The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-07-03

son for July Is "PauPs Second Mis-
sionary Journey-Antioch to Phil
ippi." Acts 1886; 1915.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
The passing of the spirit Of jingolsrn
Is an evidence Of the changing spirit "
our times. These first days of July lI
the United States are favored %
pendence. and in Canada by the obser-
walton Of Confederation Day. Once IT
was common to hear at Fourth OF july
celebrations in the states the most
blatant spread-eagleism; but this belh-
cose strutting and Growing barnyard
fashion has given way to more ser1-
GUS and dignified mood. The best pa
triots are feeling keenly their obIga-
tions as world citizens, and they are
studying their relations to all other ma
tons. The American spirit is express
ing itself by a new, frank facing of the
days decentralization. Canada never
held SO truly national a gathering as
that which met in Toronto rev
months ago to consider Canada's mis-
sionary policy with respect to herself
and the whole earth. Americas Chris
tan manhood is likewise to come to-
gether next spring in meeting that
may easily take rank with the great
history-making assemblies of the ma
TONS formative period.
The springs of patriotism go down to
the depths Of the spirit. 1t is easy to
EpCdh- Oh country ana Oh NIOu III lilS
one breath. There is a straight line
connecting the patriotism of the year
1909 in this new western world with
the Sunday school lesson of the day.
For the latter marks the advent of
Christianity into Europe. The great
historic step was made which carried
the Gospel out of Asia into the land
which was for nearly twenty centuries
to remain It's strength and center
Doubtless on the Journey from Troas
to NeapoliS, nobody paid particular at
tention to an inconspicuous little Jew
and his small band of companions who,
day after day, were seen III most earn
est converse upon some serious themes.
Yet that was a greater day for Europe
than when xerxes, or Philip Of Mace
don, or Augustus marched their legtons
over this edge of Europe. So today it
stirs ones imagination to see, as he
leans over the visitors gallery at Ellis
Island, and watches the stream Of i'm
migrants passing before the inspectors,
and wonders which of these unkempt,
big-eyed boys carries in his cloth
bundle new epoch for America
A Travelling Preacher.
PhiIippi, whittier Paul was bound, is
now a heap of ruins, scarcely needed
by the obscure Turkish village near its
site. Most of the names of places, and
the places and customs themselves,
that became familiar to PauPs ears
and eyes have passed away. Still the
air is rent with the echoes of shots and
shrieks of awful massacre of men and
women throughout the region traversed
by PauTs company on his second mis-
sionary journey, all for the sake of the
Name which he preached. Asia Minor
and adjacent EurOpe-what we may
roughly call the Pauline neighborhood
are in a tumult and uproar that at
tract the attention of Christendom. The
wise reader of the daily newspaper
cons the cable dispatches in the light
of these illuminating dispatches from
the Apostolic Church is not unmindful
of the later acts that are transpiring !
in this region.
It had been half a dozen years since !
Paul had made his first missionary
tour throughout Asia Minor. Now he |
was setting out again on the same
long, hard journey that would consume |
two or three years more AS mere
travel would such a journey be worth |
while? Our restless age is over-en- |
phasizing the pleasure and profit of
travel in itself. No lives are more
wasted than those which are spent in |
wandering up and down the face of the |
earth, fitting from spot to spot in an |
en0eavor to stimulate jaded interest. |
Travel for a great purpose is supreme |
~ worth while; but travel for travels
sake soon becomes a WEAKNESS to the
flesh. Paul was sustained in his jour
neys by the consciousness that he was |
bent on a great mission.
This time he was not accompanied by |
BarnabaS, for the latter wanted to take |
along his kinsman, John Mark has
much as the young man had proved a |
broken reed on the previous journey,
Paul would not take him again. The
dispute which sent Paul and Barnabas
on separate tours is a comforting touch |
of human nature to those who are in |
clined to think that the Bible charac-
ters are all free from human frailties. |
Paul chose instead Silas, and they went |
together through Syria and Silesia and |
back to Derbe and Lystra and Icon |
ium, strengthening the faith of the |
the council at Jerusalem. It is as i'm |
portant missionary work to look after |
the existing churches as it is to plant !
new churches in unreached regions. At |
Lystra, Paul added to his company
young Timothy, the son of a Jewess
mother and a Greek father. who later
became dear to the apostles heart and /
a power in the church.
The COnquering Company.
What varied armies have marched |
over the same historic ground that was |
by this little band of bearers
Of good news! The imagination is slim
1lared by a contemplation of the scenes
made most memorable by their associ- |
alton with these evangelists. For one
nan with q great message means more
20 history than a great army equipped |
with all the military paraphernalia of |
It's day. 1t was to conquest that this
band went-even as sensitive friends |
zho go to the steamer to bid farewell
% their missionary representatives
sometimes catch a vision of far-off
transformations to be effected by the Ia
oors OF these men and women.
Since this is designated for study as
l missionary lesson. it is well to re-
as g practical missionary
method, that it is not good for a man
% go ont alone as a missionary The
consensus of expert missionary judg-
1