The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-03-09

Capernaum crowd, or the multitudes
in the capital of his nation
The modern movement of men which
attempts to stir cities as a whole is in
line with the example of Jesus. The
day of parochialism is dead or dying.
Christian leaders can no longer afford
to think in terms of the single church
or egation-although the new day
will exaIt rather than diminish the real
place of the church. The Men and Re
ligion idea of city campaigns is merely
the example of Jesus at Capernaum
brought down to date. It is Christian
ity's effort to hear and answer the cry
of the city. If the Gospel today is not
able to get hearing from the city, and
to lift up the city's life, then there is
profound inadeQuacy in our preSenta-
ton of the Gospel
The Hidden Hungers.
The crowds out of sight in our mod
ern life, thrill one with fear and with
inspirati ton. Whenever there is a great
disaster, like the San Francisco fire.
there seem to appear, like rats from
the WharveS and sewers, a horde Of
ghouls, dead to all human instincts.
Where were they all the while, during
the days of the city's undisturbed con-
ventionality? What of the mob of riot
ers who stone and kill and defy the
law? What shall we say of the lynch
ers who have never had an opportunity
to commit a lynching. Equally out of
sight are the hosts of good people
the heroic IeaCts quick to respond to a
country's appeal for soldiers, the gen
erous givers to every good cause that
may be brought to their attention, the
legions who leap to respond to the call
of brotherhood.
Still other hidden hosts are those
symbolized by the sick and lame and
blind and deaf and paraIyzed and
otherwise physically needy, who are
brought to the feet of Jesus for help
The amount of illness which a city
shelters is appalling. The number Of
men and women who are suffering in
their bodies is far greater than the
thoughtleSS crowd realizes. Other and
graVer needs there are, all hidden from
the passing eye. Beaten spirits, blasted
hopes, covering fears-these throng our
city life on every hand, concealed from
the undiscerning by outward masks of
prosperity and conventiOnality The
hungry hearts all about us are indi-
Gated by the way men and women
reach out after every novel form of re-
hg1on that appears. This questing for
a new faith which disturbs so many
Christian leaders is but the inarticulate
cry for help of multitudes whose need
IS deep and real and who, though they
often know it not, are hungry for the
healing which Jesus gave to the sorely-
smitten multitudes at Capernaum.
The Helped as HeraIds.
rms is an era Of advertising, yet we
nave not improved at all upon the ex-
perlence of Jesus at Capernaum, when
the grateful recipients of his healing
touch went out and began to publish
1t much, and to spread abroad the mat
ter, 1nSomuch that Jesus could no more
openly enter into a city, but was with
out in desert places; and they came tic
him from every quarter
A familiar catch phrase expresses
the principle. we are advertised by
our loving friends There is no other
form of advertising to equal this. The
Gospel is spread by the heralding of
people who have felt it's benefits. Man
to man, the tidings have been borne
that Jesus possesses the power to heal
and help Because he has brought sal
walton and peace to a person, that per-
son is constrained to tell another, and
so the news has gone on spreading;
and SO it will continue to spread un-
til the fashion of Capernaum has ad-
Vertised the Healer and the Redeemer
to every last man in the world.