J. I. Pike gives us an answer.....
Were you, my reader, going to spend one hour in England, and then never to see it more, but afterwards to pass threescore years in India, of which country would you desire the most extensive knowledge ? Would you not reason, The knowledge that will benefit me hut for one hour in a country, which after that I shall never visit again, is unworthy of a thought, compared with that knowledge, which will be useful to me for sixty years? Were you to spend that one hour in company with persons, whose favor or displeasure would render it either, a happy or a wretched hour; and were you to pass the following sixty years with those, whose smile or frown would make them all years of happiness or years of pain, whose favor would you be most anxious to enjoy ? Would you not argue, The smiles or the frowns of those who can cheer or embitter but one hour, and whom then I shall leave for ever, are of little moment; but their friendship, who must render me happy or wretched for sixty years, is ten thousand .times more important
Apply these thoughts to your state in this world, and the next. Here you have a little while to spend, but compared with the endless life which awaits you there, it is infinitely less than an hour, when compared with sixty years. Of which world is the knowledge most important to you ? Of that where your life is the twinkling of an eye? or of that where eternal ages lie stretched before the view of the astonished soul? The friendship or displeasure of your fellow- creatures may cheer or embitter life's short hour : the friendship of your God will brighten and bless your whole eternity; or his displeasure make eternal years one scene of darkness, bitterness, and woe. How worthless, to a creature born for eternity, is all knowledge, compared with a holy acquaintance with God! how despicable all friendship, compared with His friendship and love!
(Taken from A Guide for Young Disciples, pp. 1-2)
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