The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-09-05

BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
Visitors to Hampden Court. England.
recall the famous evergreen maze in
the gardens there. The stranger can
not find his way out. It Is amusing to
watch persons turning this way and
that, and forever going over the same
ground, and never really getting any
where. Outside Of the maze IL high
platform on which an official stands.
When the .sitors tire OF trying to find
their own way out OF the maze. he
shows them the clear. short path out.
That Is what most OF us are looking
for: sure clue out OF LIES perplexi-
ties. We want the master word for the
mysteries which beset US. Creeds and
PHILOSOPHERS there are in plenty. but
they only add to the plain mans con-
fusion. Who will show us the sure
route out of the maze?
Few questions are older than this,
or more natural to man. 1t was in the
mind of the scribe who, standing in
the background Of the crowd which
surrounded Jesus in the courts of the
Temple. on the last day of his public
teaching, noted that the Nazarene
spoke with a wisdom above that of the
doctors of the law. So he carried to
Jesus the races old religious question,
which was also his own. He wanted
to know mans first and highest and
clearest duty. What is the supreme
obligation resting upon mortal intel
ligence?
A sincere seeker, he got a straight
answer. In contrast to the hypocrit-
ical pettifogsers who had been trying
to ensnare Jesus, here was man
troubled in his own spirit who wanted
really to know. The maze Of paths and
bypaths into which the Law had been
divided by the theologians perplexed
him. Religion had become a matter Of
Journalism and ritual with most Of the
4F1 III Ia orh 10 a
scribe, this fresh. fearless Teacher
from the North could aid him.
A Straight Path Home.
And he did.
''Who goes a step to Christ. through
doubling dim.
Christ Coes a mile, through blazing
light, to him."
To that anxious Jew in the Temple
courts, the Master laid down a simple.
understand ,ble and workable law of
life. 1t was a religion reduced to its
ultimate simplicities. A child could
comprehend it; but all of a strong
mans powers are needed to fulfill it.
The twofold answer of Jesus, setting
forth the greatest commandments, is
portable truth, to be carried away as a
permanent possession, by every studel
OF t1lS lesson.
AS an introduction, though, Jesus
recited the magnificent first formula
of the Jewish faith, the Hebrew races
bequest to the word. concerning the
unity Of the Deity. To - in the year
1914 lis is a commonplace phrase,
almost meaningless. But in Christ's
day. as in A raham's, it was the most
radical of all religious beliefs. They,
be it remembered. were environed by
the countless gods Of heathendom.
Polytheism was the popular faith.
There were almost as many gods as
people. The conception that there is
but one God and that he is supreme
over all. and therefore worthy Of al
legiance. was the Jews religious gift
to mankind. We, who know the at
hrmations OF science concerning the
unity of nature, find it easy to believe
in the One over all; indeed. it is difi1-
cult to believe otherwise. We have to
visualize for ourselves the Old Testa-
ment background before we can
rightly understand the emphasis which
Jesus. and all of the prophets who
went before him, laid on the oneness
Of God. This truth must be postu-
lated before anything else that Christ
says can be understood.
The Twin Duties.
Four words compress the Master
great defi:ition of the supreme duty
of mortal: L. We God: love man. Look
up: look around: reach up. lift up
The house Of life has heavenward
windows and MAYNARD windows. The
two oars that propel the boat OF char
acter-either inadequate without the
other-are Love to God ana Love to
man.
The two are twins. One is incom.
plete with cut the other. What God
hath Joined together. let no man put
asunder" The danger in our day Is
goddess conception OF brotherhood:
which will neither work nor last. In
the Masters time the danger was q
which was disloyal both to God and
Imam. Each is an essential compile
nent of the other.
There is nowadays no danger that
We shall make the mistake of tie old