The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-12-01

man Luke 23.4-
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
If a man could only know when he
is standing before some judgment bar,
ne would not be caught Off his guard.
Yet this is something we seldom can
know. though we are aware that al
most every hour som ebody is sitting IN
judgment upon us. and the verdict may
vitality affect our future. Many Il
young man misses a business promo
ton because he has failcd to meet
testing OF which he was unconscious
Doors OF friendship are shut against
men and women because they are put
on trial when not their best selves
Often ali idle word, an unworthy and
perhaps uncharacteristic, has deprived
one Of a coveted opportunity Judg
ment bars line all the way Of life, and
not for an instant can we afford to be
less than our best selves
The greatest trial of history was that
In which esuS appeared bound as pris-
oner. Yet, although few present
seemed to realize It, He was less on
trial than the others about him That
event WAS the crisis of the life of
everybody concerned. and it affords
an Interesting study of different types
CT men and how they face testings.
This dramatic situation in Jerusalem
during the year 80 A. D. Will be seen
10 have an intimate relation to every
day life on q continent that was then
unknown, and in the year 1906
Good Enemies and Bad
In the background of the scene are
the plotters, seemingly foiled a few
days before when the crowd greeted
the new Teacher with hosannAs, bur
now apparently triumphant The hour
seemed TO mark the victory of nate
It was really the trial of the rulers of
the Jews; not the quiet, patient, blood
stained prisoner, but the proud, re-
lentless and malignant Pharisees were
being put to the crucial test.
Here was 10 be seen a twentieth CEN
fury evil. ruler- false to their trust.
and disloyal to the interests OF the peO-
pie These men were the custodians
of the national welfare They should
have had an OOenminded zeal for the
peoples right Instead, they were
looking out for themselves. and call
ing the multitude accused. They
reared that their vested intere-ts were
imPeriled b. the new. broad teachings
of this democratic Man of the people
from the North country. When the op-
portunity came for them to show a
liberal spirit, to tolerate new teachings
and TO give fair hearing to q mes
sage that oroclaims Itself to be the
truth. they rejected it. and fell to plot
ting how they might save themselves.
They used al the powers of their office
to crush the peoples Prophet. Al
though sworn 10 uphold the law. they
merely used their Office as an occasion
to -erVsrt and violate it.
Fraud. deceit. suborning of wit
nesses. disregard Of the commonest
usages OF Justice, false Dretense to Pi-
late and an assumed patriotism for
Hcrle-af none q these did they balk
in -ursuit of fIfelr mission to selfish
ana narrow bigotry. In tbs time Of
testing the hoIders-punctilious
in TRIES OF ceremonies. anarchists in
weighuer matters Of the law-proved
q hollow and rotten staff for justice to
lean upon.
The hlliD- in of this historic picture
IS the duh gray lna IS OF the common
people When We .ook upon them we
see no striking and aristocratic figures
as when we have the ofnceholders I'M
der our eve. They were merely the
blind followers Of Tire blind; the ordi-
1ary men and women who. in The
sFeech of Korea are significantly called
til ultimate sponge These are The
people who had followed the new pro
phe. about. He had taught them and
fed them He hA5 healed their sick
ard Eiessed thei-' lit children They
sion toward them. I'd. after his great
miracle of raising Lazarus, they had
hailed Him as the Messiah
But i was har1 tc desert the old
leaders. the leaders OF their fathers
aud fsfEers' fathers They had said
that this Man was mere pre-
tender and blasphemer- They did
not know: they had to follow
somebody, and the old spirit OF
obedience to the priests and
It'll nna SO they wen- the way they
We're T. id. Over ana over again this
Ecene in Pilates Judgment hail has
been pointed to rs The failure Of dc
vox diaboli. Yes. but vastly more was
At the failure Of aristocracy, for the
people were led astray as sheep by
false shepherds
But they were led astray; they fail