The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-06-26
CBY WILLIAM T. ELLIs.)


Sunday schools of the world have for
the past three months been studying a
series of lessons that have to 90 with
men and women who lived three thou
war RACES, the incidents, the charac-
tiers and the petty battles of a little
marion off in an obscure corner of the
earth have been engaging the atten-
ton of group OF people VINO are
practically conterminous with clV1ll-
cation. Not only thrones and crowns
and empires are now totterlng IN the
balance, but also an entire order OF So
cial life. Nevertheless, we flnd Tune
to think about the primitive struggle
for the crown of the loosely organized
kingdom of Israel. Saul and DaViu
have been figures of contemporaneous
interest around the whole world
Saul had been proved unfit for his
throne He had not developed
l,insly character in his ktngly Office
Feotisn1 and jealousy had uncrowned
him, as they have uncroWned many
another man since
AIR Fleming H. Revell told me
story. a few weeks ago, of how Moody
dealt with the temptation 70 Jealousy
or the accusation of it. When the
great evangelist was conducting
series of meetings In chicago, rev
Sam Jones was preaching IN Clnclh-
natl and attracting mucn attentloi;
ono ,lav Mr. Moody asked Mr.. Reveli
m go TO Cincinnati and secure sam
Jones for a week or two CT sermons
at the Moody meeting. AFTER iour
DAYS of effort. Mr.. ReveH SUCCEEDED
and Sam Jones preached in Moodys
,,iscs for about ten days. Moody sit
ting by and listening. and giving the
visitor all possible aid and support
cit was months later" Mr.. Revell
told me, that 1 learned from Moody
the reason for his invitation to Jones
There had been a popular desire on
the part of Chicago folk to near the
brilliant and unconventional southern
preacher, and even Whisper that
Moody was unwilling to let him ap-
near One day, perhaps six months
litter Jones had been in Chicago,
Moody said to me, L heard that folks
were saying that 1 was jealous OF sam
Jones. and so would not invite MN 10
my meetings. Now / don't thlnk that
was so. But l decided to take no
chances. Perhaps I did not know my
self Anyway, I said, "Old devil n
sspike that gun for you" and so L sent
Won down to Cincinnati to invite sam
I3oH 70 ,reacb from nv pulpit" Is
it any wonder that Henry Drummond
called Moody 1.-THE biggest human L
have ever metz"
That is the way to deal with po-
tential jealousy: stif1e 1t by magma
nimity. Saul harbored his mean pas
sion uctiI it came to have dominion
o1-er him Had he treated David with
royal friendliness and generosity his
avn life would have been saved from
misery and disaster.
Wearing the Crown and Deserving IL.
This old picture of an unfit man on
the throne, and a fit man in exile, is
true to life. Merit does not always
riabIy go to deserving, else all the
mighty of earth would be men of no
BILE character. Frequently the sceptre
is in the hands of a Saul. That is one
of the factors which makes our pres
ent social order so far from the ideal
Still, the old story has present
message, in that David, prosecuted
and exiled, still played the part of a
king. He could be royal off throne,
even as Saul could be ignoble and
character and conduct, and not in po-
sition. Any of us may have royal
soul, if not a royal seat. 1t is more
regal to be a David in flight than a
Saul in fury.
Since the wheel of life is ever turn
ing, Saul and David came to their
rightful destiny. We cannot deter
mine success or failure until the last
act of life is Overland it may even
be necessary to go behind the stage,
3n the great ante-room of eternity, to
know who have greatly played their
parts.
A Man Among Men.
Like Barrie's Sentimental Tom
N.Y." this David had a way" with
him. Men were drawn to him. He
won the friendship of the noblest. In
a profound sense, a man is known by
his friends. We scarcely need to know
more about David than that he was
Jonathans bosom companion. That
means more than the Staying of
Goliath.
AS we witness the procession of
characters through this quarters les
them were friends of David, the per-
sonahty. He had an allegiance which
was denied to Saul, and which mere
position never brings. There was old
Samuel who anointed and loved
him. To have won the favor of such
a good and great man was in itself
success Even the Prophet Nathan
was David's friend-so true a friend
that he dared rebuke the kings sin.
Those soldiers who fearlessly pierced
the Philistine lines and drew David
drink from the well at Bethlehem
throw a flood of light on our hero.
Abishai, who went with him into
danger. is another witness to the true
heartedness of David. Michel Abigail
and Bathsheba bear testimony to
woman's love for this man.
A Nation Finding Itself.
Precarious and fugitive was the
central shrine and capital of Israel
until DdNlo came 10 the throne LOT
which his hard and bitter experiences
had fitted him. David captured Jeru-
salem. which, from that day to this,
has never ceased to be a capital of
human hearts Only yesterday a
great convention of American Jews
shrewd, modern business men-were
thrown into a frenzy of fervor by an
orators picture of the return of the
Jews to the land and city of David
Przemysl may be captured or recap
tured, but that is a mere incident
alongside of the fate of Jerl1sa lem