The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-07-11

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Looking Death in the Eye.
The international Sunday School Les.
son for July u Is ,o's1 sea'n
Through Service" MARX AV''A-''
fBY WILLIAM T. ELLIs.) .,.
Barrie's great story. Tne nt the
Minister.'' reaches its climax wnSn
pastor OF the Aud LIGHT cnuIcn,
sailed by an Infatuated consles.v,tiv
battled with a flood which appa ho,,r
means inevitable death. In tn,s ..,,tn
he Ma we'd the man so splendidly Win
No Thought OF fear or Of self. put on.y
Of his work, Of his loyalties ana o. m. :
love thai the tide of sentiment wac
comnletely turned. The highest neroe
isr, shows itself in the pres@ ea ns HE
clearly perceived sr,e. a Of memory hold
AZ treasures the pictures OF the oI H.
men aboard the Titanic who oaeo Az, Mne
gentlemen, rather than seek me a
cravens. And now we come a,1
picture of the greatest hero u go
ioolxinx without blinking into the eSe0
Of near death. vesus and
The nriestly and Pharisaic party na
been Joined at the grave OF 100 .Iv
The victory. humanity speaking. cic" -.
Law with his enemies. Tnere cou ~
only one result. He was 49, III. ne
Lra,s thai he must suffer ana ole ~
ivrominv. The cross was n1eo On IL
retir. ~ the soul of Jesus near TN
describe what lay before dim' -.
hold we go up to Jerusalem: anu AZ AZ
Son of man shall be delivered ull.o 80.
ZEN ri. mon him. and shall scourse
him. and shall kill him; and after tnree
days he shall rise again.
striking False Note.
That is the background OF TINS les
.on II lends meaning to the incidents
which the Sunday schools are ~"
studying. The latter can De ulue
stood only in the light OF tneir ss, 70
The words are those OF man aDoun -
die The parting counsel is the exa,ler
ndmonition of a Friend and Ieacnel
who was more than a. father TO tne
gro,n about him. The scene was as
sacred as a death chamber. Inc
mosphere was surchargeu VIZ In
shirt of the approaching Tragedy. -
this hour, if ever, any little souls might
he expected to rise above petty inter
ests. To 'ntrrde trivial or lgnonle
themes into this occasion, Wouio DC .Ae
talking millinery over motnei ole.
Nevertheless, the opportunity was
.eized nv the nearest disciples of Jesus
to gain honors for themselves. here
again. and in the other most sacred
hours of the Masters life, ampltaoiI
thrust its ugly head forward. me
disciples who should nave oeen .ne
Of his passion were using this hour 10
assure their own future POSITIONS.
Whatever the nature of the Kingdom
that the Lord meant to found, they
wanted the chief seats.
The Politicians Petition.
Shortly before President Wilson's
election. a well-known politician tolo
me that he was an applicant 1or an
office under the administration, ana
when 1 asked him concerning the par
ticular post, he said, well. anything
from a place in the cabinet to pc.
sition in the internal revenue service.
The man saw no absurdity in his
statement. He thought he was fitted
for the highest post. His ambitions
outran his ability. He did not realize
what he asked. In like manner these
disciples, James and John. made
preposterous request of their Master.
Selfish interests had blinded their
1udgment-as it commonly does.
What they asked was nothing less than
this: Grant unto us that we may sit,
one on Thy right hand and one on
Thy left hand in Thy glory"
Amusement at this vaulting ambi-
ton is obscured by the thought OF
how slight was the real understanding
of the character and work of theiI
Teacher and Friend with whom these
men had companied intimately fol
three years. This astounding request
makes clear that they had not Tor
moment really apprehended the nature
OF their Lord and his mission. All hi
efforts to enlighten them had faller
upon closed and carnal ears. Fol
what James and John asked entered
into the very councils Of eternity and
sought to overlap the plans Of the In
finite.
Had blistering and excoriatint
words of rebuke fallen from the lip
of the Leader, we would feel that jus
tice was being done. Yet with con
alteration and compassion, as a paren
children, Jesus said gently. "Ye know
not what We ask. Are We able to drini
the cup that / drink? or to be hap
tised with the baptism that am bap
tieed WITH, And they said unto him
We are able. And Jesus said unit
drink; and with the baptism that
am baptized withal shall We be bap
tised: but to sit on my right hand O
on my left hand IL not mine to give
but it is for them for whom it hail
been prepared"
= The two did not comprehend at al
what they were about, much less wha
Jesus designed. my thoughts ar
not your thought. neither are you
ways my ways" Our place In this III
and In the next is not the one 70
which we ask. but the one for which
we are fitted.
A Split IN the Ranks.
Carranxa AID Villa down in Mexico
have been separated by rivalries. Pc
Utica. parties have been torn asunde
nv Individual ambitions. The tenn
perance reform presents a divided
front for the same reason. This ten
dencx il as old as human nature.
threatened the little group of twelv
followers Of Jesus. When the tel
learned OF the secret ambition an
scheme Of the two. they were in
censed. Their silent discomfort owe