The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-17
International
Sunday School Lesson

For March 10, is philip and the
Ethiopian. Acts S:26-40.
When Brand Became a Beacon.
Boys who like war stories viii find
| themselves introduced to the most
wonderful battle front of the present
| conflict by this Sunday school lesson.
The episode of Deacon Philip and the
Ethiopian eunich. one of the familiar
| incidents of the Bible, had its setting
on desert near GAIA, a spot now
alive with all the activity and con-
| fusion and tumult of military en-
! campment.
At the time of our lesson story it
was an uncultivated solitude, where
quiet and leisurely religious discus
sion between wayfarers seemed most
appropriate; now that same territory
is overrun with Ottoman troops and
| their German leaders.
The scream and toot and putting
Of locomotives, and the rattle of
troop trains over the new railroad
that has been built down through
this lower end of Palestine to Beer
sheba, may be heard today where the
Ethiopian eunuch's camel stepped
softly and quietly two thousand wears
ago. All the indescribable confusion
I of q military camp fills the scene at
| the present time. The Turkish troops
are careful not to get too near to the
site of old GAIA itself; for it is on the
the warships of the Allies to be COM
Portable. In outward appearance the
present hordes of troops, and the
| preparation for the widely heralded
attack on Suez, seem to blot out all
such memories as this and the other
great Bible stories that were staged on
this very spot
Is it too much to say that what
ever the outcome of the present plans
for the Egyptian invasion, and what
1 n 70
about, when contraSted with the sin
| gle interview between one Christian
iayman and a negro inquirer. the lat
ter has had a much greater effect
upon the thinking and actions of man.
kind?
This bit of personal work by
Philip on the desert marked the be-
ginning of Christian missions TO the
from the fire at Jerusalem that was
being scattered by persecution over
the whole earth.
An Old City's New Life.
Occasionally nowadays we read in
| the newspapers the name NabluS:
this is the modern title of ancient
Schechem, a Samaritan city a few
miles below old Samaria itself. Nab
LUIS is today great military depot
and railroad center, a point of con
centration for the Ottoman troops.
A few miles above it, on a hill. are
| lne ruins OF the Ola CITY OF Samarla.
where the psychologists from Har-
ward few years ago dug up the
ruins of Ahab's palace. Now the
neighborhood is so thronged with the
excitement of war that few of the
Christians of the Central Powers
who pass Samaria on the new rail
road recall that it was hither that
Philip carried the Gospel from Jeru
salem.
This was foreign missions quite at
hO hoo
| had no dealings with the Samaritans.
Philips work in Samaria had wrought
such results that even Simon the most
outstanding popular leader of the city
was among those who followed the
/ crowds to hear Philip, and who. too,
ly Simon was converted all but his
pocketbook; for he coveted spiritual
gifts for a pecuniary gain to himself
There in old Samaria, by the help
| of the apostles of Peter and John, the
| big issue of money-making in religion
was fought to conclusion. The avar-
icious spirit of Simon was broken to
contrition, and he and the people were
turned toward the pure and simple
new life of the disciples of the Cru
Gifted.
The First I.aymen's Movement.
AS the embers of a fire are scat
tered by the blows meant to extinguish
7 them, so Philip, like a Gospel brand
had become a beacon to the Samari-
tanS. He might be called the first ex-
ample of the deputation work by lay
men that is increasingly popular
throughout the land. Or, we may say
that Philip inaugurated the first Lay
mems Movement.
He did a great work in Samaria-
and was the center of a real revival
Things were succeeding for him Ap-
! parently he had found the very place
where he could do the best work
Then suddenly the summons came for
him to follow the main highway out
! across the desert to GAIA.
I said, Let me walk in the fields
He said, No, walk in the town.
Z | said, There are no flowers there
He said, No flowers. but crown
81 said 4 shall miss the light.
And friends will miss me. they say
/ He answered Choose tonight
If 1 am to miss you or they
Il pleaded for time to be given.
He said. Is it hard to decide?
1t will not seem hard in heaven
To have followed the steps of your
guide "
Leaving the Big for the Little.
This summons seemed incredible.
What, Leave the big congregation to
| go off to the desert to preach to one
black eunuch? Yes; that was Philips
call. God weighs the Importance of
service in different scales from those
used by man. Here is Mrs. Blank
who has apparently given up a social
career and all her club ana committee
work, merely to take care of one baby.
/ She is wasting her iife," say her