The Topeka state journal., 1909-02-20

Inc International SUNDAY Sc4OO1 A@co-
son for February 21 is, Stephen the
First Christian Martyr" Acts 8; L
s:2.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
The whole world is laughing at the
British "suffragettes,' and their queer
audacities, which have been landing
them behind prison bars. Not every
body perceives that when a cause has
reached the stage where its adherents
are willing to suffer for 1t there IS no
turning back. Undoubtedly, behind the
reprehensible antics of these women lies
the serious purpose to arouse public at
tention to the cause which they cham
pion. Henceforth, equal suffrage for
women is bound to be an issue IN Brlt-
fish politics. Any cause which reaches
the stage of having martyrs has passed
through its experimental period
In this Sunday school lesson We ma
the young Christian church advanced 10
such dimensions and portentousness
that 1t suffers its first martyrdom IN
the case of Stephen the lovaole. Wnere
the martyr blood first falls, there Is a
great milestone in the progress OF any
enterprise. The really serious contem-
poraneous significance Of this ever
fascinating ancient story is that tnere
are stiH some things worth dylng lo[;
Into the midst of our doctrina1re ana
dilettante times, with their @r1Vonty
and superdciaIity, we have proJecteo
this tremendous story of a martyrdofn
uOT LEuLnS SAKE
brought up to a realization that there
are stiu great convictions and causes
more precious than Afe- Even more ol-
rectly, there is luminousfy written on
the very face OF this thrilling story or
the stoning of Stephen. the glorious
truth that Christ is worth living for
and worth dying for.
Making New Heroes.
All national leaders are concerned
with the problem of putting stuff and
6hre IN the constitution of the oncom-
ang generations. How shall we MAKE
4oday's boys knighther men than ther
fathers? In the face of the e1emlnlz-
dng tendency of the times, 1T IS one OF
the gravest tasks confronting the
twentieth century. Our day demands IRON
in the blood Of it's men How shaL we
ampart this depth of conviction this
courage for the sake OF Ideals, TINS
aoftIy idealism, which is civilizations
crown? Opportunely, here comes Steph-
en- to the help of some Is million young
people in the Sunday schools OF the
continent. 1t is a poor teacher indeed
who does not give his class on this oc-
casion a new conception OF tne nero.
ism of faith and of the subhmlty OF
suffering for conscience sake ms - 10
an occasion when many boys ana gfrls
will be introduced to the long ron OF
martyr spirits who counted not their
lives dear unto themselves Tor the
truths sake.
learned to subdue a desire or sense
of comfort and convenience at the Olc-
tate of a conviction, is to be plued IN
deed. Such one, instead OF being a
pillar of society, is a problem or socl-
ETY. Instead of being lifting 1orce'
he is a weight to be carried, and a con-
stant peril. 1t takes the Stephen stun
to make good citizens
A Iavman Who Preached.
This year, 1909, marks to an extraor-
dinary degree the emergence OF the ray
man into power in religious work. The
present Sunday school lesson shows now
the early church. when its work gre"
large made extensive provision for ser
vice by the laity. The apostles lhein-
selves withdrew from work that eoulo
be better done by men VINO hau ,lit1 iTe
the preaching commission So Win
greater care than is sometimes eXercls-
ed by later congregations. they chose
seven men to serve the church IN tenn
poral matters. 1t is probably true Ina
If the strong and prosperous churcheS
of our own time were to make some
such adequate division OF labor, SO tndI
the 1aity might bear it's share of the
burden of waiting on tables, Fisltlns
tbe siek and caring for the temporal
ties of the church. the preachers Wonld
not find themselves tied down 10 ene
routine trivialities of errand boys OF
business managers; and we Should nave
better preaching in the pulpits, anu
better cooperation from the pews.
Secular though his end of the work
was. Stephen could preach on occa-
nrovine. There is a tendency, happlIy
being strengthened, to man outlying
stations and missions, not by attempt
ing to support in them a half-starVed
mission preacher, but by sendlng OUT
oualified laymen~ to do the work OF
reaching and of organization and ad-
1ninistration 1 know a country church
which reaches out in every direction
with its half dozen Sunday schools, ana
,nidweek prayer meetings, all manned
nv Law members of the church, assist
ed when possible. by the pastor.
Especially in the southern part OF the
United States, the laymen are cultlVat-
ing the habit of going out two by Two
TO sneak upon missions. And Whlle II
must be freely admitted that the aV-
erage layman cannot speak as Wen as
a trained preacher, yet, because he is
a laynan his words find acceptance
with a body of people who are imperVl-
ous to the preachers message.
The Argument of Force.
The small boys normal reply when
defeated in argument is, We'll, can
lick YOU, anyway" Therein grown
men sometimes do not differ greatly
from their younger selves Stephen, in
debate with the synagogue experts, ut
terly confounded them. Unable to
meet his logic and his truth, they