The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-25

The Workers and tho winners.
The International Sunday ScnooI
Lesson for July rs IL The Founos
and the Talents''-Luke 1S:Ii
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
An Industrial commission has OF
late been hearing evidence on q VIZ
range OF problems affecting work ana
wages incidentally. both employers
and workmen seem to have reJecteu
the new schemes of ''scient1nc en-
ciency' as being Improbable 10 DOLL
The head of one great corporation
clared that there is no system oI en-
cheney like having faithful employees,
each of whom is doing his best anu
expecting a lust reward for his labors.
That same man remarked, tndt
zone trouble of our times Is that
most men are thinking how they may
get rich quickly. while few are think,
ing about sheer fidelity and PERSONA
efficiency" He pointed out what the
warp and wool of our national NE
needs just now. We can get along
handsomely without any more cap
tains of industry" or high fnanciers
but lack Of the faithful doors OF hie
daily tasks spells ruin for the marion
itself. The ominOus verdict tnat tue
imam factor" has been Responsible TO.
many recent railway wrecks snoulo
set us all thinking. The present need
is the old one which Kipling voices:
"Creation's cry goes up on high,
From age to cheated age.
God send the man who does the work
For which he draws the wage
When Even Becomes Odd.
All this is gathered up in one OF
the peerless stories Of cameo clear
ness told by Jesus. He drew a pic
ture of a ruler going afar for long
time To each of ten assistants, or
agents, or stewards. or servants. ne
gave one pound (about sixteen dol
lars in present currency. They were
to trade Herewith until their master
should return, and then render him an
accounting. These men were left with
a large degree of independence and to
their own initiative.
Come to think of 1t. the parable
represents something like an expert
ment in socialism. All the men were
equal terms All had the same gen.
eral obligation. But as in every other
similar experience since the beginning
of time, the human factor prevailed.
What started even ended odd. One
man returned to his master tenfold
increase: one a fivefold increase, and
a third no increase at all.
In another place Jesus told SINH
lar story Of the three men who were
given the custody Of various sums OF
money in talents: one had five talents,
one two, and another one. The first
two doubled their capital, and the
third buried his talent In the earth.
1t was the man with the one pound
who wrapped it up in a napkin. al
though a common saying speaks OF
hiding ones talent in napkin, based
on a misrepresentation of this parable.
cta tinnC nf the
same essential principle OF fidelity and
efficiency. Like every other alert pub
Tic speaker, Jesus varied his Illus
trat:ons from time to time.
Trusting Our Helpers.
OF the ten servants to whom a
pound each had been given, two re-
ported themselves as successful. They
were a good. proportion. Seven re-
main entirely unaccounted for in the
story. Perhaps they absconded with
their pounds. The parable faithfully
mirrors life. 1t Is a rare helper who
it well. without the presence of an
Overseer's eye. An employer OF thou
sands Of men told an industrial COM
mission the other day that there are
more ten-.housand-dollar Jobs waiting
for men than are men fit for ten
thousand dollar jobs.
In this story efficiency follows faith
fulness. They who succeed are they
who are true; and they who fail are
lacking in character qualifications
expect, the same returns from all. But
to both the successful servants his ap.
probation was, well done, thou goot
servant" and each was rewarded &C
cording to his ability. If anybody gets
anything else out Of this parable thar
primary lesson in faithfulness, he
has missed the first purpose of the
telling Of the story. 1t was fidelity
always fidelity. that Jesus sought.
The Two Classes.
The man who made ten pounds wa
given the oversight OF ten cities. TIT
man who gained five pounds was ap
pointed over five cities. Those ter
men started even, but the faithful one'
had acquired capacity In service, fol
faithfulness begets fruitfulness. Their,
is no school for success equal to serv
ice.
The craven who would take NJ
chances-he was so engrossed in en-
pertaining his fears that he had NJ
time to do his masters appointed worl
wrapped his pound in a napkin and
then laid mis- nonproductiveness on hi
lord. He had been so busy thinking
about himself that he had forgotten
the one essential thing; namely, tina
he himself was worth thinking abou
only as he did his work in the world
By a strange inversion OF logic they
who think most about themselves arr
commonly the ones least worth think
ing about. 1t is the no-accounts VIII
are ever taking account Of themselves
OF course, this inefficient servant wa.
voluble with his excuses: ability t
coin excuses seems to be the one Graf
in which the ineffective excel Thi
servants failure was by no means hi
own fault, he declared. OF cours
not: the times were out of joint; tn,
social system was wrong; employer
were high haL-ded and unjust!
There you have them as they hav
existed from time immemorial, and a
they will be to the end; the two grea
classes OF men: the workers and tn
winners One class does things, an,
offers for the worlds inspection a f1n