The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-07-20

stage coach. In the wireless telegraph
and in the discovery of the North Pole
| they see signs of the swift coming OF
the kingdom. They have no patience,
| they cannot understand any other time
than the present day; their sense Of
proportions is lacking. Every commo-
/ ton among the nations in our own
| time is to them an evidence that the
fulness of all times has come. These
! need to remember the parable of the
mustard seed. The kingdoms coming
| is a growth. The seed that germ1na-
/ ted so wonderfully in the first centur-
les has been steadily doing its work,
but not yet is its growth accomplish
e6-
In the second place there is the
Needless crowd who are really not
watching for the Kingdoms coming
They see no growth and are not per-
turbed by any apparent declension:
To them religion is an unreal sort OF
fairy realm to be taken on some
body'S say so. They are not among
those who are watching. To them
might come anew the Masters word,
Can We not discern the signs of the
times?'
The third company are the pessi-
mists, who are sure that the Kingdom
is having sorry times of 1t, and that
the prince of the powers of this world
is having things all his own way They
are sure that the world is growing
tie souls enjoy is that they themselves
are a saving salt in the midst OF so
much wickedness. There is no rain
bow in their sky. All the signs that
come to them are interpreted as
tokens of defeat. These, too, need the
parable of the kingdom that grows
greater and offers shelter for many
creatures. They especially need to
observe more closely things in the
large.
Signs of Promise
Why did Jesus tell this story, any
how? What was the first purpose OF
the parable? Was it not to hearten
His friends, who would have many
reasons for disbursement, with the
conviction that the kingdom, to which
they had given their lives was a con
quering kingdom. At the base OF the
parable is a note of assurance. The
kingdom of heaven is coming. Let us
get that conviction into the ground
work of all our thinking, and we shall
see its fulfllment on every hand Who
so looks at life in its relationships and
with a wide horizon, knowing some
what of other centuries than his own,
viii observe signs of promise every |
where.
It NAV he recommended for the re- |
iigious pessimist that he study the |
growth of Christianity in the colleges
of our time-the thousands of Bible |
classes maintained by the students |
their work for the needy, |
and their foreign missionary activity.
Observe the growth of Christian |
sentiment and the progress of the |
ideals of Jesus in the realm of inter
What is the peace prop
uganda of our time but an echo of
the teachings of Christ? How may
we explain the new altruism of ma
for instance, has pre-
served the integrity of China,-eX-
eept by recognition of the growth of !
the kingdom of Christ?
Closer at hand, watch the work of
he agencies of relief in our time,
and the widespread charitable organi-
cations which minister to all forms of
human need.
Behold the spread of the brother
mood idea throughout the whole
world, so that the brotherhood move
nent in Canada and Great Britain
embodies a sentiment which more or
ess tangibly may be traced over the
whole earth.
Then, most definitely, keep count
IF the immense array of earnest
Christians at work in all nations.
What means these summer Christian
conferences that dot the continent?
How explain the great gatherings of
Christian men? The kingdom of
heaven is coming. He who sees it
lot is like the men described by the
apostle Peter, Blind, seeing only that
which is near"