The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-01-16

The Voice Man Hears.
The International Sunday School Les
son for January II IL: THE Call OF
Gideon."-Judg. s:11-40.
(BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.)
This mornings mail brought me a
letter that sounds like a paraphrase
Of the first part of this sixth chapter
Of the Book of Judges. The letter is
from a friend in Syria, an American.
The present war has brought upon
that land all the woes that the Mid
ianites inflicted upon Israel. Rutnless
Turks have not only robbed the people
OF their harvests and goods. in the
name of their government, but they
have even carried off foreigners. Brit
ish. French and Russian, to the m
terror. Poverty and oppression are
driving the people frantic. Even my
American friend faces want. ana
what Is more bitter, he is impotent 10
succor the need that cries daily at ms
gate. The Syrians who are aDie.
despite the present turbulence In tneir
land, to follow the international sun
day School Lessons. can read with an
understanding that is entirely impos-
sible to us in this favored lano' such
words as these from the days lesson:
"And the hand Of indian prevailed
against Israel; and because OF Mlolan
the children of Israel made them the
dens which are in the mountains, ana
go It was when Israel had sown, tnat
the Midianites came up. ana me me
Amaiekites, and the children of the
east; they came up against theHi: on
they encamped against them' anu ug
stroyed the increase OF the eartn' III
thou come INTO GAIA, and left no sus-
tenance in Israel, neither sheep. nor
OK, nor ass. For they came up WIN
their cattle and their tents; they came
in as locusts for multitude; potn tney
and their camels were without NUM-
her: and they came into the land to
destroy it. And Israel was brought
very low because of indian; and the
children of Israel cried unto Jeho-
vah.'
The new sultan of Egypt is able
to recall the days. in which, indeed
he had a part, when expressions IKE
these were visited upon the long-suf-
fering fellaheen. before the British
came into control of Egypt. At the
present moment the same hiding OF
selves and of animals and OF food IN
caves and wildernesses is going on IN
Palestine, where Turkish oppression
is making its stand.
Ere we pass to a study of the as
signed theme, let us thank Goa tndt
we live in a land of peace and Justice,
where life and property are SAFE ana
where our WOISt IllS ScCHA Va AoA~~
alongside Of the black lot of millions
perhaps quite as deserving as our
selves. IS not our very prosperity
Gods call to us to play the Gideon in
behalf Of the worlds needy?
A Mans Highest Call.
Among the Society Of Friends the
most distinctive teaching l. that OF
the Inner Voice and the Inner Light;
and the belief is one held by all great
servants of God. That God calls the
indi. idual to special service is the
browning truth about man. or all the
messages that SO come, the highest Is
that which Gideon heard. as in the Sc
clusion of the wine-press he threshed
the family grain-the call to deliv-
er ones own people. Deborah had
heard this voice: Joan of Arc heard
it: so have thous nd others who
have not counted their lives dear unto
themselves If they might be servants
of their country.
comes today before many millions of
youths to remind them that the no
blest use Of life i. to employ it brave
ly in meeting the present problems OF
ones own land. 1t seems as II this
summons were never more widely
heard and answered than now. AL
around the earth, patriots have been
GlVluS lucHlSClNCS ~ ACdOCAS hAP III SAAS
time of unrest. In China, India
Egypt, Turkey, Russia and the coun-
tries of Europe, flaming souls have
been calling upon their countrymen to
seek a nObler national life.
Any young man who in these great
days elects to remain merely COM
Portable and at ease. seeking only
pleasure and wealth for himself, is as
culpable as Gideon would have beer
had he remained out Of the storm and
stress of work for the emancipation OF
.srael from the Midianites. British
:,.uers and publicists are pouring
e'>.'rt scorn and contempt upon the
abie-bodied young Britons who refuse
to enlist in the service Of their coun-
try, preferring football and music
halls to military service. The frs,
great truth to be written concerning
Gideon Is that. while about his daily
task. he heard the call to a great duty
of patriotism, and needed it.
The Old, Old Perplexity.
Gideon's first inquiry was in my
mind as 1 talked last night on a late
train with a friend who is the execu.
tive officer of a charitable society. HI
had been attending a meeting where
in experts had fearlessly and thor
oughly discussed the problems OF TN.
employment and poverty. The :,a
mensity Of the problem. and its ap
parent hopelessless, under presen
conditions. was SO weighing upon hi
spirit that he was crying, with Gid
con, IF Jehovah is with us. why thel
has all this befallen us?" Belgium
and the other countries at war Nigh
we'll ask the same question.
Everywhere and always this ques
ton has perplexed thinking people
1t is the problem Of evil in Eden
WHY sh0uld the rod1v al,ffer1 TIL
Book Of Job deals with it, the Psalms
the prophets and the New Testamen
recur to 1t. At least this much W.
may learn from the present story
God does not want us to sit supin
and effortless. like Moslems. in tn