Hitherto all eyes had turned instinctively toward the center of light. A cloud, the first one known, darkened the glory of the covering cherub. Turning his eyes inward, he reasoned that he was wronged. Had not he, Lucifer, been the bearer of light and joy to worlds beyond? Why should not his might be recognized? “Thou wast perfect in thy ways from the day that thou wast created till iniquity was found in thee.” “Thine heart was lifted up because of thy beauty, thou hast corrupted thy wisdom by reason of thy brightness.”[5] “Thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: _I_ will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds: I will be like the Most High.”[6] [Sidenote: Character of the true Teacher] While Lucifer thus reasoned, Christ, wrapped within the glory of the Father, was offering His life for the world at its creation. Sin had not yet entered, the world was not yet created; but as the plans were laid, the Son had said, “Should sin enter, I am, from this time, one with those We now create, and their fall will mean My life on earth. Never has My heart gone out for any creation as I put it into this. Man in his earthly home shall have the highest expression of Our love, and for him My love demands that I lay My life beside his in his very creation.” O wondrous gift! O unselfish love! How could that covering cherub, at the moment when the Son of God laid down His life, plan on his own exaltation? Sorrow, the first sorrow that was ever known, filled heaven. The angel choir was silent; the living stones withheld their shining. The stillness was felt throughout the universe. [Sidenote: Creation chooses teachers] An offer was made to return, but pride now closed the channel. Pity and admiration for the leader of the hosts led many to feel that God was unjustly severe. The universe was on trial. “Satan and his sympathizers were striving to reform the government of God. They wished to look into His unsearchable wisdom, and ascertain His purpose in exalting Jesus, and endowing Him with such unlimited power and command.” Those who before, inspired by love, took God at His word, and found their highest pleasure in watching the revealings of His love, now put their own minds in place of God’s word, and reasoned that all was wrong. The unfoldings of His love, which had meant their very life, now looked but darkness and despair. God’s wisdom, darkened by placing self between the throne and them, became foolishness. “All the heavenly host were summoned to appear before the Father to have each case decided.” “About the throne gathered the holy angels, a vast, unnumbered throng,—‘ten thousand times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands,’—the most exalted angels, as ministers and subjects, rejoicing in the light that fell upon them from the presence of the Deity.” [Sidenote: Birth of the rival system of education]