A.F. Atkinson's first and exploratory visit to Palestine - as it was then - came when he was in his early 40s and just a few months before the Second World War started. The 'diary' he kept from that date - in the form of bi-monthly letters back home to churches that were published faithfully in Intelligence magazine - form a remarkable historical record of one man's passion to spread the gospel in general, but in particular to the Jewish people that he loved with the love of Christ.

This book, which includes all the letters as well as his own testimony, has been published to be much more than just an interesting archival account, but a help and an encouragement to all who read it who feel a call from the Lord to do His work in whatever field that may be.

As it was for A.F. Atkinson, it may be a lonely work, it may be a costly work, it may be a challenging work which even seems to bear relatively little fruit this side of heaven, but the call remains loud and clear nevertheless: "Go, labor on; spend, and be spent; Thy joy to do the Father's will; It is the way the Master went; Should not the servant tread it still?" (Horatio Bonar)."