The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-03-30
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
by w. 7. ELLIS


things now, rather than of drea ming
of greater ones tomorrow, is both en-
Joined and exemplified by Jesus. Be-
ing busy for God in the commonplace
ways of the ordinary days accom-
plishes more for him than the occa-
sional high resolution or heroic deed.
In the wayside opportunities, like the
beggar whom Jesus helped, we ind
our duty to God. Christians do not
need to know of new things to do
for the Master so much as they need
to keep on doing the commonplace
tasks, done in His name, which glori-
fy the Father in heaven.
'Unhasting, yet unrestins, Jesus
went His way, minister to men. The
urge within His soul sometimes ex-
pressed itself. Yet He thanked God
for His work. One of the basic joys
and boons of life is work to do. Pity
not the people numbered with cares,
but pity rather the idlers and the
empty-lived. What can they know of
fellowship with the Master of all good
workmen, Or with the brave spirits of
all time, who, by hand or tongue or
pen, have served their generation?
Thank God when you have learned
the majesty of the motto of Jesus,
Il must work.
! A Man as a Marvel.
t Naturally, the old town of Jeru-
familiar figure, the blind beggar. was
seep walking about with sight re-
stored. The marvel made town talk.
Never before had it been seen on this
| terest than a word. Two-legged SER
mons go farthest. When a blind man
physically or spiritually blind-re-
ceives his sight. he has only to go
about seeing, among those who knew
him aforetime, in order to proclaim
the merits of his physician. There is
no need to advertise sunlight; it shines
for itself. A life made over is the
| one adequate and ultimate advertise
mept of the Gospel of Jesus. Shining
| saints convince more persons than
shouting saints.
Controversy followed the great mir
acle. OF course. Jesus was himself
| always a center of controversy, and
| SO are His works and His workers
| When a church is not stirring up in
| terest in a community, and when the
| nelghbors ignore it, and the policeman
| on the corner cannot direct a stranger
TO IT, then be very sure that church
| needs a revival of religion. Christians
and churches who cause no commotion
are not in the goodly fellowship of the
restored blind man, or of the apostles
and martyrs. Wherever the Gospel IS
doing its real work of making over
lives. there it is creating a sensation.
That man who once had been blind
have had in all Jerusalem A big
electric sign on the church door may
be good, but saved and shining saints
! 80 NAAS are better.
Battling the Bigots.
| l shrink from commenting so often
upon the fact that the professional
churchmen of His. time were in con-
slant opposition to Jesus. Yet we can
not escape the record. The principal
controversy of Jesus as with the ac-
copied leaders of Judaism. His harsh
est words were reserved for them We
contemplate with awe the possibility
OF our own day which is wrapped UP
IN the clear fact that the official Gus
tod;ans of the religious welfare of the
nation were the arch-enenies ofsEthe
Revealer of religion! The truth should
make us open-souled and forward
looking, and filled with a horror of
what the lingo of today calls a stand :
pat mind. Let us be gentle and toler-
ant toward all new teachings which
come confessing the name of God; but
let us not run after them simply be-
cause they are new. When God speaks,
let us have listening ears.
Here again, in this lesson story we
lave the ecclesiastics hot and hungry
and hateful on the trail of Jesus. They
were openly displeased over the heal
ing of the. blind man. They cared
more for their dogmaS than for hui
man Welfare-a sure sign that the
dogmas are not of God. Theirs was
the ignoble mind which Longfellow
characterized as 1.-The strife for tri-
umph more than truth. The deeds
creeds Like all established religions
or forms, their faith had solidified
into set of rules, which is always
contrary to the spirit of Jesus. The
great helping, healing heart of Jesus
had broken the ecclesiastical regula-
tons concerning the Sabbath. This
made one more occasion for 1ntagon-
izing the new Teacher, who cared SO
much more for life than He did for
the Organization.
When the Beggar Became a Man.
Even the restored beggar came to
despise these place-holding ecclesias-
tics, who cared SO much more for their
jobs, and for a triumph over One whom
they deemed a rival, than they die
for the truth of God. That is why
. most prophets are out of official posi-
ton. How few of the real statesm er
of the church today are holders OF
high office! In his new manhood this
beggar, who had lost his whine wher
, he found Christ. answered up like ar
equal, even INDUCING in sarcasm al
the expense of the Pharisees. He
dared state to them the uttermost
truth He knew. His simple logic
the logic of estimony-confuted the
sophistries of the ecclesiastical law
: yers.
One thing this man knew. He hat
been blind. and now he could see Ir
that position he was unshakable tc
the CONFUSION or the PhariSeeS. He
might not be able to pass an exami.
nation in the catechism. His tormen.
: tors knew more about Theological
hair-splitting than he would ever
, learn. In position they might over.
!, awe him. But his feet could not be
moved from the rock of his persona
, experience Much fruitless contro.
versy would be avoided if we would
: all but stick to the fact which we
: know. Doctor Albertson says: There
is more logic in a simple demonstra
ton than in a whole volume of rea.
soning. -. A man wrote a book t.
prove that no vessel could cross thu
Atlantic propelled by steam stean m
ship carried the first copies of his bool
ACROSS the sea- The Ia uruo-s ,,.i.=l..