The Topeka state journal., 1914-02-14

The Background Of . Great Novel.
The International Sunday School Les
son for February Is Is "Chrtst's Ha-
tired of Shams." Luke 1l:S7-bA.
(BY WILLIAM T. ELLIs)
The most popular novel Of the pres
ent season IL winston Churchill's The
Inside Of the Cup" The title IL taken
from words Of Jesus which are part
of the present Sunday schooi lesson.
The entire story is DESIGNED TO % an
exposition, in modern form. OF the
teachinRs of the Master - here set
forth. Whatever the defects OF the
inside Of the Cup" It IL certainly m
tended to teach one OF Chrtsts own
lessons, and in his favorite form OF =
parable. That such discussion snOuIH
be the favorite book Of the hour argues
we'll for the serious mindedness OF OUT
day Also it is a reminder that people
are getting a great deal OF their re-
NRious instruction from other than the
conventional religious sources.
The background OF the utterance, ana
the lesson story. was dinner par.y:
Then, as now. the social leaders wese e
fond OF capturing every lion tnA'
came along, be he religious icono-
clast, q picturesque socialist. Iamous
writer, or what-not. Anything to re.
iieve the ennui Of jaded folk tired OF
their own company and at tho end OF
their own resources. There was ois-
tant similarity between the motives
which led the condescending pnarsee
to invite Jesus to his table. as enteL %
tainer for his guests. and that wnicn
once prompted vacant minded society
folk to give a monkey dinner.
MANY a lion" has lost both his roar
and his teeth beneath these smother1ne
attentions. One of the commonest
fraredies of the pulpit, Of literature.
and of public life. is the attainment OF
social acceptability and popularity, AZ
the cost of the Joss of ones message.
Jesus, however, was not Oh tiis Grass;
He cared more for his own intelectuai
integrity than for the favor OF any
aristocracy While not lacking IN most
real courtesy. he would not let his cour-
age and message be obscured by any
mistaken sense Of politeness.
In the Ceremoni0us East.
This fresh spirited western world has
had the vigorous good sense not TO let
its religion become a mere Mater ts %
ceremony. There have been attempts
to fix upon certain practices-as card
playing, dancing, theater going, Tor IN
stance-as the sign and test OF goon-
ness This has failed. because Chris
tianity Is a religion OF the spirit. aho
the wholesome sanity Of the church has
recoiled from these attempts to laDei
outward forms and observances how
ever good in themselves as vital Cnrls-
tianity. We have all seen too many In
stances Of men who do none OF the
doubtful things, such as smoking, card
playing, ETC., who nevertheless show
none Of the spirit OF the gospel. 1t is
altogether possible for one to obey all
these prescriptions and yet be too mean
to live with human beings.
This sort of thing is the essence OF
pharisaism. Conformity to outward
ceremonies, as distinguished from a
religion of the spirit. begets insin-
cerity, The old Jews had added to
the forms Of the Mosaic law a bewil-
dering array Of detailed requirements.
Then, as now, the east loved a reli-
gion of ceremonial. The Koran is
full of II. Even as a Moslem may OBJ
serve the intricate ritual Of motions
and washings and prayings and fast
ings and still remain cruel, blood
thirsty, lecherous oppressor OF his feb
low men, SO the pharisee could keep
the ceremonial law, even down. to CIV
ing a 1.-THE out of the mint patch In
his back yard, and yet remain q
moral monster. And to be wholly
frank. we are not unacquainted with
the type of church officer who has
incarnated in himself the criminal
practices of "big business" who has
been in unholy alliance with corrupt
politicians, who has rented property
at high rates for evil purposes, who
has underpaid his employees and kept
child laborers under the yoke.
That Is the sort Of man whom this
rugged. truthteMing carpenter ar.
raigned openly, thereby causing socia
CONSERVATION. Every active church
worker should examine himself care
fully, in the light Of this tremendous
passage of Scripture. remembering
that the blistering Woe unto you
was addressed to the professional,
religious, and not to the outcast ant
disreputable.
The Sensational Speech.
No comments upon 1t can have thu
force and pertinency of this utteranc'
of Jesus itself. The passage will
at least interpret to some readers th'
origin of the phrase, 1.-THE Inside o
the Cup"
Now as he spake, Pharisee ask
eth him to dine with him; and h
when the Pharisee saw 1t, he mar
yelled that he had not first bathe'
himself before dinner. And the LORI
said unto him, Now ye the Pharisee
cleanse the outside of the cup an,
of the platter; but your inward par
Il full Of extortion and wickedness
Ye foolish ones, did not he that mad
the outside make the inside also? Blu
give for aims those things which ar
within; and behold, all things ar
clean unto you.
'But woe unto you Pharisee! 70
We 1.-THE mint and rue and every hert
and pass over Justice and the love Q
God: but these ought We to have done
and not to leave the other undon.
Woe unto you Pharisee! for ye Low
the chief seats in the synagogues. an
the salutations in the market places
Woe unto you! for We are az the tomb
which appear not. and the men ths
walk over them know it not.
And one of the lawyers answerin
saith unto him, Teacher. in saying thl
thou reproachest us also. And he salt
Woe unto you lawyers also! for ye loa
men with burdens grievous to be born
and ye yourselves touch not the bul
dens with one Of your fingers. We
unto you! for We build the tombs of tn
prophets, and your fathers killed then