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


(BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS)
Now that 1t has become the vogue
for politicians to use the phraseoiosg
and incidents of the Bible we ~.
with new zest to one of the gree
stories full of interest suSgesllNc
ness and comfort, from the book ths'
has contributed most to human thi1Ih
ing Our Day seems to be tro- :.
time for many persons, but there -
a vision rising in the tempest; ana
this tale of how the DeliVerer a DIP
peared amid the troubled waters 10
the help of some baffied tollers n"S
greater pertinency for our own lliii0
than may at first appear.
The Leader Who Kept His Head
ITnon a slope in the northeastern
side of the little sheet of water can
ed the Sea of Galilee-a lake ollly
twelve miles long by seven wac -
is vet better known to CIVILIZATION lH0sA'
any of the seven seas-Jesus heu -,
formed one of his greatest mlraclo9.
the feeding of the 5000. Carried aMdy
by the vision of easy prosperity anu -
some one who would proVlde -
bread without work, the well hileu - 80
BILE were eager to make Him KING ~ -
popular clamor was tremendous
ovation was so real and enthusiast
that the object of it all might ea9Iiy
have thought that the Whole WI ~
had been stirred in His pehan- -
course the outcry was merely that -
a few selfish counSellOrs VINO SouSH'
their own ends more than His hohoI'
To keep His Judgment STEADY 10 pt
serve His bearings and to make 80
of His perspective, the Hero Oh on
this acclaim went off apart from peO-
ME that He might think things
through He sent off His lmmeuldte
followers and the multitude whom he
had fed. This was no time 1or NJ
man counsel; one of the great nou ,.+
had come to Jesus when the soul H1 sI-S
he alone with the Father. So we ilhu
Him apart in the mountain praying
The spectacle is one to be conteInpla-
Sed with reverent awe. The soul rises
to its sublinest heights in Its nouI
of solitude. The compassionate Chrise
in the midst of the multitude is the
Samiliar figure that is most IN our
minds, but we do not understand lIls
Alright unless we remember also tne
vision of the Christ alone in His hours
of meditation, communion and prayer
The Followers in Trouble.
One magnetic man prominent in the
public life of the United States
generation ago was thwarted In MS
highest ambitions and went to an en-
FILTERED grave because the people hdu
discovered that he was essentially SCI
fish and thought only of his own IN
terest Had he put the welfare OF
the people first his name would pro
badly have geen added to the roll OF
presidents. The true leader must
think of the people; that is his quail
fcation for leadership. We see In the
case of Jesus that no soul struggle
vas So great that he could not watch
over the affairs of His handful OF
friends who at the moment that he
was on the mountain in lofty deVotloh
we're struggling with the waves OF d
perverse sea.
high as to divert Gods interest from
individual human souls. That is the
heart ofthe Christian gospel: that is the
message born to me from this record
of the Christ who fastened from the
mountain top of prayer TO the turbulent
waters where His friends 1abored IN
fear and distress
Although it was three hours past
midnight, this boatload of fishermen
had only progressed between three anu
four miles, and that not in the direction
in which they wanted to go. They were
bound for Bethsaida and Capernaum
but contrary winds kept them out to-
ward the center Of the Lake. Their
helpIessness in these adverse waters
was real dificulty despite their sea
manship as those who best know the
water most clearly understand. The /
weary disciples needed help.
A Ghost? Or a Friend?
Sometimes it seems as if we grown |
ups have not got very far beyond the
state of mind of the children who see
ghosts in the glinting of the moonlight |
Oh their bedroom walls. Everything |
new scares us Multitudes of people are |
4ffrignted at the new ideas of brother |
hood which are arising on the political |
horizon. Even that which brings help |
alarms us. So these fishermen were
SCARED at the approaching figure which /
they glimpsed through the tempest. /
which brought hem succor over the
water. They thought it a ghost. HUI
fnanlike. they placed the gloomiest con-
gtruction upon the divine providence.
That dreaded ghost was their best |
Friend AS old as this narrative itself |
is the lesson that the providences which /
upon their approach fill us with terror
are the sendings of gracious Father.
I'VE fearful saints fresh courage take /
The clouds We so much dread
Are big with mercy and may break
In blessings on your head"
The Word of Cheer.
Above the roar of the wind ans Cle
pounding of the waves arose the hearty
hail in the familiar tones of their best
Friend. BE of good cheer; it is I; De
not afraid" That assurance allayed
the alarm of the men VINO were seeing
Ghosts and brought them comfort and !
calm. for it was the Lord of nature who
had come to their rescue. The storm
died away. hopeless of attempting to (
battle this sovereign
The first word of God unto man IS
one of cheer and comfort and not Of
terror. His messages are for strength !
and gladness. Somehow mankind has
got a perverse and evil idea of Jeho-
yah; We look upon HIM IN terror Yet
II. comes TO us not to chastise but to
comfort. Let US not do Him this wrong
OF believing only evil of God. Even in
our own tempestuous time the provi-
dences which are being wrought out by
Him who stitch in the heavens are
benefcien+ and meant only for the good