There are two ways in which men may think of their position in life. The realities of this life may be predominant in their thoughts, so as almost to absorb their whole minds. That, I fear, is the natural tendency of most of us. The claim which the things of this world make upon us is so incessant, and often so intense, that we have too often neither the energy nor the inclination to look beyond it. There have, indeed, been good and brave men, who have said that we should not look beyond it; that we should concentrate all our energies on the work and the duties imposed upon us, and leave the future to take care of itself, even though it be that vast, and, as we believe, eternal future, on which we shall enter at death. That was necessarily the attitude of good men before the revelation of the Gospel. There have been, unhappily, some good men among us in recent times who practically live a similar life, not realizing or believing the truths that are opened to them by the Gospel, but content to do their duty to the best of their power. I fear a similar life is practically lived by too many Christians. Their interest and their thoughts are mainly absorbed in this present visible world, in their duties, their pleasures, and their worldly happiness; and they do not, for the most part, think of much beyond. One consequence of this attitude of mind is that they judge of all occurrences by their effect on this life; and particularly they are apt to consider all the dispensations of God’s providence, all His judgments and all His mercies, with reference to their effect on this world. How is it possible, for instance, they ask, that a God of perfect goodness and love can permit such an awful dispensation to fall upon men as a great war like the present, that He can allow the sufferings, and the bereavements, and the miseries which such a war involves? I think, if we are candid with ourselves, we shall find that when that question is acutely felt, it is practically with reference to this life that it is urged. Why should there be all this suffering in the world in which we are now living? Why should so many young and precious lives be sacrificed? Why should so many homes be darkened, and so many hearts all but broken, in this present time? It is the present suffering and the present time that are uppermost in our thoughts. We are apt to speak and think as if the life in the present world of those who are lost had been the matter of greatest consequence for them, and as if we were without any positive compensation, to them and to ourselves, except the victory of the cause for which they laid down their lives.