And so it will remain always; the good ground wherein the seed may be sown and bring forth unto eternal life is the spiritual nature of man, made ready by humility and love,--"In quietness and confidence shall be your strength." In the quietness that waits for God to act, the confidence that knows that He will act when the time comes. It is well if our aspiration is to be of the number of those who live lives hid with Christ in God; who are seeking nothing but that the love of God may be shed abroad in their hearts; who are "constrained" by nothing but the love of Jesus. It is true that this simplicity of motive and aim will bring it about that our lives will be hidden lives, lives of which the world will take no note. We may be quite sure that none of the rulers of Israel thought much about old Simeon who passed his time praying in the temple. And if we want to be known of rulers it is doubtless a mistake to take the road that Simeon followed. But the reward of that way was that he saw "the Lord's Christ," that it was permitted him to take in his arms Incarnate God, and then, in his rapture, to sing _Nunc Dimittis_. We cannot travel two roads at once. When the Holy Family goes out from the temple it can go, if it will, to the palace of Herod, or it can go back to Bethlehem. It cannot go both ways and we know the way that it took. And we in our self-examination to-night can see two roads stretching out before us. We can go the way of the world, the way that seeks (whether it finds or no) popularity and prominence, or we can join the Holy Family and in company with Jesus and Mary and Joseph go back to the quietness and hiddenness of the House of Bread where the saints dwell. With them, sheltered by the Sacrifice of Jesus and the prayers of Mary and Joseph we can wait for the Redemption in the full manifestation of the life of God in us, and for the time when the love of God shall be fully "shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given us." O Sion, ope thy temple-gates; See, Christ, the Priest and Victim, waits-- Let lifeless shadows flee: No more to heaven shall vainly rise The ancient rites--a sacrifice All pure and perfect, see. Behold, the Maiden knowing well The hidden Godhead that doth dwell In him her infant Son: And with her Infant, see her bring The doves, the humble offering For Christ, the Holy One. Here, all who for his coming sighed Behold him, and are satisfied-- Their faith the prize hath won: While Mary, in her breast conceals The holy joys her Lord reveals, And ponders them alone. Come, let us tune our hearts to sing The glory of our God and King, The blessed One and Three: Be everlasting praise and love To him who reigns in heaven above, Through all eternity. PART TWO CHAPTER X EGYPT