The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-10-05


| Herewith content. 1 Timothy VI IS.
| This was some of the advice of the
wise Paul in the first of his remark
able letters to his assistant and COM
panion, Timothy 1t was pretty good
advice to give to the people of those
ancient days. And it is just as ex-
| cellent advice for the people of to-
day, the world over, although most
| of them would be sure to turn up
their noses at it. There is no need
for its acceptance literally. Conditions
are far from being the same on this
earth that they were when Paul lived.
He probably had no conception that
civilization would make such tremend-
Gus progress along material lines. Lit
tie did he imagine that the inventive
ness and industry of man would place
within the reach of the great mass
of humanity countless advantages that
would have been considered marvels OF
luxury for the enormously rich of
his era.
Interpreted generally, though, the
words of Paul, quoted above, express
as clearly as they do concisely the
doctrine of the simple life, that is just
as essential for the people of today as
it was for the people of his time
There would be no grave economic and
social problems pressing for solution
today in this and other nations, If
the people, from PauTs time on, had
shown a disposition to follow his adj
vice and lived comfortably and simply
And the solution of most of these
problems will never be brought about
iS a decided
return to simpler ways of living on |
the part of the major portion of the |
human race.
1t is trite but nonetheless true that |
the high cost of living, which calls |
forth so much criticism these days, is |
often confused with the cost of high
living 1t may be possible for gov
ernmentaI agencies in this and other
lands so to regulate the productlon'
the distribution and the sale of all the
necessaries of life that the prices now
asked for them will be lowered ma
+eriallv. without at the same time re-
ducing the reasonable wages of labor
and the earnings of the producer
this is an exceedingly m
tricate and delicate problem. And the
wise men who bend their wits TO 1t
NAV find out after a series Oh ols-
costly experiments that
there is no solution possible other imam
that now in operation through the nat
,raI laws of production and trade
Rut even if there could be an arDl-
trarv reduction in the cost OF living
that would be eminently fair to every
one concerned, there would st1n De the
cost of high living to battle against
And this is a fight in which every III
5ividual must engage alone
High living is no more than an a.
-empt to crafty the selfish yearnlnes
FOR the countless things that are not
needed for the enjoyment of life to us
,,,u IF more people see their way
clear to be content with the Things I
hat are within reason for the proper
,rdering and conduct of their lives
md which are easily within their grasp,
MANY of the vexed problems now con-
fronting society would disappear as IL
by magic.
There is nothing that smacks OF
or syndicalism in the
,imDle life. 1t is antagonistic in no |
vay to a righteous individualism, which I
permits every man to obtain as much
,r as little as his abilities and indus
nv entitle him to. Its dictates merely {
lirect all classes of people to cease
heir mad strivings for the things just
| trife beyond their reach. The gilt
er of gold and the things it will buy
ire attractive. indeed. But are they
worth while? st. Paul did not think
10 and for the very good reasons that i
lie expressed in these words: f
But they that will be rich fall into
emptation and a snare, and into many /
oolish and hurtful lusts, which drown
men in destruction and perdition." 6