The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-22

the Master. AIthO the most spiritual
of the four biographies of Jesus, this
gospel never becomes SO tranScendent
that it is incomprehensible. Mysti-
cal, it is true, yet it never is unreal
and unearthly and vague. A very vivid
personality is that which John por-
trays as Jesus; so that one poet, Mary
Davis, exclaims of Him:
Il am so glad He loved the common things
The drowsy chicks beneath their mothers
wings.
Tall lilies nodding at the folks that pass
The handtwork of God among the grass.
1.-The sparrows and their brothers of he
Content to look to heaven for food and
care.
He loved to stray by woods and singing
Companion of the stars and solemn hills.
His friends He chose from men of low
Tillers of land and toilers of the sea-
These things are written on the sacred
A star to simple folks from age to age.
And as the glowing words of love we scan,
We feel His kinshtp to the heart of man"
The why of a Great Book.
Men who balk at the deity of
Christ are coerced to repudiate the
Gospel of John. For it cannot at all
be accepted, unless the reader is will
ing to receive his presentation of
Jesus as the One altogether unique.
The sublime Figure who walks thru
Johns pages is not merely a rare
teacher, a noble idealist, a loving and
unselfish helper CT His fellowmen, and
a supreme aspirant for the life that
is divine. He is none of these things
if He Is not also what else John de-
f<,- al fy-ac
are clear, strong, uneQuivocal and
absolute. Jesus would have to be
branded as an imposter, on the testi-
mony of John, if He is not what His
biographer asserts, the very Messiah
of Jehovah, the Saviour of mankind.
To set forth the Saviourhood OF
Jesus, and His divine mission as the
sent Son of God, is the one overmas-
tering purpose of this latest of the
four gospels. The author leave no
room for doubt or surmise on this
point He himself tells why he wrote
the book: But these are written,
that We might believe that Jesus is
the Christ, the Son of God; and that
believing We might have life thru His
name" Everything in the volume is
but evidence and support OF that gen.
eral proposition.
Passionate lover of Jesus that he
himself was, John aspired to intro
duce his dear Master to all who
should read his book. He sought not
only to convince their minds. but also
to set their hearts aglow- So he has
been. thru the centuries, the best
friend and alder of all who would live
in the spirit; and experience the very
love and life of Christ. Instead OF
musing here, as one is tempted to do,
upon what this book has meant to the
saints of nineteen centuries, let us
merely recall the all-important truth
hat do1ad and heart bruised
day needs above all else, to make ex-
plicable these world events which are
overwhelming us, the message of a
Christ who is God; who was from the
beginning and is to continue in in
creasing sovereignty to the end of
time. His will is working out, at sore
cost as nations undertake to protect
and perpetuate and increase the prin-
cipleS of Jesus on earth-righteous-
ness, good will, brotherhood and lib
erty. AS we come into Christ's king
dom may we come into close touch
with the Kingdoms Christ. Fellow
ship with Him. and assurance that His
will is being done, will sustain one
thruout whatever experience the war
may bring.
MY bark is waited on the strand
BY breath divine,
And on the helm there rests a hand
Other than mine
lone who was known in storms to sail
1 have on board:
Above the roaring Of the gale
1 have my Lord
He holds me when the pillows smite;
/ shall not fail.
If sharp, tits short; if long, It's light
He tempers ALL
''Safe in the land, safe in the landi
The end is this
And then with Him go hand in hand
Far into bliss"