The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-08-30
fRY WILLIAM T. ELLIs.)

in a tidal wave that is engulfing even
rne oldest of the nations of the East,
long accustomed TO dependence and
Lass distinction. In North America,
t7, renaissance OF democracy is the
dearest political and social sign of
II i timely to go back to the begin
ming of this movement which IS now
.vorld-conquerin The present SUN
5av school lesson deals with the birth
OF democracy Amid the autocracles
OF the ancient world. the Hebrews
yv-re the first self governing people.
our days study finds them drawn
IL, i'll spectacular array before Mount
sinai to learn the lesson of self gov
eminent. and the cardinal principles
thereof. There are few Old Tesla
lrlent episodes that link themselves
more oDportunely wit the mood of the
nav than this one with Israel. newly
delivered from Egypt, taking its first
lesson in national citizenship on the
plain of Sinai
Before Democracy. TheOcracy-
The very first lesson OF democracy is
TheocraCy. There must be government
oy God befor,- there can be sIlf govern
u:ent by man. len have TO learn u he
true 10 a sovereign Dicty. before they
can Be true TO one another. Father
hood comes before brotherhood. It is
not in the nature of selfish men to rise
% the heights Of dcmocracy-which i
she loftieSt conception Of government
ever entertained by mortal-unless he
has first come under the sway of divine
obedience. Man needs help from above
before he can be loyal to the sublime
UUselfi~hness which is at the root of
democracy. This new idea of a nation
was worthy to be born amid the thun-
iers OF the mount
Practical politics, and not sentiment
al piOsIty. leads US TO remind ourselves
that democracy cannot live without re-
ligion. Every form of government has |
its own peculiar dangers The menace |
of a democracy is irreverence, which |
begets selfishness. No people wholly |
dominated by materialistic ideals can |
really fulfill the democratic mission. |
This new spirit Of brotheriy self gov
eminent. and Of one for all. and all for !
each, * really a spiritual ideal The |
most direct service that anybody can |
render the state is to keep alive the |
fires ~ vital religion in the community
kipling sensed this when he cried to |
the British nation:
Hold We the faith, the faith our faith |
ers sealed US.
NNhoring not with visions over-wise !
and over-stale.
Except you pay the Lord. single heart |
and single sword
OF Your children in their bondage shall
lie ask them treble tale"
Principles Before Men.
one trouble with the Jewish exiles
vas that they leaned too heavily on
Moses. They regarded him as their de-
livercr and responsible leader. Upon
him they imposed all the cares of the
patriarch Did water fail at Rephidim? |
To Moses they carried their murnur-
uss- Was Amalek 70 be fought? To
Moses they looked for deIfverance.
IosEua might lead the fighting but il
MAS the uplifted hands OF praying
Moses that brought the victory Wen
might Moses cry in vexation. like a
mother distracted by noisy and unraa-
sonable children. What shall do with
his peopIe?-'
All this Sinai region. be it remem-
5ered, was known ground to Moses.
Here he had grazed the flocks Of his .
a tnVr-ln- w. Jethro. A touching in
loent ~ the present story Is the meet !
ng Of Moses with his father-in-Iaw. his
. lie and his two sons. a Veil is drawn
'Ver the reunion. but We have a picture ,
% Moses sitting under the tent telling
% Jethro the matchless story of how
sraeI was delivered from Pharoah's !
lraIL What privilege to have heard
nat story hot from the lips of the
,rlncipai actor in il, We do not Won
Ter that Jethro was convinced that Je-
loNah was the God above all gods. ,
NJ wise old sheik. Jethro. saw at I
nee now personal was the leadership
I Moses, and how dependent were ,
he people upon him. He pointed out
q his nlustriOus son-in-Iaw that il ,
vas lmpracticable. and inconsistent ,
I'm great leadership. for the respon- ,
1oIe mead OF everything to be bur
ened with details. Moses simply
ouid not stand this strain, anv more :
han thousands of business men since
ave been able to live under the ,
treSs OF carrying all the petty cares :
I a big business Delegated respon- :
nllity and authority is essential to :
lecessful organization. So Jethro
ounseled Moses to organize the peo- ,
i into thousands and hundreds and
tues and tens. each with its own :
ader- only the most important ques-
onS were TO be brought to Moses
imself {
overnment upon which they were :
nharking was not to be personal 1t :
ally could not be democratic If it
apended upon one man. No single in :
-VldUal IS Indispensable in a democ- .
icy- Principles come before men h
he power of government consists in
le loyalty of the great body of the
eople 10 the laws which they them I
ives have accepted. So these He -
-eWs had TO learn to govern them =
IVES by high consideration of duty
nd citizenship
staging the Great Scene.
me inauguration Of a president of 9,
IL United States is an inspiring L
'eclacle. The reason is apparent: it K
N oolizeS the Stateliness dignity and o
lportance 'of government 1t robes :,
Clsnlty and pOmp 4 historic Occa- NJ
on The glory of the nation is dimly :,
f-eeted by the greatness of an in n
igUration day. ~
This scene about Mount Sinai was
. inauguration day of theocratic
'mocracy- The people were now to "
me under the sway of the great new n,
vs. that were to be enunciated from W
r Mount y preparation time was pl
ulmanded. with three days of purifi- "
non mis- reminds US that some a
~ QUEENS would lmpart almost sc
500 mental nctit-- q =