The Detroit times., 1915-01-14
nv WILLIAM r. Ellis.

oldeon."--Jude. 6:114o.
nv WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
The mornings mail brought me
letter Is from a friend IN syria;
OF the frst part OF this sixth chap
Ter OF the Book OF Judges. In
letter IA from a friend In SYRIA al
American. The present war ma
brought upon that land all the woes
that the Midianites inflicted upoi
israel. Ruthless Turks have not oni!
robbed the people OF their, harvest'
and goods, in the name OF their gov
erument. but they have even carried
OF foreigners, British. French ahS
Russian, TO the interior Poverty
and oppression are driving the peo
ple frantic. Even my ~ America
friend faces want and what Is more
bitter. he Is impotent to- spccor tht
need that cries daily at his gate lnt
Syrians who are able, despite tht
present turbulence In their lsnu'
follow the international SUNDAY
School Lessons. can read Win an ",
dcrstanding that Is entirely llnposst
bic TO us I'm this favored land, suCn
words as these from the days lesson ;
And the hand OF INDIAN prevailed
T. against Israel: and because OF INDIAN
! the children OF Israel made. them -the
dens which ere in the. mountains, ana
the caves, and the stronghoids. And
| 50 Il was, when Israel had sown, that
the Midianites came up, and the
Amalekites, and the children or the
east: they came UP against them ,
and they encamped against them, ana
DESTROYED the Increase OF thes earth'
till thou come unto GAIA, and left no
sustenance 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 I;
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 INDIAN !;
and the children OF Israel cried unto
Jehovah"
The new sultan OF Egypt is able to
recall the days, in which, indeed; ne
had q part, when expressions ike
these were visited upon the long-suf-
fering fellaheen, before the British
came into control OF Egypt, Al the
present moment the same hiding oil
selves and OF animals and OF food III
caves and wilderness Is going on In
Palestine, where Turkish oppression
IL making its last stand.
Ere we pass TO a study OF the as
signed theme, let US thank God that
we live In land OF peace and justice,
where life and property are safe, and
where our worst ills seem bright
alongside 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
nest 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
CROW ming truth about man. OF all the
messages that SO come, the highest Is
that which Gideon heard, as in the
seclLsSon or the wine-press he
threshed the family grain-the call
TO deliver ones own people. De-
borah had heard this voice; Joan OF
Arc heard il; so ehave a thousand 9TH
ers who have not counted their lives
rear 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
blest use OF life is 10 employ II brave
ly In meeting the present problems
OF ones own land. II seems as II 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-hodied 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 It.
The Old, Old PerpIexity.
Gidson's first inquiry was in nv
mind as I talked last night on late
train with friend who Is the eKecu-
tive officer OF charitable society. He