The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-07-17
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.


Chooses Wisdom Kings Balls.
BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
The choice that one man made,
and how that choice made him, IS
opportunity studied at time wnen
thousands of young people have fin
ished their formal education, ana
are trying to decide their life work.
An impressive fact is that most stu,
dents leave college and high sehooL
without having their vocations deter
mined. 1 am writing this lesson un-
der the trees at great students
conference, where several nunored
young men are met with this issue
paramount The occasion is impress
sive and even tragic At the chlVal-
rous age, equipped for service, th tIse
young men are eager to choose the
best. Dim1y they sense the truth
that this time of decision VIII nave
consequences not only for them
selves, but also for their IaiIlllle s.s
and to their posterity. The most
momentous fact about life is its
choices. So these students throns
conferences and classes, ana keep
wholly occupied the time OF the old1
er men who are here for individual
interviews. Solomon's problem IS
the problem of nyriads of other
young men every year
conference, Solomon made the fun
damentaI decision He elected
IAN understanding heart" or, as one
version has it, pictorially, "a near
ing heart" Given that as a basis,
ali lesser matters would naturally
settle themselves. These students
who are not certain whether they
should be farmers or preachers or
engineers or missionaries or lawyers
or Young Mems Christian association
secretaries or business men, are
called upon by their leaders first or
all to settle whether they are Will
ing to do the will of God for thelr
lives. if they can ascertain IT, AIler
they have come to the point of peing
willing to go anywhere and do any
thing that God wants of them, then
the more detailed decision as to a life
work becomes simple
Solomon's choice showed that he
already had the thing he asked for.
Wisdom is needed to choose wisdom.
A wise person pereeives that 70 PUT
life into right relationship with Goa
is the matter of supreme Importance,
That was what Solomon did, and 1t
was the fundamental decision
Choosing Long Path.
Bishop Mcdowell spoke sagel-, the
other evening by the lakeside, as the
bows were gathered at twilight in the
.sHfcwork meeting" when he Dade
them rememb II that it takes grea'
work to satisfy man through d Iohs
life What is interesting Tor year
NAV he inadequate for fifty years
Lies choice should be of that when
will not be outgrOwn easily, ana Wh!ch
has enough in it to sausLy the r5pT
of youth. Pity the people VINO nave
grown tired of their life, as chlldren
tire of toys. This safety with its
pleasures is perhaps the saddest rae,
solomon fashion when we select the
qualities and the career which Will moi
perish in the using
An old fashion, about which one
does not hear so much, nowadays, was
for parents to dedicate their ch1ldrer
IN infancy to some high calling, as the
ministry of religion. That soleml
purpose lowered over the ch1lds h1t
inparting a sense of definiteness ane
sacredness and purpose to all nj:
years. 1t spoke to youth of the su
premacy of ideals. Life has grea
goals. A child is never too young t.
get this idea of being in the Worlc
for some holy objective. The talk OF
the table should often center about the
ideals of character and service;
guiding principle is that laid doWr
BY the late William c. Russell: There
is one thing greater than making
living, and that is making life"
be met as a chance adventure Pur
pose alone prevails in true living
Choices, which make US as we MAKE
them, are inevitable along the years
Sometime, somehow, somewhere, Coz
comes to every soul and calls for
decision, which will determine tn
long path that is to be followed in tn
tourney of life. At least once in hi
experience, every young man must 81
in SolomOn'S seat.
"Our lives are songs; God writes tn
words,
And we set them to music at pleasure
And the song grows glad, or SWEEP
or sad,
AS we choose to fashion the measure
We must write the music, whateve
the song,
And if it be sad, we can make it GLAD
OR If sweet, we can make it Sweeter.
When a Man Feels Small.
Norman fishermen cry, % Goo
Thy sea is so large and my boat !
so small" Life is so great and w
are so weak. Solomon brought /
youth to the throne of great king
dom that stretched from the Euphra
whelmed by the vastness OF his obi
CATION, and cried, 81 am but littl
child: L know not how to go out c
come in" That was wholesom
task should humble every worke
Queen Victoria, according to the fs
rniliar story, cried, ST will be good,
when the officials notified her ths
she, a mere girl, was to be queen {
Great Britain. Good men feel ths
same solemn sense of unWorth1nesS {
they lead to the altar the woman the
love. A minister is in the same moo
when hands of ordination are laid Q
his head.
In Solomon's case the ascent to tn
throne was a time of spiritual exaltt
ton He was in an ecstatic mood. H
choice was made under high pressur
as most good choices are made.
took the greatness of his new oblig;
ton. and his vision of royal service,
lead him to the decision which is h
chief claim upon immortal fam
Philips Brooks once said, Count yol
highest moments your truest." Wine
ones best self speaks it is the real sci