The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-06-20

new service and new rewards. Dis
cipleship costs. but it pays.
Possibly as a caution to the disci-
pies who might begin to plume them
selves on their special merit, Jesus
| warned them MANY that are first
shall be last, and the last first" In
heavens final adjudication great sur
| prfses await. 1t may not be the dis
tinguished preacher or the famous
evangelist or the eminent philosopher
| who will be most honored in the next
world. but the unknown saint who
has bravely borne and sweetly served
for the love of the Christ
The unmistakable teaching Of Jesus
| is that this worlds currency cannot
purchase heavens rewards.
Called Up and Called Down.
Terse Comments for June FL. "Chief
Seats and How to Reach Them. -
Luke 14:7-11.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
Some men are called up to higher
posts because of conspicuous success
in lower: that is honor. Some are
called down from positions to which
they pretended, because Of unworthi-
ness: that is failure. So it is better
small In a great place.
The social satire of Jesus upon
which this topic s.. based is true to
life. 1t hits OFF the "bounder" and
the socially ambitious and all pre-
tenders. For, ultimately. everybody
is appraised at his true worth. And
the world delights to puncture the
bubbles OF false pretense. What saws
the wise Man: "A mans pride shall
bring him low" Again it is written,
Pride goeth before destruction" To
seek the chief seats at the feast IL
really to invite humiliation. And
even II found and kept, the chief seat
brings only emptiness of honor and
vanity OF desire.
1t is better to have ones merit dis
covered than to be its trumpeter.
The self-satisfied are easily pleased.
Self-consciousness is the foe Of hu-
mility. The person who is thinking
first and ever Of himself, even though
he be in the lowest seat has missed
the point OF the Masters teaching IN
this incident.
OF all the characterizations OF Je-
sus In the New Testament none is
more revealing or suggestive than the
words: Christ Jesus, who, existing
in the form Of God, counted not the
being on an equality with God q thing
to be grasped; but emptied himself.
taking the form of servant, being
made in the likeness OF men; and be-
ing found in fashion as a man, he
even unto death, yea the death OF the
cross" The old version reads that
'he made himself OF no reputation"
The ambition Of the suffering, sacri- |
ficing Christ was only to obey and
serve.
Anybody may rail at ambition. but |
when in sober, dispassionate careful |
ness we consider the subject we find |
that this frailty intrudes itself into
the most sacred occasions and places |
The high tragedy of the experience |
of our Lord with His closest friends.
the men who knew Him best, makes |
a deeper appeal than all argument |
Up at Caesarea Philippi, after Christ's |
popularity in Galilee had begun tn |
wane, Jesus took His intimates apart |
and. with a human yearning for SYM |
deepest secret-the story Of what
awaited Him at Jerusalem. This
hour is often called, THE Passion OF
the North" Did these best friends /
enter into tender sympathy with him |
Moses and Elijah had been sent from |
heaven to talk with Jesus concerning |
the cross: what of his closest disci- !
pies? They were clamoring for tbs /
best seats in His kingdom! Their I
ambition blinded them to friendships
most sacred Office. So it was also at
the Last Supper. Tho tenderness Of
sacrament that is celebrated all over
the world. But here again these
apostles sQuabbled over who should
have the place OF honor. What n
stab at the tender heart of Jesus!
So near Him. and yet 30 far from I'M
Outstanding His spirit. The record
should set every Christian to earnest
as to whether his |
pride in himself is not greater than
his love for his Lord.
God resisteth the proud. but he
gtveth grace to the humble.-James.
In Christ's school the lowest seats
are the places of honor. His instruc-
ton IL Learn of me, for I am meek
and lowly in heart"
After ALI place does not bring
peace. The king who cried, Vanity
of vanities. all is vanity" has been
echoed by the high and powerful
ever since Eminence does not satisfy
the deep cravings Of the human
heart Unless one have his springs
honor that comes from men, he can
not know the real joy Of living. An
everyday proof Of this IL the hard
lined. cynical and dissatisfied faces Of
many persons whose names are often
in the public prints
Three times in the New Testament
the word Ambition In some form
appears. and then only in the revised
version. ALL Of the instances occur
in the writings Of tho Apostle Paul
All three indicate worthy life ambi-
tfons for every Christian. The first
Romans. fifteenth chapter. twentieth
and twenty-first verses). reveals the
Apostles burning desire to have a
pioneers part in the extension IL the
kingdom: Being ambitious 30 to ,
preach tho gospel not where Christ
was already named. that might not