Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-09-05

the son whom he
Y had chosen to
succe led him
crowned king. AS he lay dying he
called the young king into his pres
ence, and this is what Solomon heard
David, his father, say: II am going
the way Of all the earth. Show thy
self man."
Not by Clothes.
Solomon must have pondered the
meaning of these words. and as we
look back over his life 1t might be Won
dered if he did not interpret, "Show
myself man." to mean that he should
wear costly and ornamental array. His
magnificent clothes made such an inn
preston that our Lord, holding forth
a Hly.-s said: Solomon in all his glory
was not arrayed like one of these"
Strange, is it not, that even in these
days, when the realities of life are be-
ing borne in upon us as never before,
there are folks who act as if they
thought clothes instead of character
make the man.
You can test this in most any social
gathering. Two men enter: one, with
heart as black as hell, but dressed like
| a fashion plate and with the airs of a
gentleman; the other, with sterling
character, but green and awkward,
| wears ordinary plain clothes. The first
is center of attraction while the sec
ond is unnoticed unless some one, out
| Of pity, keeps him company. / do not
| say this would be so if the real value
of each man was known, but in the alb
sence of such knowledge. is it not true
| that often we act as if clothes and not
character, make the man?
Not by Wealth.
| 1t may be Solomon thought his IA
| Their meant that he should acquire
| wealth, for he amassed a great fortune
and became the richest man of all
| time. He erected a palatial residence
| that took thirteen years to build, and
| had such sumptuous surroundings and
so much wealth, that the queen of
| Sheba, hearing of his glory, came to
visit him and when she saw it all, ex-
claimed: sThe half was never told.''
How many there are today to whom
wealth is an indication of manhood.
Let it be said that one is rich. and i'm
mediately these people do him honor, as
IL what he possesses, instead of what he
| is, makes him man. 1t is bad GUS
| tom we have of asking how much q
man is worth, rather than what is his
character. A man may have good
| character with dollars, and just as
easily, he may have a bad character
without them. 1t is not money, or the
want of 1t, that determines a mans
character. 1t is what he actually is.
| Wealth may induce to badness, and
so may poverty neither. however, need
be blamed for ruined character. be-
cause God will give strength and grace
to bear either, if we ask him.
| Not by Culture.
| Possibly Solomon thought that cul-
| ture makes man, for we read that he
became the wisest Of all men. Yet
after acquiring understanding in many
things, it was he who said at last:
Trust in the Lord and lean not to
| thine own Understandings
| We should remember that God puts
no premium upon ignorance. He ex-
poets us to develop and increase in
knowledge.
The splendid schools and colleges of
our day offer youth great opportunities
for development; but should all the
| culture and learning of the world be
acquired, and one know not God and
Jesus Christ whom he has sent, he is
| still ignorant of the greatest and most
| vital truth-truth that is essential to
4
lacks the power to build that Christian
| character which alone can stand the
| teStings of God, and having stood
| them, endure throughout eternity.
The apostle tells US that 'other
/ foundation can no man lay than that
Is laid, which is Jesus Christ And
he says: IF any man build upon this
tfoundatfon"-not learning, not culture,
/ but Chrfst-s'he shall receive re-
1 ward" provided of course. his building
be of such material as will stand the
| test of fire. And SO he adds: Take
heed how We build thereupon."
/ Yes. let us take heed how we build
thereupon; what kind of Christian
characters we erect; but first of all,
we need to be definitely sure that we
are building upon the only foundation.
| which is Jesus Christ our Lord Then
as we build our Christian character
upon him, may each one of us show
himself a man.
Il