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


dency that was abroad in the early
Christian church, showing the univer-
| salty Of the gospel. When a writer
undertakes to set forth the nature OF
the relation that subsists between man
| and his Creator, he is on the deepest
| water that the human intellect has
| ever ventured to navigate. Admittedly,
| this is the weightiest question that has
thinkers. In this book. the learned
! traveller, philosopher and tneologian
presents the most satisfactory treat
| ment of the theme ever adduced. So it
is strong meat of which Christian En-
deavorers are this week asked to PAL
take. ~
! Until men have succeeded in living
up to even the lower levels of the Book
of Romans, there is no burning need
for any new thought"
When did Paul write this tremendous
letter? He had never been in Ronna.
The church there was not directly OF
| his founding; and surely he had cares
enough with his own churches to en-
gross him. There were lesser AMI
| greater reasons for the writing of this
epistle. Paul had personal friends
among the Christians in Rome; and,
| secondly, he wished to advise the
brethren in the city of the Caesars of
| his purpose to visit them. Primarily,
! though. his warrant was that of every
| great spirit who feels himself possessed
| of a vital truth. The great writers ard
| orators and teachers have never sought
any other credentials than the knowI-
! edge that they had a message. Pau.s
| high passion that the truth of Jesus
might prevail at the center of the en-
p1re led him to address this inspired
exposition of the ways of God 20 the
disciples who represented the gospel at
the very seat of imperial government
The reading public delights to gather
a C7r%c 10 It,
great writer's and the makers of their
books. How we envy Gaius, in whose
house in Corinth this letter was writ
ten. Little did the oDen-hearted Il 'st
realize that his act of hospitality would
1mmortaliZe him, and make his home
one of the landmarks of literature We
wonder if Gaius sat in the room. an in
terested listener. while Paul dictated
this great work, to Tertius. who acted
as his amanuensis. If so, we can
imagine him rehearsing choice portions
of it to his wife. and sharing them with
his fellow Corinthian Christians.
A great strategist was the Apostle
Paul. He ever kept his eye on the
pivotal places. 1t was his deliberate
policy to try to capture and hold the
centers of influence for the new faith
OF which he was a minister. If he
were living today he would be leading
the forces of christendom up against
New York and London and Paris and
d.
Even as he coveted Rome for Christ
that out from it might radiate the
teachings of the gospel. so he would
adapt the wisest modern methods to
the Characterization of the great me-
tropolises of earth. The church needs
to be delivered from thinking in terms
of parishes, and to learn to think in
terms of cities. nations and the world |
No great writing is ever dashed |
off Into it must go preparation |
either especial Immediate prepara-
ton or taht larger preparation !
which comDrehends lifetime of OBJ
servation. study and thought. This |
letter to the Romans contains no less |
Testament. and these not from any one
special portion of the canon which |
Paul knew. but ranging over at least |
fourteen of the books of the Hebrew
rated with the thought and phrase
ology of the Bible is excellently pre-
pared for both literature and life.
Paul eagerly desired to go to Rome.
But he had to wait for three years
after the writing of his letter for the
fulfllment of this wish, and then he |
went, not as a free agent but convey
his way by all the power of Rome.
Upon arrival he was met by some of
the friends to whom this letter was
The first two years after
reaching Rome the apostle spent as a
prisoner, but in his own hired house.
he was released from this
imprisonment and made another mis-
sionary tour is point upon which
scholars do not agree. It is certain
that eventually he was executed for
his faith. and now the tourist in Rome
Is taken to a magnificent new cathe-
dral built over what is supposed to be
the apostles grave.
A small portion of the book of Ro-
mans practiced is better than the
whole volume discussed. The book
The pregnant sentences that sparkle
throughout the Letter to the Romans
afford unlimited lessons" These may
1ividua1 taste. The chapter selected
;or special study has often been called
The Christian Endeavor chapter"
because it embodies so we'll the genius
IF the young peoples movement.
An unfamiliar but illuminating rem
lering of two words in the first verse
# the twelfth chapter of Romans is
Revision. The familiar reading is, ST
oeseech you therefore. brethren, by
he mercies of God, that We present
your bodies a living sacrifice, holy,
reasonable service" The margin :
translates those last two words as
spiritual worship That is to say,
pirituality is not something intangible I
;ies and activities. 1t is when Chris ]
ians offer UP their bodies in service
hat they render spiritual worship"
NEWS AND NOTES. i
American Baptists have a church u
n Barcelona, the scene of the recent =
disorders. :.
Dov ~ T D-o,.-,, -oz..4z II