The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-01-19
In the Religious World
What the Church Folks Are THINKING
about and Doing. Religious NeWS
From Everywhere.
,AY SCHOOL LESSON AND YOUNG PEOPLES TOPIC

I Then Jehovah added a warning and a
promise If Cain did not amend. sin
like a devouring monster, lay in wait
at his dor. But even so. the prom
| Use ran. Cain might rule over sin:
which is mans birthright, taken with
| him out of Eden. as sign of ultimate
conquest The reasonableness of God
| in his relation with the sulky elder
brother is remarkable, illustrating
that he is SLOW to anger, and plente-
Gus in mercy"
A Crime and a Question.
Back of the deed lies the thought.
1t is profound law of life. LAS a man
| thinketh in his heart so is he Cain
hated Abel before he Slew him. The
murder was but incidental to the jeal-
ousy. Jesus later taught that the de-
sire is equal to the deed. So in the
sight of heaven Cain was a murderer
| before ever his hand was raised to
| shed his brothers blood. AS Haw-
| thorne's Scarlet Letter" so powerfully
portrays, it is the brand upon the SOUL
and not the stigma upon the breast,
shrink one from the other if all were
to be .visibly branded for their
thoughtsi
why did Cain hate Abel? Why does
Because even the coarsest nature feels
rebuked by the presence of a finer.
AS Shylock hated Antonio, simply for
the latter's integrity, so there are myr-
women who are made to feel the ven-
ON of those whose evil they uncon-
ciously rebuke. They who would, at
ter the fashion of Abel. live cody
lives in this present world must ex-
pect persecution.
After the bloody deed had been
done, Cain had to face the conse-
quences; the day of reckoning may
never be evaded. The first question
addressed by God to man was an in
ixriS n
Where art thou %" The second was
a social one, as to his responsibility,
Where is Abel, thy brother?" That is
the order of progress everywhere. A
person who has dealings with God
can not escape responsibility for his
fellow man.
The voice of conscience and of God
pursued the murderer everywhere.
Literature abounds with graphic illus
trations of this same law, as in the
case of Bill Sykes, in "Oliver Twist"
and OF Macbeth in Shakespeare's
play. This same unacceptable voice
is heard, will be heard. by every
oppressor of the poor by every work
the men responsible for what is in
iquitous in social conditions. For, as
in the beginning, the blood of inno-
cence still cries out to God from the
like the voice of doom, Where is thy
brother?"
The culprit tried to lie-"I know
not'-and then to equivocate and to
avoid the direct issue. Cain was like
his father Adam in lack of straight
forwardness Am I my brothers
keeper" he inquiries as if to rebuke
the divine presum ption. Thus early
in history we find the expression of
the Look out for number one" doc
trine enunciated, be it remarked, by
a murderer and a liar. Cain knew
the answer to his hypocritical ques-
ton before he asked it; every man is
his brothers keeper. Only thus can
the social fabric hold together. Each
man is responsible for himself, and
must meet that responsibility before
God. He can not evade it by saying
that his brother was responsible for
him, that his brother made him do
wrong That is perfectly clear. But
his responsibility does not lessen his
brothers, which is another matter.
He may not shift his responsibility
upon you, yet you, in turn, without
at all interfering with his obligations.
must accept that responsibility. Both
my brother and I must answer for his
failures, which 1 might have prevent
ed.
TIE Relentless Avenger.
One mad deed made this husbandman,
whose life had been the uneventful one
of the field, a fugitive from God and
from his own pursuing conscience. He
became a VagabOnd in the land of wan |
dering, and the builder of the first city. |
Day and night he was to realize that |
every crime carries its own curse, and |
that sin is sure to find you out; wheth- |
er the sin is found out or not, it finds |
out the sinner In the whispering leaves !
of the newborn trees, Cain could hear |
only accusing voices, in every twig that |
cracked he heard avenging footsteps |
Fear took lodgings in his heart. Made |
a coward by conscience, he dreaded |
vengeance at the hand of every man |
Small wonder that he cried out MY |
punishment is greater than can bear"
Only the guilty know the full horror OF |
guilt; the innocent can never under |
stand the Unreasonable sweetness Of |
a conscience free from offense.
Worse than to be slain was Gains !,
punishment; he was permitted to live |
Branded he went forth from the pres
ence of God to dwell with remorse. All |
the beauty and gladness and hope were |
extinguished from his life. Odious to |
his fellows, but more odious to himself !
he dragged out a long, living torment, |
and all because he had permitted him |
self to get out of sympathy with God |