The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-31
m WILLIAM r. ELLIS.


BY WILLIAM t. ELLIS.
The clash and clamor of politics now
fills the air; and people are especially
in the mood to study the Bibles most
famous story OF political intrigue. The
temporary triumph of an unscrupulous
politician by the use of all the arts
which we have seen displayed in these
present times, is portrayed in the re-
bellion of Absalom. This handsome
prince was a demagogue; possessed OF
all the arts that win the unthinking
populace, yet utterly false at heart and
utterly selfish.
The story reveals the clear. distinc-
ton that often exists between the poll
tician ana the patriot Absalom used
the wiies of the former for his own
selfish ends; he was willing to sacrlfce
all things sacred-faith and honor ana
loyalty and love and country's well-oe-
ing-for the sake Of his personal am
bition. Although many hailed him as
the deiiverer from noss-grown regime,
he was really a great peril to the king
dom and to the popular welfare. Ii Is
a safe principle to observe that no
selfish man can be q hrst class servant
me Problem OF the Fop.
The problem of the young man In the
citv. with frivolous tastes and over
WeeninE vanity and petty sort or Top
pishness, is another present-day situa-
ton exemplihed in this old story. Aosa-
lom is the dandy of the Bible. he was
good looking, and he knew It. His care
for his hair and complexion and his
raiment were strictly up to date. with
him as with a sad array OF present
day youths, the barber, the tailor, the
natter the shoemaker, and the haoer-
dasher. played q large part in MS
schema az life. An observer OF modern
tendencies may be inclined to wonder
what these manicured and massaged
voIiths of our day, who display the
latest designs In hosiery ana neck-Wear
on the principal streets, are going 20
amotltlt to in themselves, and what Will
thew do for the community. Assuredly,
we have over-many Absaloms nova
The absence Of regard for the big
virtues 10 a crying evil OF our time.
Obsessed by q passion Tor small as
play. myriads OF young men seem TO
lack all sense of flial duty and of ser
vice to the state. Intelligent patriot
ism is as absent as the spirit OF graft
tude from their composition. Tney
have a contempt for old fashioned viz
tues. and seem to care only for the
hasfry. frivolous aspect of life. Their
highest ambition is to be regarded as
''nen of the world" They talk sport
day and night. "play the races" when
they get a chance, and in general Wor-
ship at the shrine OF "a good time:
u
ability TO spend. Both the church and
the state have huge task before
them in making real men out of these
Absaloms. for IL person has not truth
in his inward parts, only the Lord Al
mighty can do anything with him. In
the meantime. the consideration of the
parents hearts that must be broken,
even as David's was broken by Absa-
lom, is a depressing spectacle.
A Prince who Was q Demagogue.
Guile Absalom had in abundance, but
no genuineness. He was subtle,
secret. crafty, devious character. He
did not hesitate to use any means to
cloak his own hidden purposes. Be
meath his good looks and carefully bar
bered hair was mind bent only on his
own ends. That sort Of man is men
ace wherever you find him. For friend
or foe. choose a sincere, ingenious, and
direct person, whose hate or whose love
wears no mask. Absalom waited two
years to square accounts with his step
brother Amnon for the crime against
his sister, and then slew him while ne
was his guest. Ughl
This was worse conduct than
Amnon's If such thing could be
possible; Amnon had behaved as
swine, but Absalom behaved as a
snake. This unroyal shrewdness and
who descended from two lines of
kings After ne had killed the I'M
suspecting Amnon at his own feast, he
fed for two years to his mothers
years in Jerusalem without seeing
his fathers face. He was restored by
the connivance of another crafty
character, old General Joab, who, in
the end, was the slayer of Absalom.
Despite the base conduct of the boy,
ruly member. David mourned for the
absent Absalom even as he had not
rnourned for the dead Amnon. Per-
haps David's sorrow was made more
poignant by the remembrance OF his
own sin.
'sharper Than serpent's TOOTH
How sharper than a serpent's
tooth II Is to have a thankless child!"
cried King Lear. old King David,
mellowed by penitence and sorrow,
was to drink deep this cup of suffer-
ing. He was to go down into a dark
night which have been the heart cry
and comfort Of myriads since. For
while his fond father, all unsuspect-
ing, sat on the throne, the good look
ing prince set about shrewd1y to steal
the hearts of the men of Israel. That
was no hard matter. The masses are
easily deceived in affairs of politics.
They take the ante-election utterances
OF candidates as gospel truth. So.
quite like the modern baby-kissing,
Misunderstanding candidate, Absalom
went about among the people, sowing
discomfort with the present situation.
and winning their allegiance to him
self. Early at the city gate, he would
profess false sympathy with seekers
after Justice. undermining his fathers
reputation and administration. There
was no biemish upon Absalom's per-
son, from the sole Of his foot to the
crown OF his head; but in character,
which is the real measure of a man,
he was a black migrate.
The plotting and conspiring which
followed read like the present news
dispatches from the Balkan states. or
from Turkey, or from Russia There
were secret conferences on all hands.
Spies were as numerous as schemes.
Plotting and undermining and trading
IN favors to come, reached in every
direction. When he thought the