The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-08-29
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.


Every close reader of history, wheth-
err IL be written in books or In the daily
newspaper, has been struck by the
pitiableness of the spectacle OF the OPP
position which great statesmen ana
leaders have met that was not sincere
and disinterested. 1t interposed parti-
san. personal and petty objections to
public programs. merely to harass
foe. The trick is one OF the Oldest and
most modern in public affairs; and 1t
is still as contemplate as it was when
the shrewd politicians of Jesus day
used it in an attempt to confound and
discredit him.
The crafty bosses of the Pharisee
party sent their underlings to the
Teacher for whose feet they were lay
ing snares of death with a set of ques-
tions. In truth, so eager were these
hounds in pursuit of the Quarry that
the Pharisee pack Joined numbers with
the Herodian pack; although, except
when some great common hunt IKE
the present was afoot, these two packs
howled at each other and fought at
every meeting. But every crime re-
quires compromise; and il the NaZar-
enc was to be caught, both Pharisees
and Herodians had to swallow their
scruples against each other. The pres
ent war in Europe illustrates how
common foe makes strange bedfellows.
The hostile questions-so smooth, so
so rcnslOuS, So appropriate
which these emiSsaries prOpOunded to
Jesus-were not sincere. An honest
doubter. beset by perplexities, has
sympathy in heaven; but q crafty, pet
tifogging, insincere twister Of truth has
fellowship only with the lower regions.
These false seekers after light were
children of darkness. Their ends were
evil. and they deserved the opp-obrium
which the gentle Galilean heaped upon
them.
diplomacy" or Plain Living?
Displaying all the outward sig-s
the Teacher. saying. Master, we
know that lou art true. and teachest
the way of God in truth, and carest
not for any man: for thou regardest
not the person of any man.
Tell therefore, What thinkest
thou? Is it lawful to give tribute to
Caesar or not?''
Sometimes that sort of thing is
called diplomacy" or "jollying," or
tact" but in the vocabulary of truth
ing what they did not believe, and
saying it for low. selfish purpose.
How they must r. We jumped-and
how we would jump, too II our du-
plicity were Uncovered with the same
directness and candOr-when Jesus,
in the straight-fiung words of the
fearless and sincere soul. came back
at the obsequious questioners on the
instant with, I'VE hypocrites!"
That was victory number one: a
blow from truth that sent the pre-
tenders staggering. Nothing is so
hard to stand as the plain word of in
tegrity. Truth triumphs. That Is why
the so-called "shirt-sleeves diplomacy
of America. which means telling the
simple truth, has won such notable
achievements in recent information
alism.
\ Great Answer to a Clever Question.
OF course, the question was poser.
Not in vain had the shrewdest law
yers of Jerusalem framed it. If Jesus
said. categorically, Pay tribute to
Caesar" all the Jewish patriots would
I'm against him; that great multi
tude of followers whom his enemies
feared. If. on the other hand, he bade
the people refuse tribute to Caesar,
then Rome would make short shift OF
him. as a rebel and a traitor.
An object-teacher and a picture
teacher to the last, Jesus asked his
questioners to show him a denarius.
They procured the familiar small
coin. worth about IS cents. Again
Jesus spoke: "Whose is this image
and superscription?
Caesars"
Render therefore unto Caesar the
things that are Caesars. and unto God
the things that are Gods"
Silence. Crestfallen looks. A con-
fused retreat while the crowd grinned.
The sharp lawyers had been caught in
their own trap. The ruse had failed.
BY lifting up his answer to the plane
of great principle. and illustrating
1t. Jesus had put the case where even
these hair-splitters could not gain
say it.
Defining Our Loyalties.
Everybody is a debtor. We speak
nj TIM vino
when we mean observing the petty
punc.ilios of cards and calls and din
ners and receptions Our real social
obligations are vastly larger. They in
volve the paying of our debts to our
fellowmen. in orga nized society. in the
state, and in the Individual contacts
Of life. These square perfectly with
the larger 10y lilies to God and to his