Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1910-03-10
BY WILLIAM r. ELLIS,

People are puzzled today by the
powers that are shaping society. They
see forces at work to increase the
cost Of living, to increase the restless
ness of life, to Increase thoughtful
ness, n1aterialism and irreverence
CONSERVATION is the word which per-
haps best expresses the state OF
large part Of the public mind. For this
reason the most hare-brained schemes
Of remedy find hearing; and the
demagcgue grows fat in the land.
Even religion is running 20 second,
AIRY remedies Listen to the sdmoni,
lions that arise ID the discussion OF
social questions: Let us organize our
charities better and make sure OF
rich endowments let us institution
alize our churches, and make them
political and industrial forums: let us
minister to mems temporal and socla!
neeus.' And so it goes, almost ad
nauseam. The United States con
gress is asked to charter a sort of uni
versal benevolence trust. The Lay
mems Missionary Movement, and the
Apportionment Committee Of some
denominations, cry ceaselessly for
money as the most necessary power,
as II the new battle hymn of the
Kingdom were Kipling's,
Pay! Pay! Pay!"
The Power Above the Powers.
This tendency Of q somewhat al.
frighted church 10 place reliance up
on more money, more machinery,
more methods, more distinguished
men. is really one that calls for grave
consideration. II may as we'll be
frankly confessed that the Lords bat,
ties are not going to be won BY mans
powers. Somebody has revised the
misleading motto OF the aroused lay
men, ''We can do 1t. and We will" to
the better form, "He can do it. il we
will A good battle cry for all
Christian effort, while men remain III
their present mood, is that old one
from the Scriptures, mot by might
nor by power, but by my Spirit, saith
the Lord OF hosts"
There is power above the powers.
This is the creed for today. Jehovah
still reigns. In his own ways he Is
bringing to pass his own ends. Every
new generation has to learn afresh,
and repeatedly. this cardinal truth OF
religion. The disciples needed 1t; and
they were taught by the two signs
the stilling of the tempest and the
casting out of the evil spirits from
the demoniac--which constitute the
present Sunday school lesson. Christ
is still with his own. and he still has
the "all power" which he claimed
when speaking in the flesh.
The hub Of this whole lesson is the
need for faith Believe God. Count
more on him. and less on buildings
and appliances and the cunning of
man. A faith sufficient for small
needs, as well as for great. is the
supreme present requirement of the
churches. The Master who stilled the
tempest on Galilee Is not going to let
the ship of Zion be wrecked. He is
till Lord OF all realms and peoples.
His power is moving on earth today.
It Is equal to every demand. The
tide that lifts the great ships raises
the small boats also.
The Weary Leader.
One Of the familiar stories which
Christendom loves, echoing it from
generation to generation in countless
songs and pictures, is this of the still
ing of the tempest. More impressive
than the sudden outburst of wind and
upheaval Of the water is the figure or
the weary Jesus. asleep in the stern