Book Description

Preparation for life! How impressive an idea! Not for one particular act, or scene, or engagement--but for the whole of future existence. Life! How much is included in that weighty term. A love of life is an instinct of our nature, wisely implanted in us for important purposes by the Great Author of our existence. It was the language of truth, though uttered by the father of lies, "Skin for skin, yes, all that a man has, he will give for his life." Surely, then, if it be incumbent upon us to prepare for everything else, it must be of incalculable importance to prepare for life--since it is the most valuable thing we can covet or possess. But it will be asked, perhaps, what is meant by preparing for life? I intend then by it, preparing to act well our part upon earth, so as to secure to ourselves the greatest measure of happiness and usefulness in this world, and eternal happiness in the world to come--preparing to live successfully, spiritually, usefully, and happily--so as to secure to ourselves the promise of God to Abraham, "I will bless you, and you shall be a blessing." The injunction to prepare for life implies that whatever constitutes the felicity and usefulness of life must be matter of deliberate quest, pursuit, and labor--that it will not come spontaneously. This is very true. The continuance of even existence itself, is not independent of man's own volition, action, and preparation. We do not live in spite of ourselves--the vital spark is still fed and sustained by our own action. We take food and medicine, and wear clothes, and dwell in houses, to preserve life; and we must manifest no less solicitude, and put forth no less effort, to secure the blessings of life. It depends very much upon every man's own pursuit and labor--how life turns out. To spend life in happiness and usefulness, we must prepare in the early stages of it, for what is future. We must come into life and learn as we go on. We must by thoughtfulness, observation, and experience, pick up knowledge by the way. This greatly increases the necessity for our cultivating and exercising a reflective and cautious habit. We may be trained for the subsequent stages of our being by the conduct we pursue in the earlier ones. We cannot first live to know how to live, but we can be educated for the future in the first part of life. Boyhood and youth are life, physically considered, as well as manhood and old age; but intellectually, morally, and socially considered--they are rather introductory to life, than life itself. I am, therefore, in this view of the subject, to consider the processes preparatory for future life. CONTENTS: PREPARATION FOR LIFE ENTRANCE UPON ADULT LIFE INDECISION AS TO TRUE RELIGION AMIABILITY WITHOUT TRUE RELIGION PERPLEXITY OCCASIONED BY RELIGIOUS CONTROVERSIES THE CHARACTER OF JOSEPH THE STUDY OF THE BOOK OF PROVERBS SUCCESS OR FAILURE IN BUSINESS EMIGRATION DISAPPOINTMENT OR FULFILLMENT OF PARENTAL HOPES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE PRESENT AGE EARLY DEATH - OR THE REVIEW OF LIFE IN OLD AGE