The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-12-07
(Ry wuJJAN T. ELLIS. )


CBY WILLIAM T. ELLIS0
The times seem out of joint, as
serious minded observer contemplat
many phases of our modern clFlIlza-
ton But peSsinism turns to opJIm-
ism when we come to look at society s
attitude toward the child In this one
respect, assuredly, we perceive that
the twentieth century is an alert ana
an eager pupil of the Teacher who
kept school two thousand years ago
amid the beautiful flowers and the
bIack-eyed children of Palestine. New
er since God revealed himself in the
Babe OF Bethlehem has the world
shown such Intelligent care for the
child as is witnessed today.
We hear much of the poor children
of the street, but their number is
steadily diminishing. a truer and
more representative type is that OF
the well dressed. we'll fed, well taught
boys and girls who fill the highways
of this western world 1t is a com
mon remark that the sons OF today@l
are taller than their fathers Ihelr
physical inheritance, as we'll as their
mental and social, is better than that
of the generation before them It IS
the spirit of our time that the chlIo
shall be given a chance
Gne of the wonders of this new
western world is the TRANSFORMATIONS
that is being wrought in the children
of immi grants. whose fathers ana
mothers were ignorant peasants ana
serfs A few days ago L saw a COL
Iege football team led TO brlllla s,I
is SO near the Immigrant station that |
his comrades, in the rather brutal
s.eninea'' and sswop." They accepted |
his leadership, none the less
The Great Philosophy.
New York's child welfare exhibit
is being duplicated by smaller dlSplays
all over the continent AT PhllaoeI-
13-.ia's wonderful baby saving snow
We saw the foremost doctors ana so
ciaI leaders of the city doing druoseFy
-, -F1T science
e11renics which is making such
strides, aims at nothing more than
fair chance for the child OF tornor-
row The new doctrine OF conseTNd-
4foT has swiftly been applied to the
conservation of human me, WhIch
means the saving of the chiId- 50
ciety today is frankly racing the PROF.
lem of becoming e1tIclent at us
springs ,,
to the plane of which the Worlo y
only now reaching; yet Jesus taught
II long ago His words are now pear
ing their inevitable fruit As We muse
upon this lesson, let us remember tnaI
while the famous philosophers OF an
time have been painted In various at
titudes, it is only Jesus VINO IS oeplcted
with his hand o. the head OF chlio-
He is the Teacher VINO mas set the
child in the midst
Nowadays it is as certain as the stars
in their courses that every chiId's right
10 be well born, well fed, well taught,
and to enjoy a care-free youth, IS pc
coming the supreme concern of society
These privileges are today Delng re-
Earded as the right and heEIIaSe U
every baby. The evils of child laoor'
of tenement life. of ignorant rearing,
and il-nurtured infancy, will ere many
decades be only hideous memory Inc
spirit of Jesus is warning against them.
The mind of Christ, as set forth IN TINS
present lesson, Is becoming Ine colLAAA1oIA
mind OF men
What Il Normal Success?
In the light of the strong words of
Jesus many of US are called upon to
revise our ideas Of success Is the
woman who wears the most diamonds
and the best dresses, and attends the
most brilliant functions and has her
rau1e oftenest in the society columns,
the really successful woman? Are We
TO count as having pre-en1nently
achieved that man who has the largest
bank account, IS director in most cor
porations belongs to the best CLUBS,
drives the handsomest automobiles, and
is talked about oftenest in the papers,
Specifically that is the way the world
has been thinking. 1t is time for US TO
have a serious session with ourselves
upon this subject.
The truth which becomes clear to
any thoughtful mind, although Jesus
has thrown the most light upon 1t, is
that normal success for the average
man or woman is to give large part
of his or her mature life to the rearing
of sons and daughters his Is the
greatest privilege and honor that God
ever gives to mortal More than that
the highest enjoyment to be had IN all
the world is to be found in the family
The foys that taste sweetest and last
longest are fireside joys A family of
1oxS and girls is more pleasure than a
stable full of fast horses and fine auto
,oobiIes To have ones name on the
levine lips of sons and daughters Is
better worth while than to have ones
,,or,a in the papers. They who may,
and do not, know the privilege OF hVlnS
Tor children will eventually, through .
long and lonely years, taste the ashes
Of repeutance Jesus made the service :
Of %Ee little ones the form OF life When :
= oct confused in our thinking con ,
cer1ine success. it is well to remember
tba+ STnasmuch as ye have done 1t
INTO one Of the least Of these my emil !
dren. We have done it to Me"
The Child Standard i
n1o+ chfldishness, but childlikeness, Is
united the mark of the mature soul
TseIIs makes the spirit OF the enid the
80. for citizenship in His kingdom We
80, 5iT1TI- chat the greatest are the
ior1es+ Why not away, then, with
80 -@-,T,+v modernism and sophisuca-
+fo17 Iet US get back the sincere, u-
- .,15 IVholesome life which charac-
.;e- chi1dhood Lest this seem an {
,,-e-Sfaterneut, let me quote the mighty
words of Jesus. which are the heart OF !
this lesson: 49, 5iscfn1es /
In that hour came the --1.4 ,
INTO Jesus. saving, Who then Is great
est in the kingdom OF heass - {
- .a11e5 to him a little child and SET
=, ~ +l,a midst Of them. and said
ITa-iIv saw unto you, Except you 6
80, ana become as little children, I