The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-07-14

society In its dire need-goes unheeded-
If the Church is to obey her Master she
must be a good neighbor to the whole
world
What Makes a Neighbor?
The lawyers question which he
thought was a poser, was, who is my
neighbour Propinquity and affinity do
not alone make neighbore. A man a
thousand miles away may be nearer me
in spirit than the man who occupies the
house next door. I may be a closer
noighbor to somebody in China than to
a man who sits at the same table with
me. Furthermore, the man at the end
of the earth may have needs which I
can meet. as the man closest toame has
not Whoever 1t is possible to serve by
any means. Is a real neighbor and the
obligation to help him rests squarely
upon US.
Yet the practical meaning is not to
be spiritualized out of this practical
parable. The person highest us. who
has any sort OF need. has first claim
upon US. The man who is giving lib
orally TO missions in India, and vet let
ting his trash pile offend the eye of the
jewellers next door, has something still
to learn about the royal law OF neigh
borltness- So has the woman who
pounds her plano into all hours of the
night to the hurt of the sensitive
nerves of her neighbor across the
street. even though she be practicine
! Of neighborliness to work hard for
civic betterment and yet let your
chickens infest your neighbours garden
patch. good neighbor does not let
the snow lie on his own sidewalk while
/ he writes articles about municipal
/ good government. Constituencies
and delicate sympathy are the first in
/ gradients of true neighborIiness. and
these are but extracts of the essence of
love.
Making the Neighborhood Bigger.
Joseph Cook said that the nineteenth
century had made the world one neigh
| borhood, but the twentieth century
would make it one brotherhood. Ger
| talnly mems neigh borhood conceptions
are charging. The black mans woes
on the Congo are stirring the heart of
civilization everywhere. The needs of
Jack Tar in the big port cities of the
earth are setting many diverse
agencies TO work for his service The
| livyeres of Labrador have had their
claims upon the neighborliness of two
continents freely recognized It Is a
matter OF simple record that the Cos
pei of Jesus IS elevating and enlarging
mems conceptions of lifes relation
ships and obligations. There never
were so many people who felt the
whole world as their particular burden
as there are today
It Is the neighborly law Of Jesus
which in its outworkings. is making
mankind over. Read what Captain
Cook said about the Society Islands as
he found them in their bestiality and
then read about those islands today as
transformed by missions. Life 1.
safest and happiest where the gospel
is most truly practiced was talking
a few evenings ago with a motormar
on the front end of a trolley car, wher
he said. TAKE Christianity away from
this town, and move out by the mex
train The best of realms is tina
where Christ's sway is freely recog-
nized. The friends of Jesus are the
best friends of the world. It is i'm
possible to get close to Him withou
getting closer to all ones fellow men
The cosmopolitan. catholic and com
preh ensive helpfulness of the day Il
undoubtedly a development of thu
} Masters law of neighborliness. Mel
z have heard His command to the con
futed lawyer. Go thou and do like
} wise" and are proving their faith il
God by their works for their fellow
. I m