re establishing
mission work in the city centres of a foreign-mission country, and all
good, blessed work; and yet have the great mass of that country's
population in utter ignorance of the Gospel message and its power.

As the Holy Spirit is allowed control increasingly, there comes to be a
better understanding of God's purposes and of His plans, an earnest
cooeperation in the Church movement for making Christ known to all men
everywhere, a faithfulness in all the circle of one's own home Church,
and a warm personal winning of men to know the Lord Jesus as their
Saviour.

So it is seen that watching for our Lord's return affects one's whole
life in an intensely practical way. It deepens faith in _Him_. It leads
to an _intelligent detachment_ in social and commercial and even Church
circles, while making an increase of thoughtful regard for others. It
purifies the personal life. It chastens and deepens and gentles the
personal character.

It seems very striking and very strange that when Jesus was born there
are just two persons named, outside the immediate circle, who seemed to
have the spirit instinct that recognized who He was. There was a man
living in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon. Who was he? rich? poor?
cultured? of lowly station? No one knows. But whoever he was, he had
cultivated close walk with God. That's clear. And into his inner spirit
came the conviction that the Christ promised for ages, so long waited
for, the Christ was now coming, and _he would see Him_.

And a similar story is told of the woman called Anna. These two were in
that simple touch of heart with God that could in spirit sense the
coming of the Christ. There may have been others. We are not told. But
the emphasis remains on the fact that few seemed to discern the working
out of God's tremendous plan.

Will it be so again? It would surely seem that intelligent watching
would make one sensitive in spirit to coming events. Yet there would
ever be a mingling of deepest reverence, and a thoughtful caution
regarding mere speculation, while the fervent prayer that Jesus taught
is daily repeated, "Thy kingdom come."

And John's closing Revelation prayer constantly breathes out, "Even so,
come, Lord Jesus."

FOOTNOTES:

[185] Acts iii. 20-21; xv. 14-18.

[186] Matthew xxiv. 33.

[187] 1 Chronicles xii. 32.

[188] Daniel xii. 10.

[189] Daniel viii. 15-17; ix. 1-2; x. 1-3, 11-14.

[190] Daniel xi. 33.

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