being through a human father and hence through a permanently limited soul-form, the soul-form provided was a projection of the very Divine itself by means of its own things existing on the various planes of life through which the descent into nature was made, in order that God might have ultimately an unlimited medium for His immediate presence in nature. Thus it was most orderly.
Nor can it be urged successfully that the act of a virgin giving birth to a child is in the case of Mary immoral. The fact is no one is ever distressed by its immorality except those critics who would destroy the foundations of all religious belief. Singularly enough, it is an event which seems the purest and holiest that ever took place.
There was no violation of Mary's freedom. While it perhaps cannot be definitely proved historically, yet because of prophecy it is highly probable that Jewish maidens expected the Messiah would be born of a virgin. The angel in his announcement to Mary left her free to act as she desired, for her reply indicates it: "Behold the handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word." The whole world
