place in life-one by aiming beyond it, and the other by failing to aim at all. God has a place in the world for every man-for the high and the low; for the prominent and the obscure. To fill that particular place, no matter whether it be the chief executive chair or a cobbler's bench, is the highest achievement. To aid and encourage men to seek their divinely intended sphere in life, and cheer and inspire them to do their best therein is the highest possible mission of a book.

It is not anticipated that this volume will escape criticism. Many, no doubt, will feel that too much is claimed for young men, that their sphere has been enlarged to an unwarranted scope. No innovations have been striven after. The book has been written under a firm conviction of its truth though, of course, not without a strong sense of its fallibility.

A portion of what the volume contains has formed the basis of a number of addresses delivered upon various occasions, chiefly to audiences of young men. These addresses were appreciated far beyond expectations and the numerous and pressing requests, from sources claiming my highest respect, that they be published have greatly encouraged me in sending forth the book.

The book has been written in a somewhat

1

fragmentary manner, here a little and there a little, and under a great variety of circumstances. Consequently, to the critical reader, it will appear somewhat disconnected and desultory. A large number of books, more or less related to the subjects in hand, have been read and studied and to their authors, too numerous to name, I cheerfully acknowledge my indebtedness. Extensive quoting has, however, been avoided and, as a rule, limited to the preludes to each chapter and an occasional verse, couplet or short extract emphasizing the thought to be conveyed. The volume is essentially a new book. It is the result of an extended and close study among young men. The world as it is, and not the thoughts written in books, has been my school. The chief aim has been to help young men to think in the right direction and inspire them with courage to walk and act accordingly. If there is a lack of charity at any point my pen has proven unfaithful to my desire.

It is a grave responsibility to send forth a book to be read and discussed by young men. The issues of life often originate over the printed page. Thousands owe their success and perhaps a greater number owe their ruin to books. Franklin said of a small volume, read when a youth: "If I have been a useful

citizen the public owes the advantages of it to that little book."

One of the chapters of this volume was loaned to a family and read by one whose fortunes are yet to be made. He read it intently and when he had finished he stood up and with a countenance seriously set, and with a determined emphasis exclaimed: "I will be somebody; I am determined to be of some account in the world." May it so influence and inspire all who read its pages.

Every morning in the year, within our nation, more than fifteen hundred boys get out of bed and romp, play, sing, serve at home, study at school and make hilarious and glad city, hamlet and farm. When the shades of night settle deep over hill and valley, weary, innocent and hopeful of the morrow, they retire. They sleep and dream, view fair and enchanting visions and live in floating castles. At dawn they awake from their slumbers, arise, and, in the light of a new day, go forth, not boys or children any longer, but MENdivinely endowed men-to begin anew the things of life-to put away childish thingsto begin at the foot of the hill and aspire to its summit, to learn lessons of patience, industry, self-denial and endurance.

They go out from home into the world to meet and mingle with fifteen hundred other

men one day older than themselves, and with others still older, thus forming a mighty legion -thirteen million in number-all of them young, yet men; all of them men, yet young. Together they plod and labor and press upward and on; some in high and some in humble paths; they build homes, they woo and wed and establish firesides; they sow and reap, endow the race with power and clothe the earth in beauty. Some wax strong and grow in fame; some struggle in weakness and want; some rejoice in success and health; some weep in sorrow and misfortune, and not a few fall by the wayside.

But the period of young manhood is transient. Time brings age and age claims all. With hands hardened by toil, with fortunes fixed by fate and with ranks broken by death, manhood's morning vanishes forever.

Thus do young men come forth and act their part, and borne by the flight of time pass on into age, where, one by one, as the years roll by, like weary and footsore travellers, they enter the final rest. As in the sleep of another childhood let it be hoped, they will rest and slumber, and at the dawn of another day, and at the music of another clime, they will awake and, redeemed and glorified arise, and go forth rejoicing, clothed in youthful beauty, like unto heaven, and as lasting as the sunshine of the eternal morning. J. A. C.