The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-01-01

Tie International Sunday School Les
son for January is John. the
Forerunner of Jesus.''-Matt. 3:1-12.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
For the year 1910 25.OoO.ooO mem
bers of the Sunday schools of the
world will study weekly the Gospel ac-
cording to st. Matthew. No other
piece of literature in existence Will re-
ceive such close and widespread atten-
ton. The fact is a literary item of
magnitude. This biography, for such
it is was not written by a trained lit
erary worker, but by a business man.
1t shows the practical mind and dill
gent carefulneSs of a man of affairs.
Levi was the authors name. as he
sat in the tax gatherer's office on
Capernaum highway, taking toll for
Herod from the fishermen and from
the rich caravans that Travelled be
tween Egypt and the east. He knew
all the wiles of the tax dodgers, and
he could squeeze the very last penny
of customs dues out of the reluctant
wallets of merchantmen. OF course,
he was hated and despised-the Jews
1oathed the men who hired themselves
to Rome as Dub1icans-but the BUSH
ness paid, and, conscious of his snug
fortune, Levi could afford to shrug his
shoulders over the unconcealed dis
dain of the people.
N Ottl ana a Odfcer.
One day Levi got a vision of life's
higher, nobler possibilities, even as
many business men are catching the
same vision today. In this new light
he saw that money does not make
amends for dwarfed life. His deliv
erance and transformation and new
name came through the teaching of
an unconventional Rabbi named Jesus.
And when the latter one day babe him
join the little group of learners imme-
diately associated with himself, Levi
straightway left all and followed him.
upon a new and higher plane of life;
men are elevated only as they heed
and answer the summons to seek the
concerns of the spirit.
Apparently this prosperous publican
never regretted having forsaken his
profitable business. Money ceased to
have its old value in his eyes. His
first act Of discipleship was to give a
lavish feast to his new Master and
associates. Then he became an itin-
Grant sharer of the fortunes of Jesus.
He was not front-rank apostle. We
do not find mention of any signal
words or deeds done by him. Steadily,
though, his spirit was being refined
and elevated and he was being made
ready for the writing of the Life of
his Lord. He wrote as "a Hebrew to
Hebrews thinning clearly the Messiah
of the Old Testament Nevertheless,
he could not help producing a univer
sal gospel, because he believed Jesus
to be the Saviour of the world. It
would be abundant1y worth while to
trace the development of the charac-
ter Of this business man-author; and
of the similar effect upon every other
man, of allegiance to great ideal.
But we must hasten to the portion
of the story set apart for the present
week.
The Makers-Ready.
A picturesque bit of oriental life is
the sayce, or outrunner, who precedes
the vehicle of a person of Importance.
have seen him in Egypt, India and
John the Baptizer. He was the fore
runner, the preparer, the maker
ready. All his great life was to be
fulfilled in introducing One greater
than himself. Some persons have
thought his place in the New Tesla
ment history pathetic one: it really
is glorious.
Most of US are merely makers
ready. sorrt of John the Baptist ca
reer is the best that can be expected
unless she be bitten by that madness
which makes her subordinate home
and family to a career" for herself
in church or society or literature or
politics) must give up her life to max
ing smooth the way for husband and
children; through them she serves the
world. The teacher is only John the
Baptist to his pupils. The salesman
and bookkeeDer merely further the
output of another. Church officers do
may have free course. The great
Boards of The religious denominations
are but preparers for the spread of the
Evangel. The givers who support
lation. Happy are we if like John. we
can say concerning the Main ISSUE
''He must increase. 1 must decrease"
what matter, or they,
Mine or another's day,
So the right word be said,
And life the sweeter made"
The secret of peace. as well as of
achievement, is to find ones own work
and to fling ones life into it; knowing
well that the success of the work is
the success Of all who contribute to it.
HeraIds of a Better Day.
Our own time seems to be markedly
a preparatory period It has been
making way for some great event or
era. Things appear to be converging.
Highroads of all sorts have been won
drously built for some Coming One.
Consider the realm of religion alone.
multitude of agencies have been
making ready Tor this new day of toll
erance brotherliness and unity. Rail-
roads nave been laid down over the
whole earth, and waterways increased
and cleared. The telegraph, the wire
less, the airshlp, the newspaper, the
marvellous Intervening of lines of
communications, the unification of in
ternational laws and usages, the am
plified flow of travel, leaving no remote
corner of the earth ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
mean these modern preparers and her
aids, If not to rear highway for the
entrace into acknowledged sovereignty
of the King?
This sense CT the significance of our
own time, as we'll as OF the sacredness
of every life's mission, is seriously