The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-08-19

The International Sunday Sehooi Les
son for August 20 Is, Jeremiah
Cast Into Prison" Jer. 81
ny WILLIAM II. ELLIS.
r-1 APPLY. there are some
things hard for the people
Of this day to understand
Al . oriental rS Sgnss9P is 1e Sds
- about dark dungeons put
few understand as they read a NlSl'
to the Mamertine prison IN 1 1919
where Paul was confined, or Ds' -,
to the lately discovered prlson "a -
Tower of Antonio, JerusalsLh' ~,
bles one to see the actuallty- ne
visitor inspects the rock he"n Pr 80
cells in the Tower OF ANTONIO an ~
they are terrible enough; put ne -
hidden 70 look down through q sHlstl
mole in the floor, and there, by tno
light of a lowered candle ne 80, ss
mat unspeakable horror, an inner
dungeon Out of the sond Ioch t .e1
been cut a small room, INTO ShlclA
liz iight of dav has never penetrated.
Noon and night are alike there. 1nsIe
fs absolutely no opening except TINS
one hole in the roof, IKE unto iotn t
ing so much as the mouth OF an ee'S.
ern well. No drains OF e1tsS , a. a.
The room. and no means OF Nentlid-
lion civilization cries aloud over tne
FIaelx hole of Calcutta; but every
oriental dungeon has such oiach
hole. .o~+
such as no menagerie would be per
United to use for wild beasts ho"a-
davs that the sensitive, tineiy tuned
and nervous old man, Jeremiah VIZ
represented the highest culture OF ms
time was thrown. Many another ser
want of Jehovah has shared SINH
lar fate before and after him. me
grim reality and brutishness OF It all
IS worth recalling, in TINS uellcate
day. when the person who Is mercy
rossiped about, or crltlclSeos VI
Sighted, is quick to call himself a
MARTYR. Let us save the big words
for worthy occasions. When man
has suffered as jeremiah SUFFERED lot
the truth. he may be permitted to re-
esrd himself as a martyr-but he
will not. He will be so engrossed in
the cause Of truth that he viii forget
to think about himself truth HsnI
may make a dungeon bright
Enemies as n Life Factor.
jeremiah found himself in prison
lpon the present occasion because ne
had made enemies His previous Ut
terance had assured him a vigorous
crop OF these who, while they might
not appear for a time, were siiehIly
awaiting their chance. You may as
well make uD your mind to it, said a
friend to a reformer who had antas-
onized great interests, that TOT the
rest of your life you are gong 20 nave
the secret enmity of organlzauOnS'
they may at times flatter and use you,
hut YOU have shown yourself an enc
my OF the gang principle IN polltlcs
and religion, and organizations are
good and patient haterS 1nat IS
mart of the cost Of speaking a mes
sage of truth which every modern
prophet should learn. Whose es-
pOuses truths cause must expect the
enmity of truths foes. sometimes ne
must be content with the conscious
a cir q
otherwise he will be Yery lonely; and
many a bitter cup win be brewed for
his lips by the relentless wage slaves
OF error.
High as is its cost the life of the
iron souled man is profitable to him.
self and to the world. What if the
world were made up of polite pur-
ring compliment exchanging. compla-
cent servants of the days FASHION
Suppose there were no martyrs on the
pages of history-no Puritans, exiled
for conscience's sake, no COvenanters
meeting on the mOors of Scotland, 10
Iuthers defying the high and mighty
Of the day? Take from this western
continent the pioneers, who, IN New
ENGLAND. Canada, Virginia, PennSyl-
vania and the new west, followed
the flaming torch of idealism and Of
LOYALTY to their hearts highest con-
Victions? Today these men and wom-
on are the meat and drink of the
they knew nothing are throng1ng TO
the light they kept burning Jeremiah
IN heaven now knows that his enc
mics and sufferings were tnconslder-
able. when seen in the light OF that
realm where truth is the unquestion-
edrlaw and glory.
The Man at the Gate.
President Eliot once said that the
peril of secret influence is one Of the
menaces Of American life. He had
some knowledge of the intricate and
powerful ramifications of that dan
gerous thing commonly called pull"
1t was this that laid Jeremiah by the
heels. He was on his way out OF the
city OF Jerusalem, upon perfectly
legitimate business. the siege having
q captain on duty at the Benjamin
gate, accused him Of being a traitor.
Now jeremiah was known to all Jeru-
salem as q great prophet and patriot,
but back of IriJah were the prince,
whose war policy he had denounced,
and who seemed to be stronger than
even the king himself. These men
cherished a grudge against jeremiah,
and this was their opportunity to ind
q plausible excuse for prosecuting
him. So to prison he was hurried,
there to undergo, with frame ema-
ciated by the rigors of the Siege, the
stencil, filth, darkness hardness and
hunger Of a dreadful dungeon Be
cause the Organization" had man,
ali unsupported, at the gate, they
scored a temporary victory over the
fearless prophet
Things looked blue for jeremiah.
He had prophesied that the Chaldeans
would conquer and burn the city. be-
cause the people would not turn to
the true God. But now news thad come
that Pharoah and his army were ad-
Vancing against the hosts Of Babylon,
who temporarily withdrew from the
wall of the city OF Jerusalem, which