By Norman P. Grubb
JANUARY 1946
IN 1940 a little book was published called Touching the Invisible A promise was then made of another book to follow, which would deal more fully with the spiritual truths touched upon in its pages. This book is the promised attempt.
It has not been lightly written; indeed, after practically completing the manuscript some four years ago, it has now again been almost entirely rewritten.
The truths contained in it have been central to my life for many years. In putting them on paper, I feel that I am passing on to others the most precious and innermost secrets that God has taught me, and I have long felt that I could never rest satisfied till I had committed them to writing. Of recent years, too, perhaps through many attempts to expound them, some points that were more obscure to me have become much clearer, and I have felt more able to give an outline of them.
At the same time, I keenly realize the truth of Paul's saying: "If any man think that he knoweth everything, he knoweth nothing yet as he ought to know." I realize how careful we have to be to see that any "view of truth" we have is really and truly "the truth as it is in Jesus;" also that any viewpoint we may hold is only one "find" from that all-embracing treasury of wisdom and knowledge which is "hid in Christ." Others come back from their search with jewels equally or much more precious. If there is a thesis of truth, there is also an antithesis, and the balance of the Word of God is to be sought and maintained.
In that spirit, therefore, of readiness to be shown where we may err in emphasis, and of appreciation of complementary and counterbalancing aspects of truth, I hope that God may bless these chapters and make them of as practical benefit in the daily life as I have found them to be.
My thanks are due to many: to my wife who has drunk at the same fountains with me these twenty-five years and been a constant source of encouragement; to the many, past and present, well known and less known, from whose writings light has poured into my soul; to those who have given freely of their love and labor in typing and preparing the manuscript, especially to my constant coworker, Fred W. Anthony, and to Miss Muriel Geer and Mrs. Pluckrose (then Miss Alice Clark); to James S. Finlay, whose careful reading and forthright criticisms helped me to adjust many things: to the Revs. Jack Ford and Noel Brooks, whose expert opinions on various aspects of Chapter T2, in which they are specialists, were of great help; to Jock Purves for several illuminating suggestions; and finally to William and Ena Pethybridge, who have carefully checked the manuscript and made many helpful alterations.
NORMAN P. GRUBB
Norwood, CT - January 1946
