FOREWORD TO THE ORIGINAL EDITION

These sermons were preached on consecutive Sunday mornings at Westminster Chapel and are here reproduced virtually as they were delivered,

The need for them arose as the result of pastoral experience, and they are now published in book form largely as the result of repeated requests that they might be issued in this form.

Believing as I do that the greatest need of the hour is a revived and joyful Church the subject dealt with in these sermons is to me of the greatest possible importance. Unhappy Christians are, to say the least, a poor recommendation for the Christian Faith; and there can be little doubt but that the exuberant joy of the early Christians was one of the most potent factors in the spread of Christianity.

The treatment of the subject is by no means exhaustive. I have tried to deal with what I have found to be the commonest causes of trouble. In several instances (e.g., the relationship between the physical, the psychic, and the spiritual) I would have liked to deal with the problem more thoroughly, but that was hardly possible in a sermon. In any case sermons are not intended for the ‘experts’ but for the ‘common people’ and those who are in need of help.

I pray that God will bless them to all such.

All who may derive some help from them will want to join with me in thanking Mrs. Hutchings who originally took down the sermons in shorthand, and my wife who looked after corrections, proof-reading, etc.

D. M. LLOYD-JONES