The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1916-06-30

Where the Guns Roar.
Actual foreign travel has been large
ly prevented by the war. Literary
travel has been UNNECESSARILY pro-
NOTED. Mars has taught a universal
class in geography for the past two
years. When this Sunday school les
son was last up for study, several years
ago, Thessalonica was a mere name, a
seni-legendary place lover there"
Few persons would have attempted to
bring it back out of the mists of an
tiquity, and show it as an actual city.
with as veritable an existence as Chi
cago or London.
Now, even the children who study
this lesson know that the story is laid
in Salonika, where the allied troops
have concentrated for their Mace
DOMAIN campaign. The city, which is
now an armed camp, and one of the
centers of world interest, has retained
the substance of its ancient name; for
Salonika is not greatly different from
Thessalonica
If space permitted. it would be of
uncommon interest to go into the ro-
mantle history of this old seaport
about which all sorts of battles have
ragged for uncounted centuries. Any
alert student who has facilities for in
vestigating the story of the Salonika
Jews and their conversion to Islam
will find himself on the trail of a
story as romantic as any in the Arab
ian Nights. The Young Turk party,
which at present rules Turkey, had its
roots and its center largely in Sa-
lonika. This would be an appropriate
place to undertake study of the
future of the lands about Salonika
and of Turkey especially. Can the in
fluence of the Apostle Paul be traced
in the present situation? What is there
to be said about the type of Chris
tianity which prevails in the Eastern
churches today?
a Revival or Riot.
Tens of millions of members of the
Sunday school have been following the
ups and downs of PauI's travel ex-
periences. The present lesson finds
him at Salonika. Wherever he went
there was sure to be a revival or a
riot-usually, as in this case, a riot.
What dynamic thing Christianity
was. as Paul preached it,
Following his sensible rule Of going
as far with every man as possible, and
of identifying himself with the best
cause or organization in sight, Paul
became an attendant upon the syna-
gogue. Thus he usually began lat
Jerusalem He was grateful for a
platform from which he could pro-
claim his radical good news. A good
exemplar is Paul of the art of working
with people to the best possible point
of agreement Sabbath after Sabbath.
Paul the Jew, reasoned in the syna-
gogues.
But he had something to say. His
message was distinctive. There are
some sermons that might be preached
in any heather temple, in perfect ap-
prOpriateneSS. Paul, however, had
one distinct announcement. The old
Scriptures had been fulfilled, by the
coming of Jesus as the Christ. That
thesis he supported by all the intel
;ectual and oratorical arts at his com
rnand. Jesus the Christ, the cruel
fled and risen Christ, was his one
great sermon. By it he convinced the
hearts and changed the lives of a null
titude. Once more we tarry for a mo-
ment to remind ourselves that the
Sunday school teacher, and the
preacher, who has not clear and
Christ to redeem lives, is in the wrong
business. These are two callingS in
which the Savior must be exalted
above all ethical teaching: Power is
not present when Christ is absent
That story made as great a disturb
ance in old TheSsalonica as the arrival
of the armies has created in modern
Salonika. Paul had way of setting
city in an uproar. He would nave
been surprised and grieved had MOTH
ing happened after his preaching
Imagine the minister's sorrow who
goes on, week after week, year after
wear. and sees no results of his preach
! ing: he is put commonplace wheel
| in conventionaliZed social order
Paul got results: tremendous results.
Between the fracas stirred up by the
apostle in the old city of Thessalonica
| and the modern church quarrel there
| is as much difference as between
| Christianity and heathendom. His
strife was not between Christians over
petty and unworthy issues. but be-
| !, hnf Z 10
gospel and the world. Paul was new
er mobbed on account of personal,
| cantankerousness but for the truth s
sake.
When the Friend Suffered.
Almost like an accolade was the
| charge brought against the two mis-
| sionaries. They were mobbed and
| their lives sought, and the charge was
| These that have turned the world
| upside down have come hither also-''
| They were revOlutionists. The world
was wrong side up: they were right
ing it. There you have sensational
l-preaching. The gospel that makes
things over was on the lips of Paul.
Deeper than we dream lies the tre-
! mendous truth that this old earth s
many ills, of which humanity is newly
conscious, are to be remedied by the
Christ. The most revolutionary re-
former on this battle-scarrsd earth to-
day is the preacher of the Word OF
God. His function is nothing less than
to cause the race to right about face.
A little human touch, of the sort
that abounds in Pauls stormy expert
ences, enters the story right here. A
cleverly engineered riot sought the
life of the foreigners. They ran them
down to the house of one Jason, which
they mobbed. Their prey had escaped
however. and only Jason and few OF
the new disciples remained. Upor
!. these they vented their wrath, taking
them before the magistrates and
charging them with all the offenses
of the missionaries. Jason willingly
suffered arrest and stood trial an6
| finally was let out on bail
Here was a man who suffered fol
his friend. He fulfilled the highest
office of friendship-loyalty when hi:
friend was having hard times. He