Mountain Trailways for Youth Author:Mrs. Charles E. Cowman On a morning some months ago a leader of youth called at the office of The Oriental Missionary — Society, 900 North Hobart Blvd., Los Angeles, California. On what quest had he come? — "Will you give to us a book of daily devotional readings-a book exclusively for youth? We are — readers of Streams in the Desert and Springs in the Valley, and throug... more »h Charles Cowman,
Missionary Warrior, many of our youth have caught the vision of missionary service and have
responded to the call to the nations. But, we need a book! One with a challenge to youth-for
sacrificial living and a complete abandonment to God-a book of our very own!"
What a challenge his request presented! One which seemed to be impossible of fulfillment, as my
youthful days had long since flown. But prayer was made, God's will earnestly sought; and now
Mountain Trailways for Youth is on its mission to the youth of our generation.
Those who bear the Master's name – whether youthful or aged-must all travel the same highway.
Those who have journeyed the longest and farthest are better acquainted with the road, its
dangerous windings and its detours, and thus the younger pilgrims on the trail value the words of counsel and the experience of their elders. A poet has beautifully expressed this in the following lines:
THE BRIDGE BUILDER
"An old man, going a lone highway,
Came at the evening, cold and gray,
To a chasm vast and deep and wide,
Through which was flowing a raging tide.
The old man crossed in the twilight dim;
The sullen stream had no fears for him;
But he turned when safe on the other side,
And built a bridge to span the tide.
'Old man,' said a fellow-pilgrim near,
'You are wasting your strength with building here;
Your journey will end with the closing day;
You never again will pass this way.
You've crossed the chasm deep and wide.
Why build you this bridge at eventide?'
The builder lifted his old gray head.
Good friend, in the path I have come,'
he said, 'There followeth after me today
A youth whose feet must pass this way.
This chasm which has been as naught to me,
To that fair-haired youth may a pitfall be;
He, too, must cross in the twilight dim:
Good friend, I am building this bridge for him.'"
It has been a precious privilege – a delightsome task -- to compile Mountain Trailways for Youth exclusively for you, my beloved youthful friends. May you find within its pages the spiritual tonic needed to strengthen you for the climb to the heights and courage to keep on climbing until you reach the summit-not somehow, but triumphantly!