This book arose out of three informal talks which I was invited to give at the leaders Conference of University Evangelical Unions held at Leeds in September, 1936. The Committee of the Inter-varsity Fellowship kindly asked me to expand them for publication and the preparation of the book afforded me much pleasure. My purpose has not been to write a detailed or technical history, but to give some account of God's dealings with His people in the past in the hope that it might prove an inspiration to Evangelical sacrifice to-day, give encouragement to our witness, and afford guidance in our stand for Truth.
It is now some time since my publishers informed me of the exhaustion of the first edition of this book, although there seems to be a continuing demand for it. The popularity of the first edition surprised me. and I have been filled with gratitude to God for such abundant answers to prayer that was made when the book was written, especially for the news that at least two persons in widely separated parts of the world have been led to Christ through reading it.
The last chapter has become out of date, and has been replaced by an epilogue. Various minor changes have been made in the text of the refraining chapters to ensure greater accuracy, and it remains only to express my grateful thanks to the I.V.F. for their patience with me and for the privilege they have given me of carrying this book to a second edition.
My hope and prayer are that the book may help towards the recapture by Evangelicals to-day of that revival fire of the love of God, shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost, which led the Apostle Paul both to withstand the Apostle Peter, when necessary. to his face, and also to impart his very life to those to whom God had sent him.
BASIL F. C. ATKINSON.
Cambridge 1947.