ORIGINS 35 



not altogether superfluous, in the thought of any 

 other age than one that regarded natural pro- 

 creation as sinful. 



There were two persons to whom, if for any 

 one, the knowledge of the supernatural conception 

 was important, viz., Mary and Jesus. Yet those 

 who seem to think it an important link in the 

 establishment of Christ's Deity, think it was not 

 an appropriate subject to be communicated to 

 Jesus even when He was twelve years of age and 

 had arrived at some degree of divine conscious- 

 ness. They seem prone to put off the necessity 

 of that information until Jesus had come to the 

 Messianic consciousness by the direct operation 

 or suggestion of the Spirit. But one is bound to 

 ask, If not used to communicate and establish 

 that consciousness; if that consciousness is pos- 

 sible by other means, of what value is the com- 

 munication then? Is it needed to confirm the 

 other communication, as if that in itself were 

 doubtful? We feel much like insisting that the 

 communication of the Holy Spirit to the con- 

 sciousness of Jesus was so immeasurably more 

 sure than any assurance coming through human 

 channels concerning an event long past could pos- 

 sibly be, that the latter is not to be mentioned as 

 a ground of assurance of His divine nature for 

 Him. 



Further, the importance of the knowledge of 

 this event to Mary rests on the part that she 

 would have in establishing by testimony to it the 



