The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-10-10
BY wIL1,IAM n Erd,IA.


BY WILLIAM T.. ELLIS.
In all the spheres. Of nation building
IN the world today there is no finer
spectacle than that of the attitude of
the men Of Canada toward their new
and imperial northwestern country.
Throughout- the Dominion there is
manifest a resolite determination to
conserve the Canadian type in this
newer region, andSto build the North
west soundly and permanently upon
lines that viii make, it great. This
means that the church must accompany
the pioneer. So with magnificent au
daclty. Canada's churchrnen have
pledged themselves to the task of ere
ating Christian Canada on the fast
moving frontier. At the present time
Dominion. stretching from sea to sea,
great series of layfner's missionary
meetings, ore avowed purpose Of which
is to secure a symmetrical development
of the new Canada with Christianity
as its chief cornerstone.
That Is old Israers experience
brought down to date; the present
Sunday school lesson in the terms of
today. The assigned subject is David's
desire for an enduring kingdom, and
for the continuance of his own family
line; and for a place for Jehovah in
the social and national life of Israel
that Should be greater than that held
by any individual or institution. He
wanted a house fit to be Jehovah's
dwe1ling-about which more later.
He especially wanted to see his own
line persist, ana this theme occupies
more than half the chapter. This sec
ond ambition, While distinctively ORR
entail, is altogether laudable. AS SUI
preme court justice said the other day,
How better can we bring in the king
dom Of heaven than by having Chris
tiafi men in all the places of honor and
power7" F'
The American Emperor.
A successful Scotch preacher, the
Rev. DR.. John Kelman of Free ST.
Georges church, Edinburgh, was late
ly ON his way home from this country,
when he fell to discussing, with a well
known American scientist, the press
Kelman asked the scientist If he knew
of a solution for these problems. The
answer, says the ,Congregationalist, !
was prompt and emphatic. Yes, an
AN emperor" asked DR.. Kelman,
surprised. Il thought you had done
with all that in America. And would |
not. your emperor need to be very |
wonderful man. Incapable Of making
mistakes. and able to lead the nation
on to victory?"
Precisely was the quiet reply |
And we know Of such man.. We are |
waiting for Him. We expect Him to /
come. And his name is--Jesus."
All thoughtful men are. like David, /
concerned for the state of religion in |
the nation. Some, like the scientist /
quoted, see clearly that the only hope
of the state lies in the reign of king |
David's greater Son" Even politicians.
with no alsfsgmpathetie. interest
In the church, are wing with each 9TH
er, as the present political Campaign |
In the United States reveals, in their !,
endeavor to lay stress upon the inn
portance of religious ideals and insti-
tutions. When David perceived that in
the midst of the now prosperous king
dom, with its own capital, Jerusalem,
there should be erected as a prominent
structure a temple to Jehovah, he was |
but expressing what is universal
truth. Religions place should be first
place The wonderful phenomenon of
japan can be explained only by the
fact that the emperor is deity, and
that in a very true sense patriotism is
religion. The great temples and |
shrines of Japan, which, for hundreds |
of years have been places of pilgrim
age. have bound the people together
into national solidarity. and have i'm
bued them with the sentiment that to
live or, die for their emperor is the
highest religious duty and destiny.
Even in Europe the great eathedrals
have been a powerful factor in con-
serving national ideals and traditions,
Where a state is sincerely Christian, all
ats Institutions are safe.
Big Houses and Small Churches.
The truth still runs through modern
life. which the old Hebrew monarch
saw clearly, that society is not con-
structed in right proportions il the in
dividual is exalted above the general
body. It sounds quite like a modern
political dogma, rather than a state
ment OF three thousand year old
historical fact, to declare that public
institutions are more important than
private interests. Even the kings
house could not with propriety be
greater than the center of the peo-
pies. worship, the temple of Jehovah.
Ruskin rightly asks, in the "Seven
Lamps of Architecture" that in a
true Christian community, the public
buildings for the use of all should
be the noblest, the most expensive,
most commanding in the town or city
This idea is growing in our modern
towns. The capitols, the courthouses,
the churches, the schoolhouses, the Ii
braries, the hospitals, are the noblest
1.-THE question is not between Gods ,
house and ours. IL do not I'm ,
derstand the feeling which would arch =,
our own gates and pave our own !
thresholds, and leave the church with i
its narrow door and footworn sill; !
the feeling which enriches our own !
chambers with all manner of costli- ]
ness, and endures the bare wall and
mean compass of the temple. .
/ am no advocate for meanness of pri- '
waite habitation. but I say {
this empnaucally, that a tenth part of
the expense which is sacrificed in do ]
mestic vanities would, II collectively
offered and wisely employed, build ]
marble church for every town in Eng
land. such a church as would be
Joy and a blessing even to pass near"
BY this same token, the church is 4
bigger than any one man. The house
of God is superior to the kings pal 2
ace 1t is odious and irreligious to
have a 'one man church" such as is
not unknown in these latter days-a 2
church practically owned and run by