The Topeka state journal., 1905-12-31

f'er-A--S W @@s
VERYBODY needs to study
history to get perspective.
Only by taking a wide view Of
the course of events may one
perceive the dramatic char
acter Of the on-march of human pro-
gress. For three months past the twen-
ty-six million members of the Sunday
school have been studying a period
covering two hundred years of ancient
Jewish history. The story has been
one Of absorbing interest, ful of con-
trasts, abounding in heroes and in
shining events.
The study began with young King
BeIshazzar, the voluptuarys upon the
brilliant throne of Babylon, the great
est monarch of the then known world.
1t ends with q vision Of another King
to Come, whose Kingdoms power is I
to be universal and to spell peace for
all mankind. The ascent from lux
uriOus materialistic. self-centered, !
oriental kingdom to a spiritual king
dom that would seek first the good of
all nations is a gradual but inevitable |
one. So the race moves onward By
starts and spurts and dreary marches, /
1t proceeds toward the great goal oil
manlkind's highest good. The relation /
Of the life OF the exiled Jews in Baby |
lon and Persia to the coming of the
kingdom of the Messiah was very real, |
though perhaps not apparent at first
A Man Who Dared.
OF all the heroes of the three
months study perhaps the most at /
tractive is Daniel who first appeared |
uDOn the scene as a young man, and 4
later was found in age to be still the !
Eame resolute spirit Daniel is |
WOrld-synonym for daring. He repre- !
Gents the best type Of the young man
away from home in a big city, with /
the courage and the wisdom to adhere
faithfully to the ideals of his child |
hood. Thus it came to pass that he |
stood before kings. Not one of the riot |
Gus companions of his feast, nor yet
one Of his hired wise men could inter- |
pret to Belshazzar the dread hand /
writing upon the wall. That was left
for the abstemiOus clean-iVing young /
Hebrew, whose years of walking apart 1
with God now had their fruit and vim ]
dication. So sublime was DanieFs /
courage that he did not even hesitate
the dire message of doom which he /
read in the handwriting upon the wall. |
Such man as Daniel could not help /
having enemies; enemies are the price /
which all strong men receive for ser |
vice. Happy they who like Daniel, /
cannot be swerved aside from the /
course of rectitude by fear of what
men may say or do So sure was
Daniels fidelity to his God that /
through it the plotters trapped MIN /
into an apparent defiance of the King |
oEders-that none save himself should /
be worshipped: and Daniel was flung /
into the lions den. But he whose mind /
IS stayed upon Jehovah is kept in per- |
feet peace, even amid a den of
noisome, dangerous wild beasts. I
There was no sweeter sleep enjoyed in |
the great city that night than cane /
to Daniel as he lay with his head pill !
lowed upon lions shaggy name. The |
unrest and sleeplessness belonged to
his enemies, and to the foolish king. |
Daniel was preserved. the mouths Of
the lions were shut and the ev7lt hap
pened to the greater honor OF Daniel
and to the glory of his Lord.
Exiles on Pilgrimage.
God, who moves in a mysterious
way, his wonders to perforn.' put 1t I
into the heart of the great King Cyrus
to permit such Of the Jews as desired ]
to go back to their hearts home, the
City of David. Not only did he give
permission to his Jewish subjects to
make this return journey, but Cyrus
also lowered them richly with treas
uFes Of the temple and with means
for the journey.
Arrived in Jerusalem, the returned
1Eiles began with tears and shouts
e9 rejoicing, to rebuild the Temple that
had been overthrOwn. Led by Zerub- /
babel they restored the ancient glory
OF Israel and began the new life at Js-
rusalem, which continued with many
uUs and downs, until the destruction
by the Roman Titus Enemies there
we're and many obstacles, but there
were dnuntless hearts in the company, !
and the sacred work proceeded.
The Secret of Power.
Every hard time has its prophet, and
this work of rebuilding which Zerub-
babel had entered uPOn was sustained
by the preaching of Zechariah, whose
eight visions, difficult for the Occideu-
tel mind to understand, yet had as
their burden the announcement of
fhs building. The point of them ali
was contained in the Interpretation of
one, with its vital lesson for all Chris
elan Worksl mot by might nor by
power but BY my Spirit, saith the Lord
OF hosts" 1t Is a deeper truth than
men are sometimes willing to believe,
that Except the Lord build the house,
they labor In vain that build it." The
one vital factor in any great enterprise,
as In any life. is simply God. There
Eas danger that these Jews would do
Gods work without having God him
SELF as the inspiration and help of their
service.
a Woman's Part.
Only one woman appears in this
study Of two hundred years of history,
but she was a queen in conduct as well
as in estate So potent was the power
OF Esther so timely her herOism, that
the Jewish people to this day celebrate
the deHVerance which she effected.
Urged on by her uncle AIordecai, when
the Jews were threatened with exter-
unination by the Vaccinations of Ha-l
man, an enemy, she ventured, unre-
quested, into the kings presence, rad
iant in her beauty, having made the
resolve eff [ perish, I perish
Her woman's tact and woman's|
courage won the day over political
ambition and cruelty, and her people
were saved Not in all respects is Es-
ther a model for modern girls, but in
her tactful use of all the agencies
within her power, and in her splendid
determination to sacrifice herself for
her people she is an immortal example
of how a woman may sway destiny.
Two Patriot ReformeFs.
Ezra and Nehemiah loom large in
this story as dissimilar personalities
with a kindred aim. Ezra the priestly
man of books, Jealous of the law, led