secure; yet its accomplishment is the merciful bestowment of our Father’s free gift of eternal life to those who humbly serve him. As to the time and manner of the bringing in of the gospel hope, we have shown in these few pages that it relates to a state beyond the coming again of Christ and the resurrection.HPGO iii.2

A solemn sense of the importance of disseminating light on the great theme of life only through Christ, has prompted the writer to prepare this work. We trust the reader will give it a candid and prayerful perusal before passing judgment upon it.HPGO iv.1

May the Lord, as he has promised, give us his Spirit to guide us into all truth. May he be to us indeed “wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.” And whenHPGO iv.2

“Hope shall change to glad fruition, ”

may we meet in glory.

J. N. L.

ST. HELENA, Cal., Aug.1, 1873.