The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-08-31
in THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.
What the Church Folks Are Thinking About and Doing
Religious News From Everywhere.

dif-s and business representatives.
While the church is tenderly cherish
ing some archaic institutions whose
Pre- sent usefulness consists chiefly in
furnishing a livelihood to pious incom-
L tents she is ignoring great and vital
opportunities. PROFESSIONALLY. the
church is not as contemporaneous in
her organization and institutions as in
her teachings. And deal of this CON
Sri vatism" is called by another name
when exhibited by such as the ten
spies who reported to Moses.
The Great Opportunity.
The day of opportunity is usually
likewise the day of destiny. Kadesh-
because IT failed to measure up to that
opportunity 1t had to undergo a des-
tiny OF forty hard years in the wilder
ness-years filled with funerals, until
every man who had reached maturity
ere Kadesh- barnea was attained had
been buried beneath the hospitable
soil Of the wilderness. Such was the
cost of being afraid.
But that is to anticipate. In order
to ascertain the resources and OBJ
stacles of the new land. Moses sent
out twelve spies. one for each tribe.
Their reports agreed as to the fertility
of Canaan; so also as to the obstacles.
Only in their conclusions they diff
fered radically. The ten were SO i'm
pressed by the grasshoppers and
giants and walled cities that they re-
ported adversely. They are the kind
who magnify obstacles, always able to
give ten reasons for standing still NO
doubt they were honest; their caution
and conservatism, however, were real
ly cowarGice. 1t was the fear within
their own breasts that constituted the
greatest barrier to the possession OF
the promised land.
Dread always is defeated. Coward
ice conuuers nothing A heart of fear
iss There giants
on every hand for the person who is
afraid. The temperamentally timid
are never trustworthy. Those ten
spies were a majority; but it was
majority of towards. The great adj
vances made. by society are usually
made when some man hopelessly in
the minority, like Columbus, is scorn-
fully given his way. Truth is gener-
ally in the minority until it becomes
safe and Commonplace. The man to
follow is the daring, high-hearted man
who in loneliness is brave enough to
follow God.
'GentIemen Unafraid"
Two out Of twelve were gentlemen
unafraid," Caleb and Joshua. They
were not safe and sane" in the pop
ular estimation. They did not belong
to that order of politicians who "go
along" with the party. In fact. they
had clear heads and stout hearts, and
SO dared to be different-as. indeed,
the clear-headeds stout-heArted man
usually is different from the majority
of the people.
These two spies possessed the same
body of facts as the others. They were
fully informed as to the number and
size of the giants and the walled cities
though tey had multiplied neither
by their own fears. The scared man
sees double. Caleb and Joshua had
more than the facts. They had a right
judgment of them. They had conf
dc Ice in themselves. They had con-
fid, nee in the company of Israelites
whom they represented. They had
confidence in Jehovah, their super
natl raj leader. Therefore they argued
for an immediate entrance into and
possession of the land. They were
not afraid of a fight. To them a land
won without effort was not q prize to
be coveted. AS to the enemy. they
would be but bread for Israel. who
could "eat them up" They could
master the giants and become masters
Of the land and also of themselves.
That was not one of IraePs brave
days, however. The minority report
was rejected with stones. The craven
majority carried the crowd with them
and Israel forever had cause to rue
the day when she hearkened to the
voice of fear, rather than the voice of
courage :, faith.