“Throughout his professional life as scientist, educator, public servant, and churchman a distinguished and almost unbelievably varied career going back nearly half a century -- Dr. John A. Widtsoe has been receiving questions from confused and alert and honest and eager students -- students of life, students of the gospel, and students engaged in formal academic pursuits. These questions have come by letter, in Church gatherings, from the mission field, in the classroom, and on informal occasions. Dr. Widtsoe began to make a permanent record of such
questions as they came to him and to answer in print in the pages of the Improvement Era those most persistently and most frequently asked. "Evidences and Reconciliations" was the general title adopted, with a subtitle "Aids to Faith in a Modern Day"; and that the series filled an urgent need is attested by the fact that requests for permanent compilation began to increase as the writings progressed through the months.” (The Preface) 334 pages
