The sooner we reach this conclusion

(William S. Plumer, "A Treatise on Providence")

"Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly meaningless!
 Everything is meaningless!" Ecclesiastes 1:2

How vain are all merely earthly possessions!

How unstable is popular favor!

How uncertain are riches!

How soon our pleasures may be followed by pains!

When parents rejoice at the birth of a child, they
know not how soon they may weep over his dead
body, without an assurance that his soul is saved.

Solomon thoroughly tried the world. His sober inspired
judgment was that all was utterly meaningless! The
sooner we reach this conclusion ourselves--the
wiser shall we be!

"Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the
 matter: Fear God and keep His commandments, for this
 is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed
 into judgment, including every hidden thing, whether it
 is good or evil." Ecclesiastes 12:13-14