It is twenty years and more since this book was first issued, and it went out of print within the first of them. Since then numerous requests for its reprinting have been answered with as many good resolutions, and it is only within the last year that the resolve has been taken: either this book must be completely rewritten to keep pace with the changing times-in which case it is impossible to foresee when it would be completed, or it must be reissued as a "classic" for all its partial outdatedness, perhaps with something in the way of a supplement to remove some of the more obvious defects-in which case there was good prospect of doing something about it.

The latter decision has been taken, and chapter 9 has been added. Apparently, even as a classic, it is deemed to have its usefulness, for there have been numerous requests even during the last twelve months for the reissue. And certainly there never was a time when young brethren and sisters could put to better use the call to preaching service, nor when the Brotherhood more urgently needed the co-operation of all who can be moved to help.

The big development in the intervening period between the two editions has been the advent of systematic overseas preaching, and it would be as wrong to ignore this as it would be impossible to deal with it adequately. What has been done, therefore, is to concentrate on the opportunities and responsibilities, and leave the actual experiences to those on the spot. It is certain, in any case, that those who do go and work in overseas fields would only find anything written here a mere shadow of the experiences actually met.

All kinds of additional preaching fields have been developed which were not contemplated when the first edition made its appearance. In North America and Australia, preaching by radio (and in some cases by television) has made a powerful contribution to the knowledge of the Truth. In Britain a Bible Exhibition has attracted tens of thousands of visitors to see the history of the English Bible, the main outlines of Bible teaching, the evidence of the authority of the Word of God, and much else helping to make the man of God thoroughly furnished unto all good works. Inevitably, since this exhibition has been deliberately directed to attracting men and women of all kinds to the Bible, without making them suspicious by tying the Christadelphian label too conspicuously to the goods, the results will be very like those from casting bread upon the waters, that it may return after many days. But this is good. It is not always wise to measure the effectiveness of our preaching by the heads we can count when the effort is complete, and it is always very wise indeed to recognize that God grants the increase as it pleaseth Him. That we may in some cases never see, in this dispensation, the immediate fruits of our labours, is not the most important thing.

Increasing use has been made of Correspondence Courses in witnessing to the Word through the post; at least three such courses are circulating in Britain and North America, directed at various classes of listeners, and more than one course has appeared in a variety of foreign languages.

Inevitably, therefore, the techniques referred to in the first edition of this book will be outdated, and there is place for much constructive thinking in applying our zeal to the newer methods, and thinking of yet newer ones to employ our zeal.

But it would have been difficult twenty years ago to see how much the major call of this book would be needed now. Our preachers have not multiplied as they should, and we stand in desperate need of more brethren to go at least as far as their precursors in the Lord's work have done during modern times, and offer themselves for all forms of witness. Had the first edition foreseen the present situation, it might have included a chapter on "Clergy and Laity in the bonds of the Truth". If it had, it would have warned us against allowing ourselves to be divided into a shrinking band who take on the public duties, and a spreading one which is content that it should be so. Perhaps this paragraph will serve sufficiently to awaken any who were disposed to leave the preaching to others, to the knowledge that, if they do, those others could perilously easily run short-and then run dry.

If the blessings which follow this new edition are comparable with those which graced the old, all those who laboured then to produce the composite work will be happy to know that their work is being continued. They are all living yet, except the author of the foreword, but his encouragement and example are both gratefully remembered.

Alfred Norris
June 1967