The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-10
~ WILLIAM d. ELLIS.

BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
T-HURCHME bewail, with
WA good reason. the indiffer-
ence, of the masses to re-
ligion. Yet one walks
N through Hyde Park. London,
that great, popular forum
and he finds that religion is the sub
1ect which engrosses the interest or the
greatest number OF hearers at III. ne
numerous out door meetings. We see
many churches depleted OF men, YET
thousands of men attend laymens
conventions, and many more thou-
sands discuss with interest the latest
public questions that arise with a re-
lfgious aspect. The religious problem
novel If there is one on the market
with a glimmer of vitality and Iresn-
ness in it, is the most widely read BOOK
of the month. One is tempted TO
conclude that the popular indifference
is to the common presentation OF rell-
gion, rather than to religion. itself:
On the other hand, we are today
confronting Christ's parable of the
neglected, invitations to the kings
marriage feast. There was no made
quacy in the presentation OF that IN
vitation. The king prepared great
feast (Christ loved to portray his
Kingdom as a feast, never as a fam
incl and made all things ready ON
the day of the feast he sent messen-
gers to notify the invited ones, as was
the Oriental custom With rudeness
not so often paralleled, the guests ig-
nored or made light of the invitation,
and some even so showed their con-
tempt for the king that they Killed
the messengers.
the way in which the Jewish nation
had treated it's prophets and other
messengers of Jehovah. Inc point OF
the parable is almost the same as OF
those studied. last week: the rejection
of their opportunity by the favored
people, and the calling of others to
take the place for which they had
proved themselves unfit.
Missing the Train.
Trains run, no matter who miss
them. Gods plans work out regard
less of all who refuse to cooperate
with them. The kings feast is held,
though the first invited guests may be
absent. "The wedding was filled with
guests" This is an ominous message
from the parable. We may ride in
Gods chariot or be overridden by 1t;
we surely cannot stop the chariots
progress. God will not be thwarted by
man. He is never without another re-
sort. When a man f1outs God, it is
the man who suffers most. He suffers
punishment, doubtless; but for the
present point it is enough to remark
that he misses the feast, and the fell
lowship with divine company.
A small boy, in a sulk, refuses to go
on a picnic with his mother. He
somehow feels that he thereby takes
out his bad temper on the one who
loves him best. But it is he who misses
the picnic He has deprived himself
of a pleasure and memory, and
added to his store of evil dispositions.
There are many persons quite as fool
ish in their relations with God. They
think that God, and not they, will suf-
fer from their sins. BY strange hu
man perversity, they would make the
Lord responsible for their own neglect
{OI ic rio Tlf1f han
God made man free agent, he put
upon him the responsibility for his
own actions. 4e.
None the less it is true that the
guest who Sights the Kings invitation
does put an affront upon the King. We
talk much about the human aspects of
sin; but there is the divine side,
wherein mans sin dishonors God. The
chiefly in their insult to the king;
that is the point Of the parable, rather
than the loss which they themselves
suffered. A kings invitations are
is disloyalty. The grief that sin causes
the Lord is more serious than the pain
it causes man. The effect of earth's
sin upon heaven is little realized, so
far short do we come of understand
ing the gracious Father heart of God.
The Comprehensive Invitation.
Usually kings do not repeat their
invitations. Once is enough. The ur-
EeHCy ana DdlleHCe Oh Inc QlVln6 SUM-
mons to mankind is one of the quail
ties which mark it as divine. We
marvel at the long suffering of wives
with unworthy husbands, and of par
ents with reprobate sons: yet these
only family mirror the forbearance of
the heavenly Father. The way in
which the invitation to the wedding
feast was repeated and pressed upon
the undeserving is a lesson to all
Christians. The Good Shepherd seeks
until he finds.