The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-06-01
INTERNATIONAL,
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
BY w. T. ELLIS


Friend, do the same for me. If 1 intrude
Unmasked upon you, on some crowded
Giye me moments prayer as interlude;
: Be very sure need it, therefore pray"
Following n Great Leader.
All voices that come back from the
trenches of Europe declare that the
United States has as yet no concep-
ton of what it really means to enter
the war The people as a whole are
unaware of the significance of their
great decision. Only a great baptism
of blood will adequately consecrate
the nation to its solemn task. Then
the true nature of this mighty self
dedication will appear.
In contrast, we see Jesus going
forth to His sacrifice open-eyed and
deliberate. Here we have a central
word of the Lesson: Jesus, therefore
knowing all the things that were COM
ing upon him, went forth He as
sumed full responsibility before the
crowd that had come after Him and
before the law. He lodged nothing,
but offered His shoulders square1y to
the load of obligation. No Stacker"
He. Here we have a portrait of the
bravest soldier and finest gentleman
who ever faced a reckless foe. Jesus
was a Man, after the best pattern.
Like all great leaders, His first con-
Germ was for His friends and follow
ers. Let these go their way" was
His first thought when arrested. That
is the eternal difference between a
statesman and a politician. The for
mer is concerned about the welfare
of his people and of the world; the
politician is primarily interested in
his own prospects of reelection. A
Chinese friend, in explaining present
conditions in Picking, said to me re-
Gently, There are two kinds of off,
Gals in our government; first, the
scholars, who have ideals and patriot
ism; and, second, the men who have
bought their offices and are out only
for graft" That is, one sort of leader
looks out for himself; the other sort
looks out for his people.
That Kiss.
AS every mountain has it's valley,
so Jesus had His Judas. The sublim-
ity of the one throws into contrast tbs
fanny has been that of Judas-to
stand turnout all the centuries as the
type of the traitor and false friend.
No wonder Dante put him in the low
est pit of his Inferno. He IS the only
man in the Bible of whom it is writ
ten that he went to his own place"
When black disloyalty reached its
lowest depth, and an intimate friend
and comrade betrayed his sublime
Leader to an unmefited death, the
signal he gave to the enemy was a
kiss! This seems the final touch OF
horror. Crying Hail, Master!' he
kissed Him
Worse yet. That kiss was no per-
functory salute such as orientals give
1t was, as the Greek word shows. a
original may be rendered. He kissed
Him again and again." and as the
prodigal sons father kissed the wan
derer, and as the woman once kissed
you were indeed a very devil Only
! hell could brew such blackness.
But stay. Judas was the most
orthodox disciple, the only one fror,.
Judea. He had companied with Christ
for three years. Nevertheless, beneath
all His fcrmalism there grew this
treason. Does it not give pause to
every disciple of Jesus? Let him
that standeth take heed lest he fall"
There ar" Judas possibilities in the
best OF US. We, too, may prove false
to our best Friend and dear Redeem
err.
Every Judas makes a Gethsemane
for his betrayed friend For it was
sin that caused the Saviour's agony
in the Garden-the sin of Judas and
OF al the rest of US. That wrung the
soul which is carnated love That
forced the bloody sweat With bowed
hearts we contemplate the scene in
the Garden of Grief
It's midnight; and on Olives brow
The star is dimmed that lately shone:
lis mfdnieht; in the garden, now,
The suffering Saviour prays alone
It's midnight; and, from all removed.
emmanuel wrestles lone with fears:
sen the disciple that He loved
Heeds not his Masters grief and tears
'Tis midnight; and. for others euiIt.
The Man of Sorrows weeps in blood
Yet He that hath in anguish knelt
Is not fersaken by His God.
It's midnight; from the heavenly pains
Is borne the song that angels know;
Unheard by mortals the strains
| That sweetly soothe the Saviour's woe