The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-12-04
TURN TO RELIGION
Thought of Nation for Sammies
in the Trenches.
Bible Campaign Progressing
Rapidly Turnout Kansas.
BIC MEN APE REHIMn II
BIG MEN ARE BEHIND IT
William Allen White Tells of
Need of TeStamentS.
New World Interest in Religion
With the Soldiers.

Turnout the nation this week, the
thought of the war is intermingled
with the thought of religion. It is
National Bible week in the campaign
to secure 100000 for New Tesla
mentS for the men in the trenches in
France and the men in the canton
rents in America.
A quarter will send a New Tesla
ment to a soldier.
Behind the movement are the
clergy, officers of the national army
and men high in public place-each
working to common purpose and
co--mon good.
The Bible week campaign isn't a
new reform. 1t isn't a fad. 1t isn't
a hysteria. It is a plain, simple,
sound policy of giving to every soldier
the only message he may carry thru
asked for but $500. She bought
more than $2O,00O,0O0 worth of the
second issue of liberty bonds. She
versubscribed her quota to the Red
Cross and to the Y. NJ. c. A.
If Kansas slumps in the drive for
Bibles for the soldiers, Kansas will
take her first defeat in the war. And
a defeat in the Bible week campaign
would probably direct more criticism
to the state than failure of any prev
ious drive.
Kansas Won't Fail.
hanSdS inIenQ TO Idll-
Not bit of it. Just as President
Wilson, Theodore Roosevelt, Governor
Whitman of New York and other ma
tional characters are behind the
movement in the nation. SO the big
men of this state are behind the drive
in Kansas. Next Sunday every min
lister in Kansas will appeal to his
congregation for a soldier Bible fund.
The four minute men are going to the
fight, just as they went into the drive
fr,r. he 10 Nf dc nd For
Y. NJ. c. A. contributions.
Out in the state a score of the big
Kansas dailies have agreed to accept
contributions for the Bible fund. They
have done more than that. They have
opened the columns of their papers
to the campaign-first page positions
next to the big war newS-space that
money will not buy.
White Sees the Need.
Conspicuous in the campaign in
Kansas is William Allen White, who
a few weeks ago returned from a
trip to the first line trenches in
France. With Henry ]. Allen, of
Wichita. White visited the scenes of
the big battles and the blood-red bat
tie fields of Europe. Those two ma
tfonally known Kansas editors are Civ
ing to the Bible campaign the best
within them-White with his remark
able editorials, Allen in his mastery
appeals from the platform.
Books are being written in this
| new field by men who are masters of
other provinces of learning" says
| White in an editorial, land all of them
get back to the basic principle that a
universal neglect of the teachings of
| Jesus Christ has something to do
with this war"
That is just an extract from Whites
| editorial In an edit rial in his EN-
| poria Gazette backing up the cam
paign for the spiritual preparedness of
| the American army-both at home
and in the trenches says:
| A New World Interest.
To-day q growing interest in reli-
/ gion is evident all over the world.
| Three years ago, when the present
few months and many people had
| been discussing the real causes of the
war, an Emporia business man who
| reads outside of business hours and
thinks much of what he reads, sail:
! I believe this war has been brought
about by a neglected Jesus Christ
Men are stopping to think, even in
| the midst of turmoil, and great
change is evident in the ordinary
mans conception of religion. Some
of it is constructive thinking that
does not subscribe blindly to creed and
dogma. but which is working out a
higher meaning for religious faith
| and greater sense of religious obi
| SdlioH tndn tnlS world has ever
| known.
Spiritual State of World.
| Evidences of this thinking are fire.
/ quent- The man who signs himself
| 'Vox Populi,' and Constant Reader,
! and sends communications to his
newspaper is discussing his concep-
tions of religion and his own discovery
of a personal religion. Fathers OF
| American boys with the colors are TAX
ing time from their own affairs to
reason upon the beginnings of this war
and the spiritual state of the world
| In England, where almost every home
| has lost a son, books are being writ
ten in this new field by men who are
masters of other provinces of learn
! ing, and all of them get back to the
| basic principle that a universal neg
lect of the teachings of Jesus Christ
has something to do with this war.
These new thinkers all reconcile
Christianity with the war because