The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-03-10
International
Sunday School Lesson
BY w. T. ELLIS.

Martyrs of Faith. hebrews iii;
1872.
The Larger Vision.
The timeliness of the present Sun
day school lesson is almost uncanny.
1t could no. BE more appropriate if
it had beer planned yesterday. The
clearest light on the world war is shed
/ by this old book which is eternally
| contemporaneous. None of the many
utterances of the present Armenian
massacres can match this passage
from the Book of Hebrews. In an
hour when the church most needs
tonic for faith we have this sublime
study, reinforced By the daily news
from the churches in Asia.
Every nation in Europe is at the
present moment giving the world
lesson in faith, and in the reality and
supremacy of the invisible things.
They live by faith. the faith of their
people in the spiritual qualities of
their country. This faith and vision,
which commonly passes by the name
| of patriotism, is a vaSter and more
vital thing than most of the world
realizes. 1t has made over the life
of the older nations of Europe. They
are being saved by faith. Millions of
men have dared death in the trenches
4 because of this larger vision. Econ
omists may sneer at sentiment as fu-
| tile and emotional read such an
article an hour ago-but it still rules
the world. In the largest meaning of
the phrase, we are always being saved
| by faith.
That truth is written in all history,
and never more clearly SO than to-
| day; but it is pre-eminently the mes
sage of the experience of the Chris
tan church. This is the victory that
overcometh the world, even your
faith When the inspired writer of
the Letter to the Hebrews wanted
perfect example of faith he turned to
the experience of the church. Do you
want more faith? Then read the Bible
more: for the principle has been clear
Iy stated: Faith cometh by hearing,
, and hearing by the word of God"
J There is no cure for falteriug faith
| like the old story of how the faith of
the fathers has enabled frail girls, lit
tie children and aged men to. bear wit
ness to their Christ and His sufii-
cheney.
The Greatest Victories.
Mr.. Materialist says to the young
lover, You are only chasing a
dream Yet that dream" that in
tangible, inexplicable spiritual quality
called love, has glorified existence
and wrought more wonders than
science. To the statesman Mr.. Ma
| terialist says, BE practical; idealism
is all well enough to talk about at
election time, but 1t is practical self
interest that rules the world To the
patriot he says, Governments are
controlled only by economic causes
All this talk about the flag is sheer
buncombe." And to the sociologist he
says, "Altruism is absurd. Human ma
ture is human nature and will be to
the end
You poor blind fool" answers the
man of faith, "can you not look
around you and behind you, and see
that it is faith, and only faith, that has
given us all that is great in human
life" Or as a better answer, let us
quote the wonderful analysis and vim
dication of faith, with it's appeal to
history, which constitutes the present
Lesson:
Now faith is the substance of
things hoped for, the evidence of
things not seen. And what shall
more say? for the time would
fail me to tell of Gideon. and of
Barak, and of Sampson, and of
Jephtha; of David also, and
Samuel, and of the prophets: who
through faith subdued Kingdoms,
wrought righteousness, obtained
promises, stopped the mouths of
lions, quenched the violence of
fire, escaped the edge of the
sword, out of weakness were made
strong, waxed valiant in fight
turned to flight the armies of the
aliens. Women received their
dead raised to life again: and
others were tortured, not accept
ing deliverance; that they might
obtain a better resurrection: and
others had trial of cruel mock
ings and scourgings, yea, more
over of bonds and mprisonment:
they were stoned, they were
sawn asunder, were tempted, were
slain with the sword; they wan
dered about in sheepskins and
goatSkins; being destitute afflict-
ed, tormented; of whom the world
was not worthy: they wandered in
deserts. and in mountains and in
denS and caves of the earth And
these all. having obtained a good
report through faith. received not
the promise: God having pro-
vided some better thing for u.s.
that they without us should not
be made perfect. Wherefore, see
ing we also are comprised about
with so great a cloud of witnesses
let US lay aside every weight, and
the sin which doth so easily beset
us. and let us run with patience
the race that is set before u.s.
looking unto Jesus the author and
finisher of our faith: who for the
joy that was set before Him en-
dured the cross. despising the
shame, and is set down at the
right hand of the throne of God"
Vision and Victory.
Faith is force. That is clear, if
anything is, from this great New
Testament passage. They who see the
invisible conquer the visible. Spiritual
qualities give person the strength
of ten" Where there is no vision
the people perish" Is it not manifest
to all observing persons that the pre-
paredness' most needed today by ma