The book itself begins with the first conversation be tween the teacher and his pupil. The pupil greets the teacher on entering, and being asked who he was, he says that he is a, Jew born; in the image of God. Th discussion at once turns on the point of the purpose of existence. The pupil declares that he was born to serve God without the expectation of any reward, al though the reward is sure to come in the next world. To the rabbi's question as to the means by which we might expect to inherit the world to come, the pupil is made to declare the three cardinal principles of ieligion — faith in God, trust and love. In describing the prin ciple of faith, the youth is led to enumerate the thir teen creeds of Maimonides, being frequently interrupted by the teacher, thereby eliciting further explanation and elaboration. Trust in God is the next point discussed, which. Is made to include divine providence, God's kind ness to all creatures, and, as a corollary, the doctrine of prayer. Love of God and love of all his creatures are then made the basis for the whole Law. There are seven deadly sins which men must shun — idleness, pride, glut tony, sensuality, anger, stinginess and jealousy, all of which have their corresponding virtues. After enumer ating several other sins that are hateful to God and summarizing the whole system as laid down, the teach er asks the pupil what difference there is in the knowl edge one has of these matters from tradition, as he has it, and the knowledge which one obtains by reason ing these things out for himself. To this the pupil re plies that while the difference is not apparent to him, still he thinks that it would be more satisfactory if the teacher were to explain to him these principles so that his belief might be strengthened thereby. The teacher is very much pleased with the answer and gives him a lengthy discourse on proper religious and moral conduct. With' which the book concludes.