The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-12-24
THE WORLDS GREAT GOAL.
Terse Comments Upon the Uniform
PraYer- Meeting Topic.

One of the familiar legends concern
ing the Apostle John, who penned the
words that are the basis of this les
son, has to do with his extreme age.
He had become too feeble to walk, but
every Lords Day he was carried into
the congregation at Ephesus and lifted
up that he might address the brethren
The aged friend of Jesus, stretching
forth the white and trembling hand
that had often rested upon the Shout
der of the Master, would say, in a
voice so weak that only the intense
stiffness permitted it to be heard, Lit
tie children, love one another week
after week he repeated the same IA
miliar exhortatiOn, until some rather
Wearied of it. At length, one of the
elders mildly demonstrated with the
patriarch, saying, yes, father; but
have you no other message for us p
A new fire kindled in the eye that had
looked upon the features of the Saw
Jour and pierced the veil of eternity,
and John made answer, There is no
other message. Little children, love
one another The first and last word
of the Christian vocabulary is love. The
whole duty of man, as eXpounded by
the Master, is simply to love-love God
and love his fellowmen. When love
reigns, then the day of the universal
brotherhood of man, which had its
dawning at Bethlehem, will be fully
here.
Christmas is Gods definition of love
for man.
The ancient hope and dream of the
noblest spirits pictures a state where
man would be brother to man, in a
pure democracy of loving spirits Jesus
came to realize that dream. The an
gel song heralded a reign of peace
among men of good viii. A new spirit
stole into the world that still Decem-
her night 1t was embodied in the
babe born so lowly that the least Of
mankind could claim him kin; and yet
born amid such heavenly heralding
and wonders that the greatest of
earth's royalty must acclaim him king
To bring king and peasant, rich and
poor. feeble and powerful, into one
close family of affectionate fraternity,
with God as its head, was the mission
Of Mary's Son who was also the Son Of
the Most High.
The Bible assumes some wonderful
premises. Here it says that what ailS
the man who hates is that he is in
darkness. If he had more light he
would love instead of hating But be-
cause he dwells in soul-night, he al
lows this base passion to have domin-
ion over him. The simple fact that
we entertain a sentiment of hatred to-
ward anybody, is, according to this best
/ authority, proof sufficient that we are
still dwelling in darkness
/ If men knew all they would love
all.
No one can truly say, "Our Father. .
who. is not willing also to say. My
| brother"
"This multitude. which knoweth not
/ the law, is accurseds said that ancient
/ body of aristocrats, the Sanhedrin.
That was spoken like the SanhedriD.
/ Nothing better can be expected of z
man or a body Of men which despises
4 the plain people than that they will
/ cruelty the saViours of their time
Such an attitude Of mind is utterly
alien to the spirit of Jesus. He made
himself true brother to the lowliest.
/ Never once did he despise man; the
/ persons who received most of his con