ere is the rarest opportunity to put this great waiting patient
Man on the throne of heart and life, with possessions and ambitions and
plans all in subjection under His feet.

Every woman knows the name of Brussels lace. The old capital of the low
countries of Europe has long been famous for its lace. It is of great
interest to note the conditions under which it is sometimes made. They
are conditions studiously prepared after long experience. In one of the
famous lace factories in Brussels there are a number of small rooms
devoted to the making of some of the most delicate patterns.

Each room is just large enough for a single worker, and is quite dark
except for one narrow window. The worker sits so that the stream of
light falls from above directly upon the threads, while he himself sits
in the darkness. The darkness aids the workman's eyes to see better, and
to work more skilfully in the narrow line of clear light centred on the
delicate task. He weaves in the upper light intensified by the
surrounding gloom, and does exquisite work.

There is a clear line of light _from a throne_ shining down into the
darkness in which we sit and move. It shines from the face of a crowned
Man. In the light of that light we can see clearly to do a difficult bit
of crowning work,--to crown the Christ in our lives and to keep Him
crowned.

As our eyes follow that line of upper light we may catch glimpses of His
wondrous Face up there in the glory. So we shall be steadied and cheered
in the darkness as we stick to our glad crowning work. And so we shall
move forward on the calendar the day when that thin line of light seen
now only by watching eyes shall become a burst of glory light seen by
all eyes.

And this is the thing the crowned Christ is asking of us during this
waiting time, this "not-yet" interval. He is counting on each of us
being faithful to Him, our absent Lord, in this.

"He is counting on you.
He has need of your life
In the thick of the strife:
For that weak one may fall
If you fail at His call.
He is counting on you,
If you fail Him--
What then?

"He is counting on you.
On your silver and gold,
On that treasure you hold;
On that treasure still kept,
Though the doubt o'er you swept
'Is this gold not _all_ mine?
(Lord, I knew it was _Thine_.')
He is counting on you,
If you fail Him--
What then?

"He is counting on you.
On a love that will share
In