The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-10-02
A SATURDAY SERMON.


Woe unto them that call evil good, and
good evil; that put darkness for light and
light for darkness; that put bitter for
sweet, and sweet for bitter! Isaiah V:20-
These are some of Gods judgments
for sin as they were related to the
| children of Israel by one OF the great
est of all prophets and teachers,
Isaiah. Most of his Iabors among
them were directed toward admonish-
ing them to a right living If they were
to secure peace and happiness for
themselves and their nation. He was
firm believer in the idea that Israel
was a people chosen to fulfill Gods
purpose for the nations. He believed
that God had made q wonderful prom
Use to Abraham and to David, a prom
Use, conditional, OF course. on Israels
good behavior and proven worthiness.
that there should at least be a uni
versal peace, with universal righteous
ness, and that this magnificent state of
affairs was to come during their life
time. 1t was Isaiah's life work to en-
deavor to direct the steps of the
Israelites in the ways that they should
go SO that this promise would be full
filed. Nearly all Of his preachings 20
this end were directed against the sim
out to them: There is no peace,
saith the Lord. unto the wicked" And
he labored almost exclusively with the
masses and not with their rulers.
In striving for the wonderful goal,
Isaiah's efforts were In vain. but his
work was not without profit by any
manner of means. Universal peace
did not come to the earth during the
life of the children of Israel. They
fell far short of showing themselves
worthy of 1t. That they made prog
ress. under Isaiah's teachings, towards
a desirable condition Of Righteousness
is not to be gainsaid. And ever since
the time of Isaiah the selfsame struggle
has been going on, and the victory is
not yet. There have been prophets,
and preachers, and teachers, too, who
have directed their unending and
great energies along the lines pursued
by Isaiah. None of them have yet
achieved anything like the desired
end. But all have helped with their
great or small measure to speed the
happy day along.
Regardless of the wailings of the
pessimists. and their number is not
few nor are their voices weak, the |
people on the earth today are closer, |
though still far away, to a universal |
than has ever been the |
case in the history of all time. They |
will approach it nearer and nearer as
the battle progresses against sin and |
in all its forms. This bat |
tie must be carried on among the in !
dividuals. A nation, whether civilized |
to the high degree where absolute |
freedom reigns among men, or not, will /
be no better or no worse than the |
average of the human beings who |
make it up. Until they ascend to a
generally righteous state there is no
need for an expectancy that a great
peace and happiness is to prevail on
earth or any portion of it for long
continued period.
And so, the struggle against sin and
should be carried on un-
,easingly. The preachers and the
teachers of all creeds and schools are
playing and will play an important
part in the battle. They are the first
lid to the injured, as 1t were. But
he best results are sure to be attain
ID by each and every person fighting
lis own failings and shortcomings with
IN honest desire to overcome them.