The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-09-17
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der unto God the things that are
Gods" The life belongs to the Lord:
the heart was made in his likeness and
1t only finds its full mission in his
leg1ance to the Caesar is a lost coin.
An Old Marriage Problem.
The sex question is a widely discuss
ed theme today. 1t has always en-
gagged the thought of serious persons.
The subject is one that lends itself
curious views. A favorite catch Ques-
ton of the Sadducees who did not
believe in a resurrection, which they
had often doubtless used to the con-
fusion of the Pharisees, had to do with
the marriage relation. 1t was hypo-
thetical question of seven brothers, dy-
ing one after another and each taking
the same woman to wife. and none
leaving children. Whose wife would
the woman be in the resurrection?
That is what John Eliot used to
tell his Indians was "a papoose cues
tion." 1t was only a smart" bubble,
in the same class with the common
one of scoffers, "can God make a stone
so big that he cannot lift it?" The
common sense of people revolts against
such a trifing state of mind. These
Sadducees missed the glory and great
ness of the future life in their zeal to
inf1nities of heaven in very small earth
terms. 1 remember as a little boy
weeping when told by my mother
that there was no night or sleeping in
heaven; and she had to reassure me by
saying that there would be a little bed
in heaven for me If I should want it!
The anthropomorphism of all Chris
tan teaching, made necessary by our
crude understanding put limitations
upon the great conceptions of God and
eternity. Heaven is more than earth
perpetuated, purified and perfected.
The problems that perplex US here will
be no problems there. The wise word
about the future is that Eye hath not
seen, nor ear heard, neither have en-
tered into the heart of man the things
which God hath prepared for them
that love him.
Mans Supreme Duty.
Despite their malign purpose, we
cannot but be grateful for these QueS-
lions. They throw flood OF light up
on contemporary conditions and duties.
There was the question as to which Is
the greatest commandment. Jesus an
swered by the word which all devout
Jews wore in their phyecteries, Hear,
o Israel; the Lord our God, the Lord is
one That lesson of monotheism.
sorely needed in land partly peopled
by and entirely surrounded by poly
theists, has been learned by Christen-
dom. The unity of God is accepted by
all who accept God at all.
Society today reverses the divine or
der as to the greatest commandments
for Jesus enunciated two: Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all
thy heart and with all thy soul, and
with all thy mind, and with all thy
strength. The second is this: Thou
shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.
The present fashion is to put the sec
ond commandment first. There is a
glorious emphasis in our time upon
brother love is being preached from a
wonderful array of modern pulpits, IN
many tongues understood of the com
mon people. Every Christian must
thrill with exultation over the way IN
which Gods great word is echoing
throughout the world. and reshaping
Nevertheless, that is not the first
commandment. OF this new ana noble
mood we must say as Jesus IS sac not c9 3ar
from the kingdom of God" But there
is deep need that we should put into
first place the premier commandment:
Thou shalt love the Lord thy GOD
with all thy heart. and with all thy
soul, and with all thy mind. and with
all thy strength" More humanitarian
ism is a noble fruit of the gospel, but
it is not Christianity. Religion is
more than the relation OF man to man.
1t is first of all, and essentially, a per-
sonal relationship existing between the
Individual and Jehovah. The watch
word of the evangelists "Get right with
God" is eternally true and supremely
fYnportant. Our times will be out OF
Joint until men give God first place
in all things.
Bahied and routed, the enemies of
Jesus turned away. They could not
tran him in his words. Their inqulsi-
lions caught only themselves. So they
gave up as hopeless this line of pur-
suit. Meanwhile. "the common peo-
pie heard him gladly" The vindication
of Jesus is not in the learned apollo
getics of the sages. but in the devo-
ton Of the great mass of ordinary men
and women who have proved him and
found him true.
That Old Serpent.