The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-13
(BY WILLIAM T. ELLIs)

war maps of the most interesting field
OF conflict today are found in the
packs of our Bibles. The day-by-day
tldIngs turn our thoughts back to the
earlier stories of the battles over this
same war-torn soil, and we are fresh
~ reminded, in the light of the daily
news, that cruelty and slaughter still
are concomitants of war, as ever in
DAY school lesson is a war story that
gains new interest when read along
side of the latest cablegrams.
1t is a story of great outrage. a
great hero. Like the recent dis
patches from Suez and Sinai, it de-
ponds upon an understanding of the
iCcal geography for an intelligent in
terest. Most of the children of
Israel, it will be remembered,
lived between the Mediterranean on
the west and the Jordan river on the
east in what we now technically call
Palestine. Three tribes, however,
had been given territory east of the
Jordan toward the Arabian desert, on
the fertile highlands which are to this
day the best soil in the Holy Land
The region has always been turbu-
lent, however, and when 1 passed
through it the Turkish army was en-
camped there, subduing uprising
OF the Druses. Here in the territory
OF Cad was the city of Jabesh-Gilead.
Atrocities Are Old-FashiOned.
Ever lowering on the edge of the
1sraelitish communities east of the
Jordan were the Ammonites, a great
and war-like people, of whom we
learn from both the Old Testament
and from the Babylonian monuments.
AT this time they had powerful rul
er named NahaSh, who had beSieged
Jabesh-Gilead and had forced it to
seek terms of surrender. The hunger,
wounds and disease of the besieged
were not greatly different from what
usually accompany a successful siege.
The answer that was returned by
Nahash, when the Israelites sued for
peace, was truly oriental, displaying
that cruelty which usually camps with
armies. A blood lust seems to thrive
in war. The ffendish proposal of Ma
hash was that he would spare the
city, provided every man would come
forward and have his right eye put
out. This scheme would mean a per-
petual jibe at the Israelites. In ad-
dition to being a cruel and inhuman
punishment. it was a constant humil-
iation to the pride of the people
The tyranny of it becomes greater
when we consider the helplessness of
the people. They were at the end of
more. The mercy of their conquerors
was their only hope. When the ulti-
matum was received they asked for
ten days respite, and this the con-
querorS granted, for it merely pro-
1onged the sufferings of their victim
They were sure of their prey, and they
could watch the agonized waiting as
cruel boy enjoys the squirming of
an impaled worm. Can you not hear
the hysterica1 lamentations of the
weaklings over their impending fate,
and see the grim faces of the strong
who were determined to undergo the
worst like men? The wailing of the
women and the nervous agony of the
waiting, remind us of the Belgians
who wait for the succor of the world:
and of the besieged at Lucknow.
A Chance for Hero.
The tale is almost contemporary
Gilean to Israel, the greater part of
the people received the news with
weeping and with wringing of hands
They substituted sorrow for service.
Most of us probably are to be CLASH
fled with the futile folk who stand
on a river bank and wave our hands
toolishly while man browns before
our eyes The record says "All the
people lifted up their voice, and
Wept."
There was one man who spent no
time in idle weeping. Occasions re-
veal heroes. When the great hour
strikes, the man comes to his own.
Commonplace and beyond notice on
the day before their great deeds was
the man who rode on horseback be-
fore the Johnstown flood warning
the people to flee to the hills; and
the girl who staid by her telephone
when the building was on fire; and
the fisherman who rescued the ship
wrecked in the storm These oppor-
tunitieS did not make heroes, they
merely released heroism that had all
along been latent. Instant reaction
to present need is the one sign of a
hero.
Such was Saul, who quickly took
definite measures for the help of the
imperil1ed Israelites in Jabesh-G ilead
Here we find Saul at his greatest
height.
Hot and Holy Anger.
Amid the helpless weeping of the
mass, up rose this one man quick to
do. And the spirit of God came
nightly upon Saul when he heard
these words and his anger was kim
died greatly
Does that sound strange? Is not
the Spirit of God a CONSIDER, the One
N Wop s meiPs rhe comfo Tu Which bii1 IS
His title in the New Testament, means
Strengthened. The Spirit of God is
power for striving, as well solace
in suffering. For some churches the
surest sign of baptism of the Holy
Spirit would be for them to get into
action and clean up their own mem
bership rolls and their neighborhood
conditions and their local politics.
1t is high praise for Saul that he
had a capacity for hot and holy in
dignation. Surely the righteous God
had no pleasure in the tepid and col
orless spirits who never resent in
justice and oppression, and do not
flame with righteous anger against
wrong-doing. Neither God nor man
can get much help from the torpid
souls who simply endure injustice.
Would that we could write of every
church member, THE spirit of God
came nightly upon John Doe and
his anger was kindled greatly" Then
we should see flaming victories for
the Church Christ.
The Bloody Summons.
Instant action followed SauFs in
tense purpose. He took a yoke of
oxen and cut them in pieces and sent
them throughout all the borders of
Israel by the hands of messengers,
saving. whatsoever cOmeth not forth