The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-12-20

WI -
An Old Man's Ambition.
The international Sunday school COLES les,
AN for Dec Fl IL: The DIVISION
Of the Land" Josh. IA.
tBY WILLIAM T. ELL1s.)
Two sideNghts on our present COM
ptex social problem shine from TINS
Sld story of how the Jews dtvloeo up
the Promised Land. One affects the
basic question of property ana the
other points to individual emciency az
= solution Of difficulties. For mere we
anal our old friend. Caleb. he who
vanted to go up and win Canaan
when ten other spies were craven OF
heart and brought back reports OF
fear. Now, As years later. an olo man
past so, he fulfills the ambition OF MID
die life and conquers the NIL coon-
AZ today's slang would put the
case. It took nerve" for these Israel
ties to 60 to parcelling out the ter
ritory that was still in the possession
Of their enemies. They did not con-
troll the land: yet they allotted II, rms I'M;
dence of faith. Just 30 the Japanese
made provision for Russian prisoners
and for the care of their own wound
ed, before a single gun had been fred.
In the same way that the Israelites
made plans for the Promised Land.
having taken God at his word. so
some ripe saints speak of heaven In
the present tense. as II they had al
ready entered into possession. What
ever God promises US Ia as good as
ours already.
The Problem of Property.
Unlike a type of person known to
all of US, the Bible always faces the
hard facts of life. It does not shrink
in human nature. And the end OF the
long wandering in the wilderness pre-
scented q problem of property. the old.
old, basic question of making live
lihood. Some men would Danish this
from the Book. as an economic Ques-
ton. But religion cannot be divorced
from social problems. After even the
most mystical spiritual and ecstatic
sermon is ended, the hearers are
obliged to go home and eat. Every
normal life must be concerned with
things mundane as we'll as with things
celestial The complete gospel pro-
gram includes a new earth. Practi-
cal life and religion are one, or
neither Is anything.
A wise word has been written on
this apportionment of the Promised
Land by DR.. Charles r.. Brown, the
national council: How much it
means that the chosen people, in that
rude period of the worlds history, did
not undertake to divide up the COM
monwealth by force, the strong TAX
ing the best Of it because they were
strong, leaving the fragments to the
weak! How much 1t means that they
did not divide 1t up solely by the
power Of purchase, those who had the
longest purses taking the choicest
sites. leaving to the poor the less de-
sirable tracts! They sincerely tried.
as best they knew. to ascertain the
divine will in the matter and to di-
vide up the land according to that
ascertained will. 1t was splendid
ideal, however imperfectly they may
have worked 1t out.
God cares about this distribution
of goods which goes on. eQuitably or
inequitably, under His great eye. GOD
cares about these inequalities of con-
dition among His children. SO glarine
oftentimes as to be cruel. God cares
that the weak are here and there
thrust aside by the shrewd and the
strong, and thus defeated in the dear
est and noblest desires of their dis
appointed hearts. There is will OF
God concerning all these questions as
t. wages and hours, as to the appro-
priation of land and of mines, as to
the enjoyment Of luxury or the suffer-
ing of penury. And our own COM
monwealth will never measure up to
it's full moral dignity, 1t will never at
tain that full degree OF stable pros
perity, where each family shall 81
beneath its own vine and hg-tree, un-
til. in ways appropriate to our day
wise and good men are equally intent
upon knowing the will OF God touch
ing all these interests and OF obey
ing that will in the current oistripu'
ton of the goods Of life"
Providing for the Preacher.
The old echoes in the new today''
special interest in providing a hvint
wage and pensions for preacher'
seems like a paraphrase OF the re-
peated statements IN TINS n,ti paI af th,
I.evites. They, the priestly tribe
we're not given an allotment like tn
othera. hut were to be the special car'
Of Ali. for their ministry was TO TN
vhole people. The narratives re1ter
alton OF this point is really impress
sive. .s...,..n,,
.,,eca for the minister in society. W.
heed him more than we need an!
merchant. For his business is to Keel
olive that element Of life which lit
human society above the brute crea
ton. Any one who has studied TN
history Of the west is aware ina
among all Of the pioneers no snapinl
hand has left a deeper impress thai
that of the preacher. The problem
of securing an adequate supply OF tn
right kind of ministers. and OF main
tanning them on a proper scale to tn
end Of their days, belongs to Tn
realm of good citizenship, as well
Of religion.
The Old HERDS Plea.
49, 5&.<rih,,<ion nf the Ian
vvas under way, old Caleb. with tn
privilege of long friendship. asked
special favor Of his comrade Joshus
we may say he was exercising pull.