INTRODUCTION. HESE Old-Testament valleys have been a great delight to me. May the reading of this little book encourage searching the Scriptures. I began to study and talk over this subject when visiting those who were passing through the shadows of the valleys. It was a new field, and created much. interest; so I venture, somewhat roughly, and I fear very feebly, to put my notes together, and lay them at the Master's feet. These are only simple surface thoughts; they profess to be nothing more, perhaps they are even less. If they prove a word of help to those in the valleys, and lead to glorifying the Lord in the valleys, then both reader and writer will unite together in praising the GOD OF THE VALLEYS. "As oft, with worn and weary feet, From life's first dawning to its close." May the Holy Spirit be our Guide and Interpreter as we visit these valleys. We shall see much to comfort and strengthen us, and we shall find many warnings against dangerous places. The following prayer was prefixed to some editions of the early English versions of the Bible: "O gracious God and most merciful Father, which has vouchsafed us the rich and precious jewel of Thy Holy Word, assist us by the Spirit, that it may be written in our hearts, to our everlasting comfort, to reprove us, and edify us unto the perfect building of Thy Christ; sanctifying and increasing in us all heavenly virtues. Grant this, O Heavenly Father, for Jesus Christ's sake! Amen." |