The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1909-04-10

| had vital communion with his risen
Lord which was abundant compensa-
ton for all the suffering he was call
ed upon to endure. The two friends
| of Jesus were in new and close fell
| lowship with him-Peter in Jail and
| James in glory. Poets and prophets
and pioneers of truth sound one clear
note upon this point.
High walls and huge a body may
confine,
And iron CRATES obstruct the pris-
oner's gaze;
| The massive bolts may BATTLE his de-
sign.
And vigilant keepers watch his de-
viouS ways;
Yet scorns the immortal mind this
base control
Swifter than light it flies from pole
to pole,
And in a flash from earth to heav-
en- 1t goes"
An OId-fashiOned Faith.
Peter believed in the words of the
Psalmist which are the golden text
of this lesson: "The angel of the Lord
encampeth around about them that
fear him and delivereth them" That
is the old and simple faith which the
great body of friends of Jesus would
not Wl1HnSly TennQulSn- w Z are ldlk-
ing a great deal these days about the
psychology of prayer" and we are
attributing the miracles to psyche
therapy or to condolences, or to the
subconscious ego. But
eff our faith were but more simple,
We should take Him at His word,
And our lives would all sunshine be
In the presence of the Lord"
God does exercise the right of a
sovereign to care for his own people.
he made the laws. The universe is
not a democracy, where the will of
the creatures rules, but it is an alb
solute monarchy. and the Lord God
of Hosts is King. He can supplement
or even abrogate his own enactments
as may suit his purposes and pleas
ure. He can bend all things to his
will No theory of the universe can
satisfy the Christian which does not
put the sovereign will of Jehovah on
the throne.
Once that truth is accepted, then
all the consid erations that make for a
simple, childlike faith flow from it ma
turally God can and God will
care for his own. His sovereign power
is at the service of his father heart.
To him the peace and welfare of his
children is of more concern than all
the cares of inanimate nature. He has
angels unguessed by science to work
his will for the deliverance of his
children from any of the chains and
prison houses of earth.
The Wonder Wrought.
In this history the king whose
throne was in Jerusalem, and the
King of kings whose throne is in the
highest Heaven, are represented In
combat. Herod, by attacking those to
whose preservation God had pledged
his word, put himself in array against
! Jehovah. He took all possible precau-
tions to guard his prisoner Peter, for
| he was mindful of the strange deliv-
erances which had been wrought in
| the case of others of these Christians.
| But his utmost care was futile
Unfretted by his lot unfearing in
heart. Peter had lain down to sleep
| the sleep of a little child-for HE
| giveth his beloved Sleep" even though
| they be chained to cruel jailers,-and
| then there came to him, in a vision
| he thought, messenger from COD
who broke the shackles, opened the
prison doors and led him forth a free
man. Even Peters faith could scarce
| ly credit the wonder. Yet he was free
and instead of the noisome atmos-
phere of the dungeon, he was in God
clear air. Straight to the presence of
| the brethren, as a homing pigeon to
| his nest, went the liberated apostle.
and there he came upon his fellow
| Christians praying for him, and all
! unknown to themselves, having veri-
| fled for them that promise: while
| they are yet calling l VIII near and
| answer"
| An interesting human touch to the
story is the CONSERVATION and excite
| ment of the maid, Rhoda, who, when
she found Peter at the door, was too
| overwrought to let him in, but ran
| back to the company to tell them that
| tbara all the while leaving
I him standing without the door. The
| deliverance was atteSted by a large
| company of the disciples. 1t was one
more instance to witness to the pow
er of the new faith. The hum bic
| Christians had seen Herod's mightiest
| devices put to nought. In the combat
between the kings, Herod persisted in
| his impiety before the eyes of the peo-
| pie, stricken by a visible Judgment OF
| Jehovah, so that in his miserable END
all beholders knew that the Lord
God omnipotent reigneth.' Because
the King of kings is on his throne
all is well with his people, whatever
on earth their lot may be. Sang Hell
en- Hunt:
"Yet this one thing learn to know
Each day more surely as I go;
/ That doors are opened, ways are made
! Burdens are gifted or are laid.
BY some great law unseen and still.
Life on High Levels.
Terse Comments upon the Christian
j Endeavor Topic for April IL, Riser
with Christ" Col. 8: Ia.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
There has been much talk of the
strenuous life and of the simple life
but what we need the most is the ris
en- life. Existence is on too low
plane for good living. All the MAS
mas and murkiness of the lowland
contribute to unhealthful living.
A real and practicable and substan
tial reform, of most far-reaching sig
nificance. would be for individuals tt