The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-09-04

up before them, as ghostIy suectres- Of
an unfortunate past. When, in a recent
Lmer1can election. the question vi
available candidates for the presidency
was up, the name of a certain able
statesman was frequently brought for
ward by the uninitiated; but the wiser
polltclans shook their heads and said
| mo, his record is vulnerable" Hapry
is the man who can point to his pas
as his own vindication Every mar
quitting a post, be it the presidency, a
Passionate, a clerkship, or a Job OF
gardening, should be able to saw
my best testimonial
When Paul. after the passage OF
years, came to his final acccunttne
with the Ephesian church officers he
! could summon to witness for him thc
record that he had made in their midst
He had not been a trimmer or a toadv
| He had not been afraid of the face OF
man, nor had he shrunk from hardship
| ana sumer1ng- He had been innocent nj
self-seeking, and he had delivered his
message without far and without favor
what record to crown ones work
Every teacher, as well as every preach
ing. as on the judgment day to saw 10
those who had been in his charge: al
shrank not from declaring unto YOU
anything that was profitable"
Holding Life CheapIy.
As Paul counselled with these
EXPRESSION
which revealed his life platform: IT
hold not my life of any account as
dear unto myself, so that 1 NAV ac-
compl1sh my course and the ministry
Whlch received from the Lord
Jesus. That is in contrast with the
baneful spirit of the modern day.
We are prone to overestfmate the
value of life itself. Our comfort. our
prosperity. our safety, are put as first
considerations. For the sake of their
20,
to stultify their manhood Professor
William James, of Harvard, declares
that the prevalent dread of poverty
and hardship among our better
ship of wealth and luxury, is ''the
worst disease from which our civiliza-
ton suffers" We soreIy need an in
fusion of the heroic spirit which can
say with Paul, Il hold not my life of
any account as dear unto myself"
The days newspapers tell US how
the Moorish tribes fling themselves
In high disdain of danger against the
solid phalanxes of Spanish troops
Deep in the breast of the normal man
ton for this spirit of heroism,
fatalistic though it be. There is
something in the nature of man
which tells him that it is noble to
despise death and danger. Our COM.
Portable, conventional. coddled life is
likely to be cowardly. We shrink
from pain; we hail the modern health
with extravagant accla-
nations, as if health were the SUI
preme object of existence. Let us not
fail to learn from Paul, and all the
other heroes of history, that man at
his best may dare to die; and that
often death is worthier of man than
life. Well for US if we can say "I
For the delivery of ones message,
and the performance of ones work,
is the supreme thing; ones own
safety is an incidental consideration.
fort is in itself an emancipation from
petty and ignoble subterfuges.
A High Calling.
When man looks upon office in |
the church as an honor rather than |
as an opportunity, he is thereby |
shown to be untitled for the post. |
Sometimes the prominent places in
religion are given to men because
they are wealthy or eminent in social |
or political life. This is grave |
error. 1t would be we'll If every
church gathering for the election of |
were to open with a careful |
consideration of PauFs instruction to |
the leaders of the Ephesian church.
He pointed out the high calling of the |
church officer. He is to stand as a
Christ. So far from exalting himself,
mis- work is a spending of himself.
Not his is it to have his own way,
and to exert his own will, but rather,
with ceaseless watchfulness and ser
vice, to spend himself in caring for
even the weakest and most foolish of
Ill the. sheep in the fold.
Paul could point to his own record.
He named some characteristics which
should be never-absent marks of all
Who hold Office in the church. He
vas not covetous of worldly wealth.
he gave his labor to the church while
himself. He helped the
weak. He held aloft the standard of
han to receive" May it not be said
hat one of the sources of strength
md glory of the churches of today
s in the noble host of men and
women who bear office and, with I'M
measured and gladly-given toll, guard
he welfare of the cause of Christ,
nd serve mankind with sacrifice and
n the spirit of the master? Paul
las left in his train splendid COM
amy of men and women who are the
artners of one another in the great
st work in the world, and partners
With Christ himself.
A Great Books Great Theme.
'erse Comments for September 5,
"Life's Lesson for Me from the Book
of Romans" Rom. 12:1-21.
BY WILLIAM T ELLIS.
L think the EpiStle to the Romans
he most profound work in existence
aid the poet Co1eridge. That is a
rained literary mans judgment of the
ook that the Endeavorers of the world
re called to study this week. At this
resent moment, when there is a deal
f1abby, inconsequential and undigest-
discussion of new religion aud ,
new" thought, 1t is important that tine
timulus of this tremendous essay
hould be impaired to the minds OF
hose who are learning to do their own
linking. Especially valuable should it
e, in accrediting the historic Christian