This book has its origin in the love and concern of Jesus that, through knowing Him, we should also know His Father as the only true God. This alone is eternal life. (John 17,3)

At the outset I want to assure my readers that it is not my desire to offend anyone or to condemn this present generation for what was done, long ago, by the spiritual ancestors of the 20th century church. I plead for your love towards me and your patience with me, when it is necessary to mention certain unpalatable aspects of the history and tradition of the church in ways which may challenge, or even threaten, the position of its modern adherents.

I do belong to that stream which, in the history of the church, has been labelled "Anabaptist". It will become obvious that my sympathies lie with those inspiring witnesses who, down through the centuries, have been misunderstood, persecuted as "heretics" and even martyred, by the mainstream church.

Because I write from this perspective, it is inevitable that there will be some who read this book and conclude that I hate Catholics.

I do not.

Others may accuse me of bigotry towards other Protestants, whose religious views are different to mine.

It was not bigotry, but love, which led Jesus to claim that HE was the ONLY way to God. It is not bigotry to insist, still, that there is no other way. The desperate need of all of us, is to find and follow the REAL CHRIST who made that claim.

If we claim to be Christian, all of us must answer for ourselves, the vital question about the true identity of the Christ we profess to serve. If we fail to answer that question honestly and, instead, follow a false Christ, we will be guilty of rejecting both the Father and the Son.

ALLON MAXWELL