The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-05-13
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.


and Call to Service" Isaiah 6.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
IFlHE international discussion OF
reciprocity, the fortihcatioh
of the Panama Canal, the
Coronation of King-tnese
- may seem to be the import
ant and influential events OF
an age; but they are OF far less I'M
portance to history than the unseen
and unsuspecting impulses tnat are
Shaping the soul of some great MAIL
The forces that made a Napoleon
Browning, a Lincoln, a Tennysoh'
Kipling, have a far greater effect upon
the history of the human race tnan
any of the book-hlling events tnat
doomed so large in the pubic eye. me
stupendous gifts of millions OF dollats
for public objects (by men who 90
not know how else to use them) &C
tually count for less than the unher-
aided gift of himself to human welfare
by some unsupported man or woman
who is to be a great prophet OF
great deliverer. The Lesson COMMIT
tee has done well to mako this majestic
story of the self-dedication of Isaiah
the basis of a study in present-day
patriotism, or home missions.
The man who writes, an, the man
who speaks, may, If his message IS
great enough, and greatly delivered
rank above all the kings of his time.
Thus Isaiah is deservedly better known
to posterity than any of Israeps kings,
except David and Solomon. We read
that he lived in the reign of King Uz-
ziah; 1t would be a fairer record to say
that King Uzziah lived in the time OF
Isaiah; just as we may properly say
that Queen Elizabeth reigned in the
time of Shakespeare. What is a mere
king or office-holder or man of great
wealth, alongside of the prophet whose
lips have been touched by the Divine
fire? In all respect and honor to the
memory of that great peacemaker,
King Edward, we may yet admit that
posterity will probably recall his reign
as synchronising with some of the
greatest productions of Britain'S poet
of empire, Rudyard Kipling. This last
illustration is particularly appropriate
to the lesson, because of the funda-
mentally religious character of Kip
ling's message of patriotism.
The Call of the Hour.
The days papers are full Of news
concerning dreadnaughts and armies
and airships and national defense and
international alliances. But these do
not touch the vital need of the hour.
Our call is for prophet-patriots, men
who in the clear speech of the pres
emit day, will summon their fellows to
their real destiny. Our time is sadly
destitute of inspired oracles who can
pay upOAl Tue llCdA Vi lJl6 pSOPl6, the
hearts that are so quick to give forth
the divine music of noble life, under
the master touch. This sense of our
days need for fresh message is Wig
orously put by John Neihardt, in his
poem, 20 Lyric Master"
"Out of the great wise silence, brood
ing and latent so long
Burst on the world, o Master-sing !
us the big man-song!
''Have we not piled up cities, Quilted
the iron hills.
Schooled with our dream the light
ming and stream, giving them
thoughts and wills?
"Breathless We halt in our labor; |
shout US song to cheer;
Something that's swift as a saber, keen
for the mark as a spear;
Full of the echoes of battle-souls |
crying up from the dust!
Hungry we have cried to our singers |
our singers have flung US a |
crust!
"Choked with the smoke of the battle, !
staggering, weary with blows,
We cried for goblet of music; they
flung us the dew of a rose!
"Gewgaw goblets they gave US. Jew
eled and polished and fine.
And filed with the tears of a week
ling; o God! for n gourd-and |
wine
90 big wise Lyric Master, you who |
have seen US build.
Moulding the mud with our tears and !
blood into the thing we wiIled-l
"Soon shall your brooding be over. |
the dream shall be ripened. and |
then
Thunderous out of the silence-hurl |
US the song of men!"
Poets we must have, to interpret our
best selves to our best selves. and |
prophets and patriots: men with the
seer vision, who can tell us whittier we |
are tending, and why; who can "read |
the storm before it falls" that we NAV |
make the better haste CT it." as one
poet says. Politicians follow the
times; real statesmen lead them-snd |
oftener than not the statesman is a |
man outside of all public office. The |
preacher may be a statesman. fire. /
quently the newspaper editor is: the |
woman who is denied a vote is vet NOT |
denied the greater privilege of serv- |
ing her country by her deep spiritual |
insight. There will never again he an
other Joan of Arc, to go forth to bat |
tie, but we may well expect that the |
hosts of highest patriotism and human
service will be led by the song. the
vision, the summons, of women |
prophets.
This flaming message of the Pronh- |