The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-18
fBY WILLIAM T. ELL1s)

(BY WILLIAM T. ELLISo
An enterprising old fellow, VINO
thinks that the world is going to enc
next October, is now giving series -.
free moving picture exhlpltlonS
the land, wherein he purports 10 SNOW
the whole scheme of things, from
chaos through creation and Caivary'
clear up to the present time.
Aside from the fact that chaos anu
creation do not lend themselves read
lily to the cinematOgraph, the loeA IS
in accordance with popular taste
Thew want the truth told in stories.
They remember history in terms OF
great men, and great men. In terms OF
specific incidt nts.
So we may take this familiar story
which is assigned for tomorrow's sun
day school lesson, as summing up the
whole mission and message OF Jesus
the scheme of salvation in an EPISODE.
The characters are Christ. the crowd
and q blind beggar by the waysioe
down in old Jericho, where death
awaited him within the week. Jesus
had the profounde-t concerns OF eter-
nifty to engross his thougnt' put e
still had an eve for the needs or every
day people.
Theosophists believe that everybody
has an aura" an impalpable person
atty which it exhales. They even give
this aura" colors. The truth wnlcn
underlies this fantastic conception IS
that everybody radiates something OF
himself. A mans reputation is real
aura, extending his personality lar
beyond what he knows. Thus the
good repute Of Jesus had gone far-
Their than ever his footsteps had wan
dered. Kings on their thrones and
beggars by the wayside had heard OF
this good man, who was a wise teacn-
er and a wonderful healer. Even poor.
lowly Bartimaeus, whose accustomed
beggar station was on the main h1gn-
way Of Jericho, had heard the wonder
tales of the works OF Jesus.
The way a mans reputation may
travel in all directions and down into
the sub-strata Of society. should give
him pause. Sometimes the truest ap-
praisal of a mans character may be
had from those who see it from the
under side. The lowly person whom
you pass day after day has an esti-
mate Of you that would perhaps exalt
or shrivel your pride. The good news
which Jesus spoke and lived was car
ried on the wings Of report in every
possible direction.
Before the Day of Asylums.
We have no PARALLEL for Bartimaeus
in our western life. The blind beggar
no longer sits by the highway. or If he
does. he is likely as not to be wealthy.
We have better means of caring for
the needy than trusting them to cas-
ual charity. Every state has its
asylums for the blind, as for other
deficients.
Poor Bartimaeus lived before the day
OF asylums. He had to fend for him.
self. His wailing, whining plea was
his only means of extracting a scant
livelihood from a world which had not
become tinged, as Is ours. with the
compassion of Christ. The horrible
misery Of the beggars of the Orient, as
they are fixed in my memory, makes
possible mental picture Of this abject
creature by the wayside.
The only asylum Of which Barti-
maeus could dream was Jesus him.
SELF. There was no other. 1t is Chris
tianity that builds refugees for human
need. So the only hope of this blind
beggar was that some day he might
come into contact with the compassion
ate Healer and Wonder-Worker
The Faith That Sees Clearly.
Churches and preachers are often ig-
nored nowadays by large sections of
the community, but Jesus always
created commotion. Wherever he
went he was talked about. Rumor
heralded his coming. Multitudes
thronged his path.
"'what means this eager, anxious
thrOng,
Which moves with busy haste
along
These wondrous gatherings day by
day?
What means this strange commo-
In accents hushed, the throng re-
ply,
Jesus Of Nazareth passeth by"
A scene" was created when Jesus
drew near the stand of this familiar
wayside beggar. The abject creature
was deliri0nc with
dreams and desires were coming true,
Before ever the Master had drawn near
him. his shrill. hysterical voice was
lifted high above the tumult: Jesus,
tnou Son of David, have mercy on mev'
Again and again, with increasing
shrillness. his cry was reiterated. In
the darkness Of his mental isolation
the poor beggar had determined that
such works as had been wrought by
Jesus could be done by none other
tnan the Messiah. Therefore he ac-
Claimed him by the familiar messia ntie
title. 1t is easy for great need to be
possessed of great faith. Bartimaeus
did not have to go to the rabbis 70
discuss questions concerning the Mes
siah. No scholarly bubbles bothered
of the destitute. That was proof
enough of his divine mission. Then as
now. simple faith saw most clearly
All the while the shrill scream. grow.
ing momentar1ly more hysterical, rose
higher and higher. The bystander.
We're becoming annoyed and scan.
oalized. They thought 1t reflected up.
on the good name of their communit,
to have the noted Stranger met by suci
commotion.
With many a shake and gestur,
and stern word they warned the beg
gar, Hold your peace!" They to1.
him that the great Teacher had n,
time for wayside beggars He wa
on his way to the great Passove
and. OF course, he was interested Il
the great buildings that Herod hat
erected to make Jericho famous Th
beggar's intrusion of his misery wa
q Earring note.
Yet SO far as Bartimaeus was con