The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1906-08-25

What the Church Folks IRE Thinking
About and Doing. Religious NeUS
From EVeEygUhere.
suNDAv scHooI IEssoN AID YOUNG PEoPIEgs rorIc


An underlying principle of religion is
that God viii not be king at all. unless
he can be king over all" Anything that
stands in the way of the free and har-
monious relation of the human spirit
with its Maker land oftenest. one might
venture to say, this barrier is money!,
must be sacrificed. God IS "a Jealous
God he demands first place in the
hearts of all disciples. It is vain to
nope for the rewards Of religion here or
hereafter so long as God is denied COM
plete sovereignty over our life. This at
lractive seeker after truth had a noble
impulse; so far good: but he had not
what is equally essential, the courage
to follow the truth he found He want
ed life, but he also wanted goods, and
IN the testing, he chose the latter-only
70 have his property ravaged by the
Romans a few years later.
With absolute conviction 1t may be
stated that the one sufficient remedy
for society's present Ills arising from
the greed or heedlessness of the wealthy
IS the same as that prescribed in the
case of the rich young ruler-complete
submission to Jesus Christ. Only re-
nglon can redeem the rich. None of
the social schemes that are so freely
proposed can save society from its Grass
mater1alism the acceptance of tn
teaching of Jesus can. A revival of pure
Christianity would do more to remove
liz CAUSES OF present popular unrest
than all other agencies combined.
A Tight Squeeze for the Plethoric.
Startling and paradOxical were the
word uttered by Jesus when the rich
young man chose wrongly. He declared
II a mortal impossibility for rich man
70 enter heaven Only the illimitable
power of God, with whom all things are
possible, he declared. enables the rich
man to become member of the eternal
kingdom. He said that 1T is easier for
a camel to go through a needles eve.
than for a rich man to enter into the
k1ngdom of God" This strong figure
mas been toned down by some com
mentators by the statement that Jesus
may have meant the small gate in the
city wall, intended only for pedestrians.
through which a belated camel could
enter only by being stripped of his bur
gems ana trapplngs- This is ingenious,
but unlikely Jesus words probably
meant just what their surface signif-
canoe indicated. He wanted to use
striking figure of impossibiIity. he
plainly says that, from mortal stand
point the admission Of the man who
trusts in riches into the heavenly king
dom is impossible. but all things are
possible with God -
Doubtless many moneyed persons TO
day share the disciples arnazenent At
this seemingly extravagant speech ct
the teacher, who was no dema goe1;e
1t IS common belief that money c4n
DO anything. A millionaire may buy his
way into society or into the Tinted
states senate He may influence legs
latureS and even courts He NAV find
obsequious attention on every hand
Old world nobility will seek his daugh-
ter's hand in marriage Private cars
and palatial yachts may transport him
anywhere in the world All this and
more, will money do. But it cannot omen
the gates of heaven; rather it can him
der entrance thereto
Riches That Endure.
The earthquake and fire at San Fran
cisco destroyed many mems fortunes:
but 1t also proved the enduring richie
of character possessed by many more.
There are riches that perish and ri1hrs
that last; and the wise man seeks to
be rich for two worlds. This was
brought out BY Peters somewhat non
plussed question, apropos of the sub
Ject Of riches, as to what would be the
portion of those who had left all and
followed Jesus.
Thereupon the Master enunciated she
teaching, which history has vindieated.
that in the present life Christianity
makes manifest compensation for every
sacrlnce, Purely as present-world
transaction, religion IS profitable. T re
individual, the community, and the race
are better off because of Christianity
The real estate man knows this when
ne advertises the churches in the new
suburb, or himself helps erect them
business at home or over seas. The per-
secutions which are inseparable from
Christian loyalty are a small price to
pay for the inefable blessings which
accompany discipleship.
The Italian proverb has it that God
does not pay every Saturday, but he
pays" He gives to his that supreme
reward which the rich young man
sought, and then refused to accept at
the price-eternal life. The Lord has all
the endless aeons of eternity in which
to settle his accounts.
Then, adds the teacher. as a clincE,er
to his argument. MANY that are first
shall be last. and the last first The
rich man may rule now, but that is no
guarantee that he shall continue to rule
The respective positions of Lazarus and
Dives stay reversed for a long time The
sweetest hope of this present world.
with it's inequalities and injustices is
another world where perfect Justice
reigns with perfect love
Religion on the Isles of the Sea.
Terse Comments upon the Uniform
Pray er-meeting Topic of the Young