He lived as God disguised with unknown power,
And thou His sole adorer, His best love,
Trusted, revering, waited for His hour."
--_H.B. Stowe_.

Joseph had probably died, and the care of Mary fell especially on Jesus.
But in the carpenter's shop, in the home, and wherever He was, He had
thoughts and feelings and purposes hidden from all others. They were
such as no mere human being could have. He was alone in the world. In
silence and solitude His communions were with His Father in heaven.
Calmness and peace filled His soul. His great work was before Him, ever
present to His thought. So was His cross, and the glory which should
come to God, and the blessedness to man, when His work on earth was
done. As John long after declared, "He was in the world and the world
knew Him not." As a great King He had come from heaven, and was waiting
for a certain one to proclaim His coming. Toward that herald let us turn
and with John listen to his voice.




_CHAPTER IX_

_"The Prophet of the Most High"_

"Zacharias was filled with the Holy Ghost, and prophesied, saying,
... "Yea, and thou, child, shalt be called the prophet of the Most
High: For thou shalt go before the face of the Lord to make ready
His ways."--_Luke_ i. 67, 76.