The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1910-10-08

cOnQemneQ man IN IL is ne WHO idChCo
the nerve to go out into the Worlo
where men do business and there in
crease his talent. The heroes of the
story were no dreamy egoists, vast
ing their powers in self-centered lnoe-
cision.' They plunged straightway into
the thick of trade and they proved
their fidelity by their activity, vast
ing no time in disloyal contemplation
of their masters personal charcter-
istics. One of the wholesome signs
about the present day laymen's move
ment is that it does not try to make
incoming monaStics out of men of buSl-
ness. Right where they stand, If their
business be honorable, they are TO
serve the Lord Christ; and to serve
him, too by the increase of the tai
ents with which he has lowered them.
In the stress and strain and struggle OF
everyday commerce, they are to make
manhood and make money for God
The dark ages of the church We're
should withdraw from their felloW
men in order to be good. The Parable
of the Talents has a far different
| teaching.
Who Is the Greatest Man?
One day talked with leading
| American whose own career is known
, to but few of his fellow countrymen,
and he was speaking Judlclously con-
corning another American prominent
in public life. The second man, he
declared, is really not great, although
famous; for his native gifts are not
those of the worlds mighty men. L
have often thought of that judgment,
as have watched the growing power
of the one man, and his increasing
| nobleness, while the other has never
| emerged from his obScurity. Inc ques-
ton arises ''Who is the great man 2
Is it the most richly talented man, or
the one who multiplies most the tai
| ents he has? Is it he who is porn
with the brains, and into place ana op-
portunity; or he who overcomes an al
verse fate and makes his lie servant
| of his trials? History is full OF tales
| of gifted men who amounted to little
or nothing, and fuller of other men
who dared to employ to the full the
/ lesser ability which they possessed
Here is a man neither learned nor
| brilliant who reaches millions with real
messages of cheer; and over yonder
sits another who condemns him as a
| commonplace fellow - although ne
| himself makes no use of his superior
brains Which is the greater man?
The parable is defective in that 1t
docs not portray the five talent men
I who fail. 1t is not only tie one tai
| ent men who bury their treasure. Even
more striking are the many cases OF
l those born under the motto, "noDIesse
oblige," who, with spacious nePlt az
! of good name and tradition, the pest
Il training, leisure, and noble environ
rnent. Vet waste their talents. in idle
ness or futile self-pleasing. we o1ten
have pictured to US the ghastllness
of the failure of the drunkard or the
gambler: it is time that somebody
should linn in true colors the failure
j of the prosperous loafer. 1t IS MOI
the talents we are given, but the use
we make of them, that determines our
success or failure in life.
Two Successes.
Two out of three men in this story
were successes. Both stood true II
; tbaiT trust. and both doubled their tai
ents So both were rewarded In ex-
actly the same words: the one Whe
had made two talents got as much a.
the one who had made five; for they
were being rewarded Tor olLseIlce an u.
fidelity, and not for gross reeelpts
Jesus was fond of illustrating the
principles that to whom much is given
of him much will be required
It is good to see the highly lowered
man, the one with five talents, hVe u
!, to his possibilities One OF the hopi'
I sights of public life-truer, even, II
: ! Great Britain than in Americas t
a see men of wealth and culture bearing
their proper share of civic responsible
: ity. Fidelity in this duty Is the on
: justification for a class OF nob11ty. LIE
: ms remind all pessimiStS and croakers
s who delight to point out the falling
of people- that the first success of tn
story was the five talent man-th
, character who, in the hands of con
l ventional story teller, would prove tn
? heavy villain of the play.
s The other success was the two tai
Z ent man; of whom Phillips Brook
4 said, HE presents the type to whicl
= we nearly all belong the ma
s who is neither very rich nor yer
!. poor, not notable because of success
: or of defeat, the man with gifts like
t million others, the average mar
S Therefore this quiet, commonplace, un
noticed man, going his faithful wa!
t doing his duty insignificantly an
g thoroughly, winning so unobtrusivel