The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-12-09

no time for real work
Straight Talk to the Conspirators.
Worthy of being memorized is The
mighty answer of Nehemiah to all en-
| Elements, 4 am doing a great work
so that 1 cannot come down; why
| should work cease, whilst I leave it
to come down to you That is sanity
/ of judgment. He with clear eyes saw
to the heart of the purpose. Continu-
4 ance in work was better weapon fol-
| Nehemiah than any amount of plauS-
| ible speech. He went straight to the
center of the issue. The man of direct
words and straight conduct is the
safest, surest and most successful. He
cannot easily be trapped.
The three conspirators next cooked
up a charge that the Jews were build
ing the wall in order to rebel against
the Persian king. They tried to i'm
peach Nehemiah's loyalty. Now said
they will you come and talk it over
with US ?"
There are no such things done as
thou sayest, but thou hast fancied
them out of thine own heart" replied
Nehemiah. Those were 'straight-fung
words and few" spoken man-fashion.
Before that clear and direct state of
mind, the sinuosities of conspirators
falls down.
The HireIing Prophets.
Somebody has said that a few enc
mics are good for a man to keep him
mentally alert. There was no danger
of Nehemiah's becoming sleepy-headed.
He found foes in the most unexpected
quarters In the Temple, itself. a
prophet babe him flee to the sanctuary
lest his enemies slay him. Again came
the Nehemiah-like answer,@tShould
such man as fee, and who is there
that. being such as I, would go into
the Temple to save his life? I will not
go in" There was no soaring or be-
n to
pure; his object was plain; his work
was at his hand; he could not be en-
ticed or browbeaten. BY that very sug-
gestion, he knew the prophet to be a
traitor and hireling in the pay of
his enemies.
What shall we say of the preacher
who perverts his nigh office? 1 mel
one the other day at a railway station
on the border between Virginia and
Tennessee. His distinction is that he
has married more than four thousand
couples. He runs a little hotel and
meets all trains looking for possible
business in the matrim onial line. In
stead of counSelling hasty young peo-
pie, who are running away from home
to return to their senses and their fani-
lies, he exploits them for the sake of
a few miserable dollars. His conduct
has been a reproach upon the ministry
OF two states but the best the clergy I
could do to stop this abuse Is to have
the man kept away from the station |
platform where he used to solicit bust |
ness. Now he must stand on the side
walks among the hack-drivers and |
pOrters.
This is only one form of perversion !
of the most sacred of callings. There |
are ministers who loan their names to |
the brewing interests, and to shady |
financial schemes. and others who, for
the sake of personal advantage, will |
defend corrupt politicians. OF them, |
we can only say, as did Nehemiah,
that the Lord will remember them |
and deal justly with them.
Doing the Job.
Creations cry goes up on high.
From age to cheated age.
Sod send the man who does the work /
For which he draws the wage
cried Kipling. The work is the thing. |
The final test of all discussions and |
conflicts is the state of the work. The !
of Nehemiah lies in the |
'emark, land so the wall was finished |
He did the job in spite of all foes. In
that completed task, the surrounding /
nations saw the hand of God. The con- |
spirators fell back baffled. The people |
axulted in new safety and in new unity |
Nehemiah did his work. That is the |
last word concerning any mans sue
cess.