The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-04-15

The International Sunday School Les
son for April 16, "Joash, the boy
King Crowned in Judah" II Kings
II: 1-20.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
When things reach bad pass then
remember the boys. Many man
in despair over his own life, has taken
heart in the hope that his sons woulu
succeed where he had failed. 30 ~
is in the extremity of a nation; lIs
best course is not to content ltselI
with a new cabinet or certain heM
laws; it should look diligently 10 us
boys, that they may essentially I'M
prove conditions That was the way
in Judah, as our lesson shows. A1aHs
had about reached the breaking point
wicked woman was rullng, anu me
traditions which the nation held most
sacred had been thrown into the ash
heap. Then appeared from secluslon
the boy, and Judah had another
chance.
The most imperial conception that
has enriched Great Britain w1thlh
the present generation is that OF
General Baden-Powel1, who planned
the Boy Scout movement, which mas
already begun to take hold on TINS
side of the water. This is simply an
organization for strengthening the
manifest and noblest qualities in
youth, in a manner that appears 10
the juvenile mind. Some persons 90
not see beyond it's quasi military Ied-
lures; it really is nothing less imam
a far-sighted scheme of imperial de-
Tense. Only by improving the preeo
of men can the nation be improved
and the time to make men better Is
20 catch them young. Both lnese
propositions are self evident e.
there are some statesmen who thlnk
battleships and tariff schemes are
more important than plans for the
betterment of the nations youth II
IS a pity that they could not nave hau
a Boy Scout movement when youhS'
Tho proposition may be seriously ad-
vanced that the political procedure on
the part of the ancient kingdom OF
Judah outlined in this lesson, is the
wisest program for the nation today
a Bad Woman's Fell Power.
Like so many tragic stories, this
one had its beginning in an unwlse
marriage. A good king of Judah, from
short-sighted motives of policy, hao
married his son to the daughter of the
wicked and idolatrous Jezebel: when
her own son died. this mercHess anu
ambitious Athaliah had slain all the
heirs to the throne that she could dis
cover Only the baby Jeash was car
ried off secretly and hidden by the
wife of the high priest. He was kept
in the chambers of the temple, ana All
the while that Athaliah was reigning
in fancied security, and daily commit
ting worse offenses against the God OF
David and Abraham. there was grow
ing up within the very walls of the
despised temple, the power that was
to bring her to unexpected destruction
Thus is it that wicked men in public
life fail to see developing about them
tho forces destined to lay them low
iOavids line still had the slumber-
ing allegiance of all the true-hearted
people. The courtiers and the light
headed might be carried away by the
new fashions of this cruel Phoenlclan
queen, but the heart of the nation was
sound. SO, on a notable Sabbath day,
when the conspiracy which those de-
feneers of the nations integrity, (the
Temple priests), had made all things
ready. with the necessary military sup
port the sole surviving member of
David's royal line was brought forth
and crowned with full and proper GER
emonies. The surprised queen raised
the cry of treason" but she was the
real betrayer of the nation. and no
body rallied to her support. Think of
the horror of having lived such a life
that in an extremity there is no one
willing to stand by, even to the utter
most. So Athaliah perished,-
"hOpeless and abhorred,
Deep in ruin as in guilt"
The Modern Joash.
God never leaves himself without d
Joash, and usually there is a good
woman to fix the right stamp upon his
that blights society, there are scores OF
inconspicuous Jehoshebas, who are
engaged in the commonplace work Of
caring for children. No queen on &
throne is half so important as the
mothers in the homes. One brigh
woman, who has turned aside from
career to the making of a home, ha;
in her nursery the motto, mo worI
pays like mother work" When we re-
count our national blessings, let us pu
high the mothers and teachers wht
are preserving for us the rulers of to
morrow. And if there ever becomes
discernible in the national life a ten
dency to shirk motherhood and child
training. let all our ablest pens anC
voices be dedicated to the preservation
of this our greatest wealth.
Those persons who never look be
yond the days news may not have no
ticed the coincidence between the fac
that this western world has during tn
past few years been undergoing a rea
revival of patriotism and civic right
eousness and the other fact that 70
twenty years past the young people
societies of North America have dill
gently been intoxicating in the heart
OF millions of young people these Yer
ideals. What has become of the enor
NOUS output of Christian Endeavo