The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-09-08
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
BY w. r. ELLIS

Christ's apostle to Rome. This great |
pioneer wanted to bear his message to |
the court of Caesar himself Now. by |
| a succession of providences, we shall
see how he goes there, a celebrity, at
| the charges of Rome and with the
path made Gear before his feet. God
| moves in a mysterious way" and what
we call history is often but designs.
| There is no comfort in the present
world war to equal the thought that
| He maketh the wrath of man to
praise him. and that out of the zoe
| of war will emerge the veal of the
| world.
The Preacher Under the Spotlight.
From the soldiers standpoint. the
i, riot was only one more incldent OF
garrison duty among turbulent jews:
| AS the Jews saw it, their plans TO XIII
Paul were inopportunely thwarted'
had the Romans been a Few minutes
later in arriving, the deed would have
| been done In the mind of Paul, 1t
was one more testimony for the name:
| he gloried in any tribulations that set
J people thinking about Christ FOR
| this is what the mob was doing: 1T was
| puttine Christ's name and Christ's
cause on the tongues of the multi
ltude.
In the midst of the tumultuous rab-
Bile the handful of fearless legionaries
went and rescued the prisoner. As
Stunning that he was desperate char-
acter, they bound him with two chains
and carried him off to the castle,
while the thwarted mob cried, Away
with him." kill him.! That must
have been sweet music in the ears OF
Paul, for they had hooted at his Lord
as thew sought His death. 1t was q
point of pride with the apostle 10
share as far as possible all the ex-
periences of Jesus. He longed TO De
identified with Christ.
A surprise awaited the officer when
he found that his prisoner, sup
posed insurrectionist, spoke Greek'
and was really a cultivated gentle
, man; and what was more, free-
! born Roman citizen. The dignity OF
. the apostle, and his quiet insistence
upon his civil rights. impressed the OF
, ficials and won his quick considers
ton. Paul surrendered none of his
qualities as a man by becoming
Christian. If he had not been
J stickler for good citizenship he might
: never have preached the gospel in
/ Rome; and Rome was his great objec-
2 tive. He ambitious to carry his
= message to the very apex of the known
world. This riot and arrest helped
= further the design by making him a
l national figure and national issue.
Religions First Truth.
Terse Comments on the Uniform
Prayer Meeting Topic of the Young
Peoples Societies-Christian En-
!, deavor, Etc.-for September 10:
The Greatness of God."-Ps.
145:1-21.
7 Diluted religion is so popular now
: adays that it would stagger many per-
: sons to be called upon to answer sud-
denly the question, What is the first
truth about religion" OF course the
answer is easy after a little thought.
It is simply that there is l. God, or
I that God is great. This sublime affir-
b nation of the existence and character
e of the supreme Being is the climax OF
= ri a q
t done nothing bigger than to learn that
. there is a God. Man is at his highest
/ when he is bent in lowly alteration
= before the ineffable and unsearchable
= greatness of the Lord God Almighty.
3 The greatness of God is the guar
: antee that man also may become
. great achieving victory over his little
q nesses and WEAKNESSES and unworthy
. | tendencies.
$ In everyday teaching religion is both
!! diluted and diffuse. We have a hun
n few unshakeable simplicities. Popular
e Christianity has been thinned out into
all sorts of notions and concerts. var
It ious petty practices and abstinences
have been substituted for a strong
t steady, serene faith in a God who il
o real and personal and fatherly, ane
e whose other name, as revealed by
d Jesus. is love. If we were to fall or
6 orr faces in awe, in contemplation o.
v the grandeur and glory OF GOD, we
. should be doing as the angelic host:
), of heaven do. The greatness OF Jeho
4 yah is the basis of all true worshil
l, and reverence.
!, Only a great God, free from thu
= frailties of human nature, could con
{ descend to love and protect and pro
. vide for the children of man. If Coz
y were not as great as He is, He woult
% not love US as much as He does.
y From a myriad minarets there rise
> daily the great affirmation of Moham
! mechanism There is no God but God
. This monotheism of Islam has beer
= the central source of its power. Gu
= of the bewilderedness of polytheism
a the pagan heart is glad to turn to tn
. one supreme sinplicity-that there /
- one Supreme and A1lpowerful Being
= King of kings and Lord of lords. I
- was this greatness of God, as well a
3 His character of love, that Jesus cam
- to reveal He taught that God is 81
y great that He can condescend to for
y. give and to entreat and to love tn
,. children of men who have forgotten
- Him.
= What is man that Thou are mindful
a. of him? and the son of man that Tho
y visitest him?
k All of the foundations of faith ar
le laid in the truth of Gods greatness
i He is able" His love is equalled b.
Is His power. Our God is a God who
= able to do exceeding abundantly abov
- all that we can ask or think. His arm
:. is not shortened. All power is His il
y heaven and in earth Because there
l1 1 no limit to His might, there need be n
al limit to our faith.
Irreverence and unfaith seek to be
Re little God.
ia Only a great God could provide
Id great salvation for mans great sin.
lie
"a, In all our Makers grand designs.
NJ OmnipOtence with wisdom shines: