The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-06
(BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS)

about us; only the occasion is neede'
to reveal it. The quiet life of our well
regulated social order does not affor'
the display, of the active hero-virtue
that appear commonly in more troub
lous and adventurous conditions
There is a mark of heroism, though
which may usually be found at al
times: the hero is helper. In Httl'
ways he serves, even as he would serV'
In great ways did opportunity o1er
In the present lesson upon the ship
wreck of the apostle Paul it is per
haps more profitable to bear in m1nc
his small helpfulness. rather than hi
great heroism. The latter we may not
bOdy's power.
The panic stricken company
aboard the grain vessel which a resist
less Northeaster had gripped-thert
were 276 souls in all-had been toe
scared and too busy to eat. In the
darkness and danger they had scarce
ly tasted food for a fortnight. Paul
whose practical sense was equal to his
piety, entreated them all to satisfy
their hunger. A square meal is often
juniper tree, thought he needed spirit
ual uplift; God, who knew better. sent
him food. Setting the example of eat
ing-after publicly thanking God for
the bread-Paul persuaded the men
to partake of food. which heartened
them greatly.
When the Ship Breaks Up.
Yesterday I saw three men in a
crowded railway station who seemed
to stand out from all that hurrying
throng. They were roughly dressed,
with no heed to city styles, but it was
not their rough boots nor their caps
that attracted attention. There was
an indefinabIe something in their faces
and bearing that spelled a great ex-
If They had
been picked up the day before down
the bay, clinging to the bottom of
capsized schooner. All night they had
chung there, while the waves dashed
over them, and the biting winds had
gradually weakened the grip OF their
fingers. Ships had passed without no
ticing them. When finally they were
sighted and rescued they had reached
the very limit of their powers.
Little cared these men that their
clothes were different from the multi
tude's. Little thought they of the
value of the boat that had been lost.
In darkness and stress, face to face
with death, they had learned the les
son of relative values. They had stood
by one another-even as I saw them,
the youngest was supporting the oldest
and they had saved their lives. It
Is great privilege to have learned
what is really worth while in this life.
Browning depicts Lazarus as coming
back from the grave with new sense
of the proportionate worth of things.
The shipwreck of PaulS boat. when
all had to take to the water. showed
the various characters of the men.
Paul was proved a hero in things
great, and a courteous, helpful gentle
man in things small. Captain Julius
preserved the fine traditions of a Ro-
man officer. Some of the sailors re-
vealed a yellow streak by attempting
to make off with the boats. PauPs
decisiveness stopped that low trick.
When the breakup of the ship was
inevitable, the imbruted Roman sol
diers suggested the killing of the pris-
oners but Captain Julius would not
have it so. Thus all got ashore when
the ship struck-some swimming
some on planks, and some on the
wreckage of the ship.
On a Stored Island.
One of the most romantic spots on
earth. historically, is the little island
of Malta, which for more than a cen
tury Britain has held. The defense
against the Moslems by the Knights of
St John in the sixteenth century is
one Of the golden pages of the age of
chivalry. Ancient, spectacular, ka-
Ieidoscopic has been the islands his
tory, but when the great Medfterran-
can steamers stop there nowadays the
first thought and question of nine
tenths of the passengers concerns none
but the little Christian Jew who once
landed at Malta as ship-wrecked
prisoner Such is the hold of New
Testament history upon the popular
mind as contrasted with all secular
history.
Malta gave Paul and his fellow-voy
ayers a kindly welcome. That the
story calls the people "barbarians"
means nothing except that they were
not Greeks or Romans; such was the
usage of the day. just as we snobbish-
" group the majority of the human
race into the classification. heather"
The shipwrecked company were taken
under shelter from the rain. and their
clothes were dried and their chilled
bodies warmed before a fire.
Some men are too conscious of their
dignity and standing to fill lowly Off
ces. Paul had no dignity that would
stand in the way of his being helpful. |
SO we find him, as usual, to the fore
in the capacity of a helper. This time
he gathered sticks for the fire, to
diers who had so ruthlessly counselled
his death a few hours before. While |
about this office of usefulness a viper
fastened itself to his hand and the
whole company. seeing it, expected
him to drop dead.
But no viper that wrigg1ed could |
kill Paul. even as the waves and winds |
of the Mediterranean had been inn |
He had through ticket to
Rome, authorized by the General Su- |
perintendent of all roads. The ma
lives did not know this: and they |
thought that Paul himself was some |
sort of deity. He was a friend of |
God. and a fellowworker with Jesus |
Christ, which is as near to being a |
deity as mortal ever comes.
Still animated by the passion for |
Paul found an opportun-
ity for service when he had become |
the guest of Governor Publius for |
three days. The latter's father was
Ill. af4s Paul cSred him. That started |
him the Familiar procession of |
the sick and MANNED and he healed |
them. The world is full of need, and
there is everywhere work for hearts |
that ask no career of heroism, but |
only chance to be helpful.
An Old Books Present Power. |
Terse Comments for November z |
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