The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-25
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS

1918; 14:19-27.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS
America is discovering Asia. IN
| til recently the continent which is the
mother of civilizations had retreated
| into the Background of mems thinking.
| Its people had ceased to be present
factors in the problems of life A
| deafness of self-complacency and self
| isolation had fallen upon it as a pail.
| Now, almost of a sudden, within the
! present generation Asia has been
| aroused. And with equal suddenness,
| America has been awakened to some
| degree of understanding of the phe-
nomenon of the revivified Orient. 1t
| is nothing less than a discovery of the
| East by the West; and the effect upon
| the future of the western world will
be quite comparable to the effect upon
Europe of the discovery of America by
Columbus.
Whenever you think of Asia think
of potency. The largest of the five
continents has the smallest name,
but the greatest potency-a potency
agination, of industry and of thrift.
The more one muses. upon the mean
ing of Asia awake, the more impress
ed his Imagination becomes.
The yeast of the new life that is
stirring Asia has many component
parts. Trade is one. The newspa
per is another. Travel is another. The
mechanical appliances of civilization
are another. The days world spirit
is another. But the most noticeable
part of the leaven that is now at
work in the Orient is western educa
ton.
Two-thirds of the members of the
Nanking assemb bly,, the leaders of the
Chinese revolution, were openly avow-
ed Christians.
The change in China will prob
ably result in the opening of the
long sealed doors of Thibet to the
patient Christian missionaries who
have for decades been waiting on the
border making ready.
All Christendom knows that the
Christian church in Korea is an ex-
ample to the western churches in
prayer and in the endurance of per-
secution. Now that these Christians
are called upon to suffer sore trial
at the hands of Japan, they should be |
made to feel that their brethren in
all the world are in a fellowship of |
sympathy and prayer with them.
The one ominous factor in the mis-
sionary work off the East today is
Russia, a nominally Christian nation.
There is more tolerance under the
pagan governments of Asia than in !
the lands over which the car has Sc
cured control.
The reform movements in the ma
tive religions of India are all just
SO many arguments for the need of
Christianity.
Recently brought side by side in an
official conference in Japan, Christian
ity's superiority to Buddhism and
in certain essential points
has been made apparent to the most
discerning persons.
Jesus was born ir Asia; and some
day Asia is to be born again in
Christ.
SEVEN SENTENCE SERMONS.
would rather be beaten in the
right than succeed in the wrong
Garfield.
There is nothing more pitiful than
a life spent in thinking of nothing but
self-Farrar.
Today whatever may annoy
The word for me is joy,
just simple joy,
whate'er there be of sorrow
III put off till tomorrow.
And when tomorrow comes,
Why then twill be today
And joy again
John Kendrick Bangs.
X
Christian is one who does for
Christ's sake what he would not do
Mackenzie.
Other things may be seized by might
Or purchased with money but knowl-
edge is to be gained only by study