The glory of the commonplace

Front matter

Book , v

CoipghtN

COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT.

Foreword

H OW was Dr. Miller abje to write so as to reach the hearts of the hundreds of thousands who bought his books? The question has been asked many times by those who have noted the fact that the sales of these most helpful volumes have totaled more than two million copies. Perhaps one of the best answers was made by one who said, "He knew how to glorify the commonplace." He said ordinary things about ordinary people in most unusual ways. He illuminated every chapter by apt and striking illustrations from the everyday life of people around him. He had a wonderful faculty for taking familiar incidents and giving to them new applications. He used as illustrations things that no one else would have thought of, and the reader could only wonder why he had never seen the application himself.

Jporetoorb

In 1893 a volume of selected illustrations was used under the title, "Glimpses through Life's Windows." Since that time readers have urged the publication of a similar volume made up from later writings. With his usual modesty Dr. Miller was accustomed to reply that there would be no demand for such a booh. However, he finally decided to give his readers what they sought. During the closing years of his life he thought of the book as one of the things he hoped to do, but he never found time to make the selections.

As his associate in editorial work I learned

of his plans, and have attempted to carry

them out. T m -n

John T. Faeis.

Philadelphia, April, 1918.

[vi]

Prayer Lessons