The Detroit times., 1915-01-14
eY WILLIAM 7. ELLIS.


eY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
ghe mornings mail brought me
letter Is from a friend In Syria, an
OF the frst part OF this sixth chap
Ter OF the Book of Judges. Inc
letter IA from a friend In SYRIA an
American. The present war mas
brought upon that land all the woes
that the Midianites inflicted upon
Israel.s Ruthless Turks have not ohly
robbed the people OF their harVests
and goods, in the name or their gov,
eminent, but theyhave even carried
OF foreigners, British, French ana
Russian, 10 the interior. Poverty
and oppression are driving the peo-
ple frantic. Even my, American
friend faces want. and what is more
bitter, he Is impotent TO succor the
need that cries daily at his gate Inc
Syrians who arsr able, despite me
praeent turbulence In their land 70
follow the International Sunday
School Lessons, can read with an un-
dorstanding that Is entirely impossf
BILE to US In this favored land, such
words as these from the days lesson. !.
sAnd the hand OF indian prevailed
the children or Israel made them the
deus which are In thesmountains, ana
the caves, and the strUn gholds. And
80 Il was, when Israel had soWn' lial
the Midianites came up, ana Ihe
Analekites, and the children OF the
east; they came up against them
and they encamped against them ana
ddgtroyed the increase OF the eartn'
tin thou come unto GAIA, and lelt no
sugtenance In Israel, neither sheep'
nor OK, nor ass. For they came up
with their cattle and their tents; they
came In as locusts for multltude;
both they and their camels were Win
out number; and they came into the
land to destroy It. And Israel was
brought very low because OF Midian
and the children OF Israel cried unto
Jehovah"
The new sultan OF Egypt is able to
recall the days, in which, indeed, he
had q part, when expressions like
thesc were visited upon the long-suf-
feEing 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 wilderness is going on In
Palestine, where Turkish oppression
is making its last stand,
Ere we pass TO study Of the as
siened theme, let US thank God that
we live IN q land Of peace and justice,
where life and property are safe, and
where our worst ills seem bright
along gside 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 Is 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
individual to special service Is the
crowning truth about man. or all the
messages that SO come, the highest is
than which Gideon heard, as in the
seclusion Of the wtne-press he
thteshed the family grain--the call
to- deliver ones, own people. De-
borah had heard this voice; Joan OF
Arc heard IL; so have a thousand 9TH
ers who have not counted their lives
Tear unto themselves IL they might
be servants Of their country.
Most opportunely. Gideon's story
comes today before many millions OF
youths, to remind them that the no
bIest use of life Is to employ II brave
ly1 In meeting the present problems
of ones own land. II seems as IL this
summons were never more widely
heard and answered than now. All
around the earth, patriots have been
giving themselves to leadership In
this 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 q 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 been
had he remained out Of the storm and
stress OF work for the emancipation
OF Israel from the Midianites. Brit
ish papers and publicists are pouring
forth scorn and contempt upon the
able-bodied young Britons who refuse
to enlist in the service OF their coun-
try, preferring football and music
halls to military service. The first
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 II.
The Old, Old PerpIexIty.
Gideon's first inquiry was In my
mind az I talked last night on a late
train with friend who is the eKecu-
tive ofacer Of a charitable society. He
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NnuIEc IN CuITDNu