The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-11-27


= Gospel is commended not by what it's
adherents do without, but by what
: they possess. Souls that are glad and
growing are the best argument for
!, the Way of Life. It Is because the
rule of otherism, the law of self
denial, develops strong characters and
happy that the Bible prescribes it. The
road to all crowns lies over some Cal
vary.
II 1.-THE Battle of the Sum-,
Terse comments for November 2s
Home Missions: The Battle of
the Sum-" Luke IA: 15:23
Il (BY WILLIAM T. ELLIs)
The new firing line of Christian
progress is in the city. There center
the problems that are likely to give
the twentieth century the greatest
Il glomerate character of certain large
sections of most modern municipali-
ties has created an entire new set of
social problems. Some Of these are
SO grave as to alarm thoughtful cit
liens. Political economists are point
4 ing out that the next generation will
have to face difficulties far graver
than any that confronted the pioneers
who made two great nations on this
western continent.
| The first step toward the solution
| OF the problems that are bound up
in the congestion of the cities is to
| recognize the existence and nature of
i these problems. Here enter the re-
! sponsibilities of the young peoples
societies. 1t is the Christian duty, and
the patriotic duty, of every young per-
son to interest himself in civic uues-
tons There are great battles to be
i fought; the warriors must be trained
for the fighting. It is not too strong
a statement to declare that any per-
son who is Indifferent to what is
Cd OIL s1
recreant in his Christianity and his
l citizen ship.
| said. LET me walk in the fields"
He said. mo. walk in town.
I said. There are flowers there"
He said, mo flowers. but a crown
!; said "But the skies are black:
There Is nothing but noise and dim"
And He wept as He sent me back;
There is more" He said. there is
sin"
I said. "But the air is thick.
And fogs are yelling the SUM-
, He answered. "Yet souls are sick.
And souls in the dark undOne."
said, "I shall miss the light
And friends will miss me, they say"
He answered. Choose tonight
If I am to miss you, or they"
He said. as it hard to decide?
1t will not seem hard in heaven
To have followed the steps of your
Guide"
George Macdonald.
A common colloquialism of more
than ordinary expressiveness describes
, the defeated in life as 1.-The down and
OUT These abound in the longest
ed portions of the city. They sprawl
ia Of IA il ma RI
doze in rescue missions. huddle around
the radiators in cheap lodging houses,
| or stand at the door of the liquor
saloon. Some of their stories are ro-
. mantle and tragic beyond novelist's
telling. Emma C. Dowd gives a sig
nificant hint as to one way in which
their ranks are recruited:
A man devout once kept store.
And. not contented. he wanted more
So he schemed and schemed. and he
planned so well
That his neighbor merchant was
forced to sell.
And he bought, and fiourished. and
flew into fame.
The other? 1 never heard what be-
| became
| OF the other man.
The associated charities of the
nearest large city should be on the
giving list of every Christian. Their
claim is as religious as that of foreign
missions. Jesus was forever minister
ing to the ar-at-hand poor. and
even to the undeserving poor.
So long as the slums are regarded
as slums their problems will never be
met; but when once they are seen as
collections of people, with the same
instincts, impulses and needs of other
people, there is hope for helping
them God himself is not interested
in "the Masses he knows all his
sheep by name. The divine art of
brothering ones fellow men; that is
the only way to win 'the battle of
the Sums"
1.-THE New Knighthood" is brilliant
l1y depicted by one of our present-day
tpoets, James Oppenheim. in the lines:
In the dust of the mondays Readiness
our newer knights go out.
No moons to lend bewitchment, no
1ove-blazed forest route
IGlitters on wall and gutter the search
ing sordid sun
Real people with realest troubles!
| Earth's war that is never won.
OF old did they tumble the villain to
the smiles of the very young
woman.
OF old. with the clatter of armor, they
| hunted the SuDerhuman.
Love and song and entertainments
lured them from lairs to lairs-
But these-these trail for a Microbe
up at the head of tlss stairs.
Or IN the sheets of the Pauer shot