The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-10-09
CBY WILLIAM t. ELLIs.)

CBY WILLIAM T. ELLIS-)
There is one short phrase that is
found in the written or spoken record
of every life. 1t will DE said, sooner
or later, of every reader of these lines
That phrase is HE died" That III
evitable record cannot be escaped
But it's meaning can be enlarged, so
that the He died. of one man is as
different from the He died OF an
other man as the great marble IIlan
sion is different from the tln-can
shanty on the dump, as an lnterpre-
tation of the word house
Here we have the moving story OF a
man whose quitting of life was Wnolly
sublime Elijah had lived greatly ana
SO he died greatly. A conqueror even
in death he had a fiery chariot for a
hearse and a retinue of singing angels
who were honored by the assignment
to be his funeral cortege-
This harried, hunted, hairy ola
nrophet of the wilderness, 2 denizen
of caves and deserts, was SO neaV-
emily in heart that, when ms haru
errand on earth was over, ne swept
triumphantiy through the front door
of his real home which was heaven.
Even tho splendid escort that was sent
to bring him back home was not ms
highest honor; for when Goa want
ed messengers for the highest service
He ever asked His favorites, He chose
Elijah and Moses, storm battered ne
roes to go to the earth to comfort
His Son on the Mount OF Transrlg-
uration. And when God wanted 70
nrenare the world for that Sons ad-
vent. He sent before Him a man III
the spirit and power of Eli!ah.
Evidently the Most Highs opinion
of this prophet was d1ffere 6 one o
Jezebel. Heavens point OF view Is
not the same as earth's; and SO long
as one is popular with God, he may
afford to get along without men
praises
The Last Test of Greatness.
seIIoxu did YOU die?" That is the
ultimate test of character and faith.
A great soul cannot die lgnooly' hol
can a mean spirit pass away nlaSn1-
icently. Death is the crown ana the
nItraax of life. Only ore who had
lived as Elijah had done could come
to his end in Elijah fashion. A rev
weeks ago a New England I1iiAls :-7 =
lost his life in rescuing some glrls
from drowning; and stralghtWay
friend pointed out the beauty and ap-
nronriateness of it; he died as he nae
lived, serving people MY DIl maj
young friend Mann, OF 81. JONI. ms ~
preston on the Chinese students, pus
when. one summer day, he pIuhsee'
unhesitatingly to death In Tdln ~ :.
fort to save his comrade, ne Drousn'
his life to a sublime climax Of impress
siveness. The Chinese see that
hereafter love hath no man thah tIiis >
nat a man lay down his life for a
friend" There's nothing that eq'3als
oy Utah was one of those fortunate
ones who saw his end as it drew near
Tike Paul he could say, am now
ready to be offered, and the time ol
NV departure is at hand. L naS 5
sought a good fight, | have flnisneu
~ course, 1 have kept the faith.
How sweet the prospect of heaven
must have been to that weary olu
warrior! He went open-eyed toWdru
what Charles Frohman, as he raced
death on the Lusitania, caHeo' Liz
greatest adventure of all
&c +o his past, with the Lord
work ever uppermost in his MIND
Elijah used his last hours for tne
testing and training of MS GEAR uls-
ciple and friend, Elisha. Blessed Il
he who has a friend by MS sue lol
1ife's ultimate experiences BECAUSE
he wanted only irresistible devotion
and friendship at this hour, the Ole
man babe the younger remain at Gll,
gal while he went on to Betnel- IN
wanted, also, to spare Ellsha the pan
of parting. ., +Ii,
loving artifice, and answered instant
N. as the Lord hveth, and as my
soul liveth, 1 will not leave thse:
That is the sort of spirit that get
the great rewards. 1t cannot p'
it shrink from even the hard expert
ences George Elliot put this trutf
which our times needs, OF the ihlpor
tance of going open-eyed ana rear
less to our fate, when she sa1d:
have learned that the greatest tn1ht
81 life il TO do without opium" A
the diving Christ spurned the pain
deadening narcotics, so Elisha woul'
not shun the agony of the final part
ing from his dearest friend.
Coarse-Fingered Sympathy.
very human and familiar pictur
is shown in the narrative When Tn
sons of the prophets at Bethel cam
TO Elisha and. in clumsy and word
sympathy, tore at his heart with
ssF<nowest thou that the Lord will TAX
away thy master from thy head TO
day?" They meant well, these cruz
comforters, but they ola not unue[
stand the finer sympathy of silence
IT is not the noisiest mourners wh
suffer most
Stabbed. and writhing under thes
cruel thrusts, Elisha turned from tn
curious sensation-lovers with the cur
words, Yea, 1 know it; hold you
peace" So also at Jericho the son
of the prophets put Elisha throu
the same ordeal They mad nc
learned in their school the f1nenes
of sympathy. The art of comfort Is n
easv one. Whenever we go to a nous
of sorrow, let us remember thes
heavy-handed theologues, who wer
not vet ready for the most delicat
part of their ministry.
Even between the master and his III
innate there were few words. Tru
sympathy does not need them. w
picture these two walking over III
long journey from Gilgal to the Jol
dan at Jericho, mostly in silence. Whs
an experience for the younger man
remember, as he faced his own ne
mission.
A Token of Remembrance.
A few weeks ago there was NEE
IN in PhiIadeInhia of leaders of II