The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-05
(BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.)


e.. Three editors were in consultation
concerning series of character
sketches of public men. Name after
name was rejected because some one
of the three editors knew of serious
moral blemishes in the man suggested
At length one of those present ex-
claimed We'll, what do you think OF
that for a list of spotted churchmen!
Another made answer, "One of the
hardest tests of a mans own sanity
of judgment, and confidence in reli-
gion, is his ability to preserve his
faith in men and in goodness and in
God, after he has learned of the
blemiSheS of some of the men VINO
are leaders in Church and Nation
Every once in a while some Chris
tan leader is detected in shameful
sin. Even preachers occasionally fall
At once, a certain number of shallow
thinkers cry, IF that's the kind of
people that are in the Church, then
I do not want to have anything to do
with the Church" Not very logical
reasoning, that, for if it were uni
versally and rightly applied it would
drive everybody away from every or
ganization processing moral standards;
it would depopulate the ranks OF bus
mess; it would put all the fraternal
annihilate all political parties, and 1t
would do away with the institution OF
the home itself. Every one of these
is married by inconsistent and hypo-
critical members.
When the Good Go Bad.
What are we to say concerning the
moral lapses of Christian men? Ger
tainly must face the fact, and not
try to cover it up. The ecclesiastical
court that lets loose upon the COM
munity a man, be he minister or lay
man, who has been proved guilty of
crime, is worse than dishonest. Let us
at least be brave enough to refuse to
cover up a vile sore with an all
.effacing plaster, like the Chinese doc
tors of the old school. The examples
of the Bibles historical passages
should be our guide.
All such moral lapses of religious
leaders should admonish us to hu,
mility. No man or woman is beyond
danger There is no room for spirit
ual pride or self-complacency. Let
him that standeth take heed lest he
fall From the intimate circle of
ChriSt'S own companions two of his
friends fell foully on a single night
The ripest saint never outgrows the
need to pray idly, Lead us not into
temptation. but deliver us from evil
The other message to all of us
from the sins of the saints-from
David down to the latest preacher
whose wrong-doing has got his name
into todays paper-is that faith is to
any of His followers. Men stumble;
Jesus stands fast. The hottest come
short of being perfect patterns; Jesus
SnlneS IrUer the better lie is KNOWN.
His character and that of the other
men are like photograph and an
oil painting beneath a magnifying
glass. The painting shows coarse and
unlovely. mere masses of pigment;
the photograph reveals new lines, not
apparent to the naked eye They who
know Jesus best see the most beauties
in Him. Other examples become in
adequate: Jesus suffices to the end.
The long stretches of eternity will be
needed to reveal His excellencies.
The Book That Tells the Truth.
One peculiar evidence that the
Bible is an inspired book is that it
preserves life's proportions. It does
the other ancient sacred writings.
There are only two important char
acters in the Old Testament who are
not shown to have serious blen1ishes.
We are shown the bad as well as the
good, in this record of a race strug-
Cling upward toward God.
In reading a great deal of current
literature one easily gets the impress
of our popular periodicals are pass
ing through a depressing stage. They
present 1opsided view of life, ignor-
Eng the vast majority of husbands and
wives, men and women, who are true
and pure, and bravely struggling to-
ward spiritual excellence. AS I go
through the magazines from month |
to month, and read also the reviews
l.
lecture 1 once heard upon
housing. The lecturer
showed only pictures Of novels and
huts and tenement and human ken
ever seen. He did not throw
on the screen a single example of the !
sanitary, beautiful homes |
which have made the city famous
ing that lecture, might have got the
that Philadelphia IS one |
vast slum. Likewise, it is possible to |
get from the periodical press of our |
time, daily, weekly and monthly, the |
idea that human society is going to |
the dogs, and that nobody is thinking !
upon whatsoever things are true, |
things are honorable.
ever things are pure, whatsoever
things are lovely, whatsoever things
are OF good report"
Not so with the Bible. It preserves |
proportions and perspective. 1t tells |
fearlessly the story of King Davfd's |
shameful sin-and also of his spiritual |
aspirations. He is shown in his fall
a marred man, punished in soul and |
estate for his sin-and also in his
penitence and forgiveness Despite |
the moral lapse which he so bitterly |
repented, and which hung as a clank-
ing chain to his life until the end |
David was man whose dominant |
passion was yearnrng after God.
A Modern Sin i'm Olden Times.
Modern photographers can soften |
a negative so as to eradicate blemishes |
in their subject. There is no retouch-
ing the Bibles picture of Davfd's sim |
In strong, clear lines the king is
shown idle on his housetop when he |
should have been off at battle. He
saw Bathsheba, the wife of a brave |
soldier, Uriah, who was off at the |
front: and he let his eyes have free
rein. He must thereby, according to |
the dictum of Jesus, an adulterer be-
fore even he possessed the woman he |
deSired-aS truly an adulterer as the |