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 was intentional  and  judicious. It betrays  the  Evangelists' keen  appreciation  of  man's  natural  fondness for youth — of  childhood's  strong  claim  and  firm  hold on our  affections. There is  a  beauty  and  a  freshness about childhood  and  youth  that  thrills  the  observer through and  through  like  the  breath  of  spring,  and  in their  presence  our  gladdened  hearts  grow  young again, — they respond  to  it  as  the  songsters  to  the springtime and  the  skipping  lambs  and  the  laughing brooks. No invitation  needed  to  bring  the  ardent Christian into  communion  with  the  boy  of  Nazareth. He is  the  Christian's  richest  treasure,  and  thither tends the  Christian's  heart. No need  of  description and details. In meditation,  better  far  than  solid  facts is the  vivid  imagery  of  an  unfettered  imagination. Each of  us,  I  hope,  has  felt  this  inclination — to  turn betimes from  the  world — from  its  sordid  cares  and bitter trials,  to  the  joy  and  peace  of  Nazareth  and  the blessed companionship  of  our  youthful  Saviour. In obedience to  this  same  tendency,  the  Church,  too,  in her  ritual,  lingers  long  and  lovingly  over  her  Lord's earlier  years.

St. Luke,  in  the  second  chapter  of  his  gospel  sums up the  hidden  life  of  Our  Saviour  in  these  few  words: " He  increased  in  age  and  wisdom  and  grace  before God  and  men." One day,  lately,  in  Sunday-school, a bright  pupil  asked:  "Did  Our  Lord  ever  go  to school?  "  It  was  a  simple  question  simply  asked,  but the answer  involved  a  profound  dogmatic  difficulty. It is  easy  to  understand  how  Our  Lord,  existing  as God  from  eternity,  was  still  in  time  conceived  as  man,