The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-01-27

in the Temple Luke 2:22-Ss-
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
F~IAPAN was greatly stirred
ISL last year by the appearance
Ill of some two million pilgrims
IT, from rural parts at the ded-
AS ication of new gates Tor
Buddhist Temple in kioto-
The neW-fangled city folk who nave
been taking on city ways were sur
prised by these old-fashioned couI5
try people, with the simple ways anu
UNCHANGED faith in Buddhism II was
like the sudden re-emergence OF the
Japan of half a century ago. some
what similarly, Americans have Deeh
amused at the great Holy Name pro-
cessions of the men and boys OF tne
Roman Catholic churches; and at the
huge parades of men at Sunday school
conventions The Men and Religion
Movement is planning great ma
tional demonstration to be held IN
Washington next April, for the same
This is a sort of visualizing of the
reserves The public is surprised to
find that there are so many people OF
this kind in the world. It has not i'm
agination enough to see them IN
massed as they stand, each in his own
place, all over the land, and all over
the world. The lesson of Simeon ana
Anna. which the Sunday schools study
today. is one that needs learning. here
were a man and woman, WaiullS,
watching, working in the temple 1of
the salvation of Israel Thelr nrst
concern was for the religious welfare
of their nation. All about them RACED
ecclesiastical strife, ruthless business
high politics: they went steadIasIly
on their prayerful way, seeking the
one best thing. There were many ~.
others like them in the land- %
there are today. This IS the hrsl
great lesson. God still has his seVens
of thousands. There are countess
host of people who care more TOT tne
kingdom than for aught else Ihey !
do not make so much noise ana as
play as the men who are interested
in baseball; but they bulk larger IN 4
the nations development
Two Old Folks and a Baby.
This is what newspaper editors call
"a human interest" story Stately IN
its simplicity. it has to do with two OLD
persons in the temple, unproteSSlona1
religious devOtees. and with a htLle
baby brought by its parents to ful1llI
the Mosaic rites of publication. There
is spiritual ecstacy of a high order
narrated; but it is the humanness OF
it all that first holds the reader.
The old folks were heart-hungry
and spirit-thirsty. They did not really
great spiritual longing possessed them
Their mystical desires were satisfied,
they suddenly realized, when this
chubby cooling. beautiful baby of six
W 66kS WAS DIOIS4ll B6AOlC tAAS4A4s
their Vigils and prayers bore fruit in
an instant's flash of recognition;
where others in the temple court saw
only Galilean artisan and his young
bride and their baby. these saints,
with spiritual discernment, saw the
Coming One. As the sculptor saw the
angel in the block of marble, as the
farmer saw the harvest in the seed, so,
In the helpless Indifferent infant,
these deep eyes perceived Redeem
er
The Old Mans Song.
Filters and giggles on the part of
the young sometimes greet an old
mans ardent expression of religious
fervor- I saw an aged Afghan praying
aloud one day in the Mosque of ST.
Sophia, ConstantinOple. and if ever
devotion and supplication were real,
his was. A few persons, mostly elder
~, gathered around him, but most
passed by, regarding him as curious
spectacle.
More than a dozen years ago an old
man, a country preacher from Maine,
came down to Boston to Clarendon
Street Baptist church It was a time
Of crisis for the Missionary union, and
DR.. A. ]. GordOn's church was famous
-or its missionary interest, so he nat
lrally went there to pray with fellow
disciples. He was asked to take one
IF the prayers and he prayed for an
louri The young folks were amused;
out the spiritually ripe said they had
aROnlZ6d ! .
praying. A missionary secretary was
present; and the following week told ,
he story in New York, whereupon
)ne rich AN was so moved that he
iquidated the society's debt; thus j
quickly bringing an answer to the old ;
prayer.
Such rapt and engrossed spiritual s
devotion sprang to Simeon's lips and I
lie cried. in words which millions I
lave sung as the "Nunc Dimittis.''
Now lettest thou thy servant depart. {
Lord. Y
according to thy word, in peace;
Tor mine eyes have seen thy salvation t
walton, l
Which thou has prepared before the
face of all peoples; t
| light for revelation to the Gentiles {
md the glory of thy people Israeli 5
What is involved in that beautiful I
salm, of salvation and light and
Tory. may not be amplified here:
hough it is a theme for deep study /
( leads straight out into the offices :
nd character of Jesus Christ. Wiser +
han many since who have known !
lore of the life of Jesus, Simeon per \
eived that he was first of all to be +
avior. This old world. then as now, 6
eeded not so much lIore wisdom.
lore erudition. more prosperity. but
needed salvation from its sins. and 9
ght for life's way c
The Dedicated Baby. n
While listening to Simeon's song, let n
S not overlook the occasion for it. t
nd the theme Of this lesson. Jesus d
as born a Jew; that is the fact which h
as been in the background of the a
lought of multitudes of people, as a
uring late weeks they have read in J
he newspapers of the question of Jews Il
Russia. In full fellowship and blood c
inship with the Chosen People was d
ne Son of Mary. He was born under h
le law: steadfastly he sought to full Il
n all Righteousness" In every re- n
oect he had the inheritance of a child l.
{ the covenant. II
81 after the manner of an Jewish