The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-08-31
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL, LESSON
BY w. T. ELLIS

<~---~--s~-~-~--~----~s--~
For September Is 1.-The Shepherd
of Captive IsraeL"-Ezekiel Chapter
"a.
One Great Issue of the War.
Curiously, the most modern utter
ances upon present social phenomena
are not to be found within the pages
of present-day philosophers, but in
an old, old book One almost jumps
as he reads such a passage, unknown
to the general reader. as this chapter
from a book written five hundred
years before the beginning of the
Christian era, and now made the sub
ject of study of the Sunday schools
of the world All observers of the
trend of the times have been longing
for some great and pertinent utter
ance that will call the leaders of the
people to sense of their responsible
ity. 1t has almost seemed as if this
war is to develop great soldiers and
economists and administrators, but no
great prophets
Now we find that the word has
been spoken, and spoken blisteringly,
| in pictorial and unsparing language.
! There is enough terrific truth, thrust
! home to the present minute, in this
chapter to send every teacher and
writer and preacher into grave exec
utive session with himself; and to
call for special conferences for self
| examination and confession on the
! part of all the religious leaders on
| the continent. Here is the great truth
for this very day, spoken by one
whose motives will not be mistrusted,
| and who will not be set aside a
sensationalist and radical. Ezekiel
position is too well established to be
shaken by the man who would escape
| the application of the message by at
[, tempting to discredit the messenger.
The Failure of Shepherds.
Most of the present failures of our
| Christian civilization are due to fail
| ures of our moral and religious lead
! ers. Let us not mince words here.
Shallowness, materialism, sensuality,
! pleasure-lust, ruthless selfishness in
! economic relations, political perfidy,
and the plight of the poor, may not
be evaded as a responsibility of those
| who set moral and social standards.
Our generate has lacked supremacy
in faithful shepherds, who are now
adays called preachers and teachers
and authors and editors and pub
licists The high, stern, challenging
note has been missing from the
spoken and written word, generally
speaking.
Suppose we press the point further
before quoting an extract from Eze-
| k1el. In conversation among them
selves, religious leaders freely admit
that the ministry has never before
been so manifestly treated as a
job" a means of livelihood, as to-
day. So also with the teaching pro-
fession. We are busy with schemes
of pensions and minimum salaries to
make the positions as lucrative and
attractive as possible. Even being &
missionary may become a mere pro-
fession. Clergymen, like actors are
graded by the salaries they can COM
mand. Ecclesiasticism concerns Itself
more with the business end of the
church and her employed officers thar
with the living issues that touch the
welfare of the spirits and bodies OF
the people. OF course there are &
multitude of noble exceptions; bu
what honest and informed person viii
deny that professionalism is the bligh
of moral and religious Leadership to-
day? When real prophet is fount
in the ministry he is likely to bt
made bishop or a board secretary
. where he will indeed have desperate
times saving his own soul.
A Singing Condemnation
A newspaper would scarcely dare
print what follows, lest it seem to be
crhcising. the preachers, save that the
words are taken from the. Bible itself
Note the recurrence of the charge thai
the shepherds feed themselves, while
the sheep go hungry. Hear now what
said the faithful prophet of God TWEEN
ty-five hundred years ago:
w
unto the shepherds of Israel that dc
; feed themselves, Should not the shep-
!, herds feed the SHEEP? Ye eat the
. fat, ye clothe you with the wool, We
!; XIII the fatIngs but -ye feed not the
sheep. The diseased have We mo-
strengthened, neither have we healed
that which was sick, neither have We
bound up that which was broken
neither have We brought back thai
which was driven away, neither have
h.
with force and rigor have We ruled
. over them. And they were scattered
. because there was no shepherd; and
. they became food to all the beasts o.
, the field, and were scattered. NJ
sheep wandered thru all the noun.
; tains, and upon every high hill: yea
my sheep were scattered upon all the
= face of the earth; and there was nont
1 that did search or seek after them.
: Therefore, We shepherds, hear the
l word of Jehovah: AS 1 live, saith the
Lord Jehovah, surely forasmuch a:
! my sheep became prey. and ny
: sheep became food to all the beasts OF
I the field, because there was no shep
: herd, neither did my shepherds search
for my sheep, but the shepherds fec
!, themselves, and fed not my sheep
: therefore. We shepherds hear the WORD
L of Jehovah: Thus saith the Lord Je
, hovah, Behold, am against the shep
t herds; and I will require my sheep a
: their hand, and cause them to cease
|. from feeding the sheep; neither shall
t the shepherds feed themselves am
: more; and I will deliver my sheer
I from their mouth, that they may no
i be food for them
e Who Cares for the People?
I am writing these words in thu
, city of Picking, China, which for ter
days has been in the throes of al
: -
!, haps you will not find any holes in oul
= / fri fol