The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-11
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in jail was as reliable as when gov
ernor of Egypt.
The nobility of Joseph's character
is made SO attractiveIy apparent that
one feels the might of its gentleness:
BE noble; and the nobleness that
lies
In other men. sleeping but never dead
Will rise in majesty to meet thine
own
Through every web of life the dark
threads run.
Oh, why and whittier? God knows
I only know that he is good.
And that whatever may befall.
Or here or there, must be the best
that could.
Whittier.
There is cynical saying. God
gives US our relatives, but We may
choose our friends" which has an
other and better meaning than is
commonly given to it. God does
give Us our relatives; they are his
serving him and in developing our
own lives. To turn our backs upon
our relatives is to flee our duty as
truly as Jonah tried to do. They are
ours to help, and for our help Per
haps if we gave to them the courtesy,
we bestow upon strangers, We should
find them more responsive and con-
genial.
Little Brother Joseph answered
Big Brother Gains question, Am I
my brothers keeper?'
Joseph's example is not without
significance to the prosperous persons
who would forget and neglect their
poor relations The bonds of blood
were forged by God, and he does
not design that any change in estate
shall change them. Brotherhood, in
it's largest significance, is but another
name for helpfulness.
God gives that we may share. JOS
eph wisely recognized himself as
merely the divine agent in-carrying
out Gods plan for his whole family.
In all the length and breadth of
Egypt, Joseph had seen nothing quite
so beautiful as the face of his moth
er'S son, his younger brother Benja-
min. We may travel the world around
and we will find no joy or reward
SO great as the love light in the eyes
of those who shared the old home
with US.
It perhaps would be unjust to say
that the Prodigars elder brother is
a more fashionable type than Ben
jamin's elder brother, Joseph. For
arrogance, pride and selfishnesS are
still sadly common in the world.
Magnanimity, affection and beauty
are not always bestowed upon these
little ones" whom Jesus declared to
be his representatives.
A diamond is a diamond. whether
reposing in a kings diadem or hidden
is a noble character, and itself a
priceless possession, no matter in
what lot it be cast. Joseph in pris-
on was really as great as Joseph in
power.
The dreamer who forgets not his
golden dreams of youth may master
circumstances; pity those in a hard
lot who have not this spring or sus-
tenance within themselves. Joseph
was always true to his CLEAN. Even
when his flesh quivered beneath the
bound in the public slave market in
Egypt, the high blood of sensitive
princeliness mantling his cheeks, he
was still Joseph the dreamer.
Through all the subsequent years of
drudgery, dishonor and degradation,
sponsibility and elevation, he chung
to those boyhood visions which had
come to him in Canaan.
There is scarcely a day passes that
does not see the story of Joseph re-
enacted; people bowling the knee to
him who was a short time before
among those who bowed the knee.
The commercial world is full of this;
so is every other sphere of human
activity. Josephs are every day find
ing scepters of power thrust into
their hands; well for them if they
are not like some notorious made
over night millionaires, whose heads
are so turned by authority, and posi-
ton that they make public exhibition
of their unfftness. Joseph belonged
to the noble army of competents. He
won place because he knew how to
bring things to pass. He was an early
prototype of the modern young man
at the front.
Pharaoh was quite as little inter
ested as is the modern world in a
mans anecdotes, age, or appear
ance; the thing he sought was eff
cheney, and this Joseph possessed. The
ancient king, like modern society, was
willing to pay the highest price for
ability to do the hardest task sue
cessfully. Thus, by Joseph's exalta-
ton, were exalted the ideals he had
so long cherished, and the God upon