The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-10-26
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

"A brave man, VINO mas never 1OHSA 81
his flag, is an object of everybody's ad-
miration. Even the weak look up 10
the strong. There Is a Jingle to the
tale which this week VIII more than
ordinarily engross the attention OF the
Sunday schools millions; because 1t -
the story of Caleb, that doughty old
hero who had kept the faith" through
two score years, and at eighty-nve pro-
nounced himself "ft" for battle with
giants.
The modern analogy Of Caleb's ro-
mantle experience In in the victories
which today are being achieved in the
cause of commercial, political and So
cial reforms. The decent portion of
society Is so interested in the tremend-
GUS victories which are being reported
week by week, that it perhaps Is not
taking thought of the daring men VINO.
a score or more of years ago, sp1ed out
this opportunity, with its giants ana
walled cities, and courageously report
ed that victory was possible Let us
hnders-many of whom have gone to
their reward without having seen
their faith yindicated. We are enter
ing the Canaans into which they had
the hardihood and farsightedness to
Vumnon us.
A Romance of Hero1sm.
This story is one of the finest in the
best book OF fine stories. Twelve spies,
It will be recalled had been sent into
Canaan when the wandering children
of Israel reached the borders of THEN
Promised Land. Ten returned terror
stricken. The walled cities, and the
ferocious sons of Anak, had overawed
them. Two alone, while admitting
these dangers, yet said that Israel was
able to make the conquest. But the
panic-stricken people threatened ther1
with death by stoning. The majority
ruled-and died miserably for It's
pusillanimity. Only two men of all
that company above twenty years of
&c Promised
Land; and those two were Joshua and
Caleb, the spies who had made the
brave report.
Now, forty-five years after, Caleb Is
asking nothing better of his old COM
rade in arms, Joshua, Israeps new
leader, than a chance to go up against
those same walled cities which had
scared the manhood out of his ten as
sociates, more than a generation be-
fore. Hear the old warrior, cha1nS
for battle at an age when most men
are in their graves:
81 am this day fourscore and five
years old. AS yet 1 am as strong this
day as 1 was in the day that Moses
sent me: as my strength was then, even
SO is my strength now, for war, and
to go out and to come in. Now there
fore give me this hill country, whereof
Jehovah spoke i'll that day; for thou
heardest in that day how the Anakim
were there, and cities great and FORTH
fed; 1t may be that Jehovah will be
j eh ovah. spake.
Man Who Did Not Whimper
Never a whine in that declaration.
Caleb was not eXulting over his weaker
associates, nor railing at his nation for
it's past treatment of him.. He. had
known hard times. bitterly hard times,
but his life had not been ernbittered.
He was as free from the spirit OF
as from the spirit of fear.
Nor did he ask any odds or conces-
no attempt to plead his age or his past
service or his tribal relationship as an
excuse for an easy berth. Surely we
should have forgiven old Caleb If ne
had been content to pose as a "has
BEEN" and to seek a soft and comfort
able assignment in the new land. Yes;
hut we should hnve missed the insrira-
ton of his heroic example. He was
sheer manhood up to the end All he
asked of life was brave mans chance |
he had never learned the |
synonym for the modern Amer |
canism, pull" He was the same ad- |
venturous spirit upon his last appear |
ance that he had been at first.
When have talked with old men who |
at the late eventide OF life are still do |
ng great work-such as Edward Ever |
stt Hale, w. A. p. Martin, Theodore |
Cuyler, Robert Collyer-it has seemed |
Of success is to be able to continue to |
achieve until the very end. One crowd |
ed hour of glorious life. 1t is true, is |
better than long years of commonplace
ness; but why not a protracted career |
crowded with glorious life? Such was |
Caleb's, and at eighty-five he chafed to |
20 up against the formidable inhabit-
ants of Hebron.
His Future Behind Him.
A common tragedy is that many lives
10 not fulfill their early promise. Caleb's |
lid. He kept on as he began. Caleb
he veteran Is the natural complement
# Caleb the young man. Many men,
have left their future behind
hem. Their noble youth has somehow
gone to seed in ignoble old age.
Here, for instance. is certain preach
If power. He had vision. His ideals
we're exalted. His spirituality was vital
md glowing. A passion for helpfulness
consumed him, and many weak spirits
lie life, he has attained churchly emil
the contempt of all who
xnow him well. Ho is an ecclesiastical
politician, slick, smooth, cunning; hold
ng, apparently, no principles that may
hinder his worldly prosperity. He is
failure. He will die ''unwept and I'M
although not, perhaps. ''un-
ung," for the machine of which he Is a
,art will some day bury him with fit
ing honors. Yet those who knew and
owed the real man that he once was,
MOURN as for a lost soul.
AS yesterdays dinner will not sus-
ain a man tomorrow, so early ideals
nd faithfulness will not suffice for the
of age. Ca1eb's claim on
Hebron was not merely his brave report
IS one of the twelve spies; 1t was his
resent ability to go in and conquer the
i'll country. Between his youthful no