Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1908-11-12
THIS WEARY WORLDS WANT.
The international Sunday School Les
son for November is, is "The lord
Our Shepherd Psalm %.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

happiness. named b1llken Snl
plaster images Of the grotesque little
idol may be bought at any of the de
partment stores for as small sum as
ten cents. The doggerel that goes
with "Billiken" asserts that he surely
brings happiness; and as there is moth
ing the world more ardently desires
or more vainly seeks at twentieth cen
tury bargain counters than happiness
this machine-made idol-which, with
the idlest, can provoke only mo.
mentary grin-is installed upon some
thing corresponding to an altar.
Having worn the swastika emblem
for season, upon hat bands, belts,
scarfs. watchfobs and in dozen other
ways, without finding that it enhances
happiness. our modern Athenians turn
TO this new god of happiness. In all
the changeful panorama of our mod.
ern life there is nothing more appeal.
ing than the logged pursuit, in many
guises, Of that elusive condition call
ed happiness. Many vaguely feels
that, somehow, happiness is his right
and his royal inheritance, and he per
sists to the end in this search for his
own.
On THE Great White Way"
What many persons understand as
happiness, or, at least, the pursuit
thereof is often pictured as "The
Great White Way" in New York, as
Broadway by night is designated. A
few nights ago, amid these scenes,
had an experience of the artificial and
the real; the non.essential and the vi
tai. Broadway was ablaze with lights,
and thousands Of brilliantly dressed
men and women promenaded the side
walks, or dashed to and fro in carri-
ages and automobiles, while from the
opening doors Of sumptuous restatl-
rants f1oated the strains Of orchestral
music with which after-theatre diners
We're being entertained. 1t was all a
wonderful picture Of Vanity Fair;
more graphic. in some ways, than that
oft-described nightly scene in Picca-
dilly, London at the same hour.
Proceeding down Broadway to TWEEN
ty-fifth street came upon vivid con-
trast. In a dark corner, huddled close
together in four orderly rows. stood
more than a hundred shivering men.
not an overcoat in the crowd-an ao-
iect company of "down and outs" 1t
was not dread line but a bed
line, for in the custody Of the big
hearted chaplain of Blackwell's Is
land, these men we're waiting for
chance doles from passing pedestrians.
which their leader quickly transform
ed into logging tickets, a dollar pro-
viding nights lodging for seven
men. Here was need. deep, vital,
gnawing need, such as only those who
have been sleep-starved, as we'll as
cold and unfed, can understand. 1t
was note Of genuineness sounded
alongside of chorus of unreality;
the primitive human crying out for
the primal physical necessities, as con-
trasted with the petulant querulous-
ness of a luxury-sated people in search
of new sensation.
Following the Oldest Trail.
These two extremes, and all the
wide range between, are eagerly in
quest Of satisfaction. They are OH the
old. old trail which all the children Of
men have allowed All the little piles
of rice that were today freshly put in
front of Japanese idols: all the III
cense now burning in China; all the
garlands and libations, offered upon
Hindu shrines, are only dumb, inartic
ulate cries for guidance to this SUI
preme goal of heart happiness
Is there any trustworthy guide to
the end of this Great Search? Verify,
we find him shepherd boy upon an
Gent Judean hills. then a warrior
statesman, a king; and here is his
word OF proved wisdom: the morsel OF
truth for which the whole vast heart
of the race is hungering:
Jehovah is my shepherd
! shall not want.
He maketh me to lie down in green
pastures;
He leadeth me beside still! waters.
He restoreth my soul:
He guideth me in the paths of right
eousness for his names sake
Yea, though | walk through the val
ley of the shadow of death.
| will fear no evil: for thou art with
me:
Thy rod and thy staff, they comfort
me-"
Religions Ultimate Offering.
Poor, foolish, weak and laundering
sheep that men and women are. thet.
need above all else the complete care
Of the Good Shepherd. This Is the
of religion to the world. God
is Shepherd; he loves his sheep. and
he wants them to yield their lives to
him for all things needful Simple?
Yes: 1t is our childhood psalm. But
We do not outgrow it; instead. We
grow up to it, as we are taught, by
life's pitfalls and briars and beasts
Of prey. that orr supreme need is ID
surrender ourselves to the tender
keeping Of the wise and mighty Shep.
herd Of our souls.
The Eniareinq Flock.
There is 10 other figure in Holy
Writ SO beautiful, and SO meaningf,'
as the one OF the 81 epherd, used here
by David and later by David's greater
SON It's significance expands with the
centuries; today, on the eve of the
epochal national council in Philadei-
phia Of the American Federation If
Churches, we read new meaning mo
the one Shepherd; AM, new passion
awakens for the other Sheep who
have strayed from the sound of the
Shepherd s voice. This is not tho