The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-05-15
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.


heroic deeds in far countries great
multitudes turn out to acclaim him.
Lieutenant Shackleton, who has been
"farthest SOUTH" will find himself the
lion of the cay when he gets back to
London. Humanity instinctively pays
tribute to the hero. PauPs heroisms
have done more to popularize him
than his theology. There was
man." is the spontaneous tribute
which springs to the lips of every
careful reader Of these early MARIA
tives Of Paurs journeys. Hardships
were accepted as a part of the
days work. The neutrality-suspicious.
equanimity could not be seriously dis
turbed, whether he was. hailed as a
god or stoned as hereto. In
cidentally, it may be remarked, he
was stoned oftener than he was
apotheosized.
the disciples, not one bit discouraged,
but, as the narrative pointedly re-
marks. FILLED with joy" went on
their way to Iconium. There again
they created a sensation. The city
was turned upside down. great
multitude of Jews and of Greeks en-
tered upon the way. Here again blind
bigotry and sectarianism set to work
Boldly the disciples spoke and Won
drously they wrought. But the Jew
ish ecclesiastical party soon found
itself in command of sufficient mob,
and the Christians were stoned out
of the city.
Now history judges Iconium chiefly
by it's attitude towards the prophets
whom it stoned. Well does Carlyle
say: .The most significant feature
in the history of an epoch is the
manner it has in welcoming a great
man, whether they shall take him to
be a god, to be a prophet. or what
they shall take him to be; by their
way of answering that we shall see
before US a little window into the
very heart of these mems spiritual
condition"
The Religion That Makes Men Straight
Moving on to Lystra. when driven
from Iconium, the disciples continued
the same sort of work that they had
been doing previously in spite of the
opposition. In connection with this
visit a characteristic incident is
lated by the historian. In Lystra
there was a well known beggar, con-
CENTRALLY lame. He was a town
character. Yet he seems. unlike some
modern mendicants, to have desired
relief from his affection. PauPs
alert eye singled him out. Perceiving
the mans eagerness and responsive
ness, and that he had the faith to be
healed Paul said with a loud voice,
"Stand upright on thy feet" and he
leaped up and walked:
The gospel has been doing this sort
of thing right along for mems minds
pies whose bones are abnormal are
not half so serious a burden upon
society as those whose spirits are
twisted, bent and weak. Very much
more than it needs a gospel for the
sick and the lame and the blind and
the deaf, the world needs gospel
that will take the spiritual cripple and
make him to stand erect and walk.
There are many surgeons who can
straighten out the kinks in backs
physician can make men straight in
their souls. That is the miracle of
larger meaning which may be seen
daily in almost every community in
the land.
Spurning High Honors.
The healing of the lame man
proved the sensation of the hour in
Lystra. The tickle crowd was caught
in it's imagination by this spectacular
performance. Moved by the excite
ment of the occasion, and reverting
to their native mother tongue, the
populace shouted, 1.-The gods are come
down to us in the likeness of men"
Barnabas they named Jupiter, and
Paul, Mercury.
If these evangelists had been as
modern and progressive as some later
ones, they would have sent a special
messenger back to Antioch with the
story concerning the high honors that
had come to them. Their press
recount
ing their greatness, inasmuch as they
had been hailed as the ancient gods
reincarnated.
For the tribute was an extra
ordinary one. Possibly the incident
of the healing of the lame man oc-
The priest of Jupiter eager to take
advantage of everything that would
favor his temple and his trade
brought oxen and garlands to the
sacrifices, the multitude heartily APP
proving.
The real distress of Barnabas and
Paul at this proceeding is an unmis-
taxable tribute to their genuineness of
character. They did not want honors
for themselves. They would not accept
any false rating. They were not am
bassadors of religion which, like
Buddhism is keen to consolidate with
all the other faiths that men hold
be the one Gospel for all men, and it
was In direct opposition to all such
idolatrous practices as the worship of
Jupiter and Mercury.
Their ruling purpose strong in. all
conditions, Paul and Barnabas were
quick to seize even this opportunity to
preach their Gospel. They had great
passion. Their intense convictions so
absorbed them that they did not hesi-
tate to fly counter to popular tides.
They were not afraid of thwarting
public opinion. They had no desire to
be popular preachers. They SEEM
ed more distressed when they were ac-
claimed as gods than when they were
stoned as criminals.
Some Liberal Preaching.
Taking the immediate occasion for
his text-Paul knew how to use the
highest matter OF public interest; what
sermons he would have preached upon
our complex and meanful modern civil
'ization!-the apostle began to present