Did He oft watch the Altar smoke ascending
From Sacrificial Lamb that rose unending,
A thin, soft column reaching up to heaven,
As if the prayer of souls that would be shriven,
A Prayer-that Human sin would be forgiven.
Surely He spent HIм many peaceful days
In Temple porches, in its broad, bright ways
Of marble floors, columns, and stately arch;
And saw the daily, hourly steady march
Of Worshippers-watched those from distant lands
With happy faces and gift laden hands
Who loved to join the chorus, Praises swell
TO GREAT JEHOVAH HE who loved to dwell
Inhabiting The Praise of Israel!

Saw HE the deeper meaning when He stood
Watching the Priest slay Lamb and sprinkled blood
Upon the horns of the great altar place?
Then saw the hissing flesh consumed by fire-
Surely there came a flush upon His face,

And in His heart a kindling of desire
When He could manhood's Ministry begin

And He Slain Lamb Redeem the World from Sin!

Was not a Cordon drawn around the Boy, And Michael, Captain, surely with great joy Watched HIM awake, at work, in slumber deep, A Constant Guardian, one who did not sleep, Nor ever slacken in his power to keep

Shielding from Harm-(not from temptation power That Cross was His in every earthly hour).

Surely the Petty Demons stood at bay,
To Satan was the battle day by day,

Or to his Great Chiefs-free to come and go,
To tempt, and do their best to work HIM woe.
As other boys were tempted so was HE
Yet stood HE in this Glorious Purity
Without a fleck or stain of any sin-

A Holy One that dwelt with sinful men.

Patience! The hardest lesson ever learned by man,
The active brain will ever plot and plan
And fain would be adoing-but to wait
With patience for the opening of the gate
That hath no latch to open by our force-
Simply to wait and let time take its course.

In this the sting-the more than bitter thought-
Perchance, it was our work the hindrance wrought
That now oppose and fret us as we wait,
Impatient, kicking at The Future's gate.
Ah, if we knew it were God's will-why then
We could be patient, braver, better men,

When He could just have wished-and lo, 'twere done.
Gentle and tender with a woman's way

Of soothing souls that fretted day by day,

But still a stalwart manliness, a mien

That stamped HIм noble, wholesome, sweet and clean.

HE for the future no provision made, Simply contented with His daily trade, What portion GOD sent to HIM day by day, Be it the less or more, it had no sway

To gladden or dishearten-as it came
He took with praising thankfulness the same;
He never quivered at THE FATHER's rod—
He simply was a Pensioner on GOD!

And tho' HE ever stood for Righteousness-
He did not stand as Patriot to redress
The Wrongs laid on by crafty Ruler's power-
His talk was neither bitter, fierce, nor sour—
Never His voice in bandying on street-
Nor loitering where gossips loved to meet.
Home Loving, Mother's Son, sick chamber guest,
His presence stood for comfort and for rest
To tired Humanity-and here the power
Of Satan's strong temptation's many an hour:-
"Art thou THE SON OF GOD-then why this pain?
Speak but the word and sufferers whole again!
THOU SON OF GOD and yet let sufferer die!
I challenge thee-Thy God-head I deny!"

And unabashed The Tempter there could standHe knew THIS MAN had only to stretch handDisease had vanished if He did command

Heal sick, raise dead-but, lo, GOD's hour not comeTHE LOVING ONE stood before Satan dumb,

Tho' was it not indeed most hard to see

The suffering, the death, the dire calamity,
He could assuage-but God's law higher still
Therefore HE schooled HIMSELF to do GOD'S Will.
If we the wish of CHRIST were to discern
Then Patience not a lesson hard to learn,

'Tis not for want of faith in CHRIST we fail,
But Doubt stands ready ever to assail,

And say, Not CHRIST'S will thus to hinder thee
But 'tis thy sin, thine own perversity,
Thus blocking up the pathway of thy feet
So that thy halting steps are noways fleet.

What thought The Mother of this strange born Son
When youth had passed, and manhood had begun,
Did she expect HIM to claim David's throne,
For it was HIS-and surely His alone.
Did she watch anxiously the dawning day.
Surely that morn His feet would speed away
To far Jerusalem and claim The Throne.
But as the day sped-and He worked alone
As usual in shop with tools and boards.

Her heart smote her-'Twere surely not The Lord's
Great Angel came to her-she dreamed it all—
The wild fear fell upon her heart, a pall

Of sudden anguish-had she been deceived-
Was it at hour of night her soul received
The Dream-the vision of that Angel Great,
Who filling room with Glory, did relate
Of His high Destiny-was all of it a dream—
That Angel presence just a passing gleam
Of moonlight-all delusion of the brain-
Not one on Earth from whom she could obtain
A Word of consolation in her dread,
Elizabeth and Zacharias dead,

And their son John in wilderness was lost;

Surely the Mother mind was torn and tossed

Plaything of fear and hope-not dare she say
To any human what her Hope this day.

And did she draw HIм to a secret place,
Put hands on shoulders, look into His face,
Crying: "O King, where is thy sword to-day!
The Roman Foes like snow shalt melt away-
Jerusalem awaits thy Kingly sway!"
And did HE of her thoughts indeed surmise
By sweet, pure, true and tender loving eyes,
And from His lips the tender gentle words:

"God's time, my Mother, not with spears and swords!"
She could not question further-but she crept
Into her thoughts, and woman like she wept.

This patient, gentle, solitary man,
Outside of God's HE had no plot, nor plan
For future days. He waited for that call
All ready for the hour that it may fall.
In this from human beings all apart

He could not tell of that within His heart
To close companion-nor the nearest friend-
Tho' HE in gentleness may condescend

To be a helper, counselor to aid,

And no one living of HIM stood afraid-
He stood a marked and solitary one
That oft the eye of envy lighted on:
His workshop open to the passing street,
The Kindest answer when the neighbors greet,
Patient in toil from rise to set of sun-

What e'er HE wrought at surely was well done.