gathers into itself all these things, never quits boiling or
boiling over, in some part of the world, now here, now there. And it
seems like the greatest achievement of diplomacy when here and there it
can be kept from boiling clean over, or at least made to boil over less.

It would seem indeed like a queer sort of kingdom if this is a sample.
Some of us would have less heart in repeating one petition of the old
daily prayer. And Christ would seem to have quite changed His spirit and
character if this is a result of His coming.

The Greatness of Patience.

And the great simple truth is this, the truth that in the strange mix-up
of life we easily lose sight of is this: _Christ has not yet taken
possession of all of His domain_; a part of it still remains to be
possessed. "We see _not yet_ all things subjected to Him."[23] We are
living in the "not-yet" interval between the crowning and the actual
reigning. We are living on the "not-yet" possessed part of His domain.

And the question that comes hot and quick from our lips, even though
with an attempt at subdued reverence, is this: "Why does He not take
possession, and untangle the snarl, and right the wrongs, and bring in
the true rational order of things?" And all the long waiting, the
soreness of hearts over the part that touches one's own life most
closely, the shortness of breath in the tensity of the struggle,
underscore that word "why?"

And the answer to the impatient question reveals all afresh the
greatness of the love of our Christ. His greatness is shown most in His
_patience_. But patience is one of the things we men on this old earth
don't know. It's one of the unknown quantities to us. It can be known
only by knowing God. For patience is love at its best. Patience is God
at His best. His is the patience that sees all, and feels all with the
tender heart that broke once under the load, and yet waits, steadily
waits, and then waits just a bit longer.

In this He runs the risk of being misunderstood. Men in their stupidity
constantly mistake strong patience for weakness or indifference or lack
of a gripping purpose. And God is misunderstood in this, even by His
trusting children. But, even so, the object to be gained is so great,
and so near Christ's heart that He waits, strongly waits with a patience
beyond our comprehension; waits just a bit longer, always just a bit
longer.

There are two parts to the answer. Jesus the Christ is giving man the
f