The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-06-28

III ~ LII NJ NJ Int NJ Al
i SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON
II BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS
For June 80 Is Jesus Christ. Our Re-
deemer and Lord" A Semi-Annua1
Review.-John 3-16.
The Truth Back OF the Soldiers. :
Countless minds are seeking to see
clearly the relation between the world
war, with its implications, and the
great principles of Righteousness ana
religion. For q time, especially in
England, there was rather frantic
Questing after occult beliefs, as II the
key might be with them; but that va
gary has been largely given up. There
| Is now a return to the great sinplici-
| ties of life and teachings Of Jesus. We
perceive, with growing clearness that
He has the master word for this per-
picking time. So a study OF this OPP
perfume Sunday School lesson takes
US straight into the realms of the
principles Of God which are related to
the war.
Jesus caused this war. II nations
| had not been sitting at His feet. even
| SO heedlessly, there would have been
! none to take up the sword of right
eousness when the spirit of the Anti
Christ went forth to smite the nations
1 into submission to its cruel sway. The
present conflict is more nearly akin
to that of Saint George and the Dragon
than any war ever waged. We do not
by any means argue for the impecca-
bility of St George-meanfng thereby
ourselves-but we are clear that he is
doing Gods work in the staying of
the Dragon. Out Of this struggle has
emerged a new sense of the awfulness
of injustice and cruelty: standards are
now being fixed that will not easily be
| relaxed. And those standards are the
standards Of Jesus. Despite all of its
callousing awfulness, this war has be-
Oxenham has shown, in one of his
poems. what it means'to the soldier to
be face to face with>reality:
What did you see out there my lad,
You went out boy. you have come, back
With Strange new depths underneath your
What is it you saw out there. my lad,
That set such deeps in your eyes"
Things that I scarce can ten;
have been in the sweep OF the Reaper's
| with God. and Christ. and hell.
"I have seen Christ doing ChristIy deeds;
have sEipped I to tie sod ln ,' the hand OF
have seen the goddess pray.
From the clear blue summer sky;
I have slain like Cain with blazing brain
l have heard the wounded cry. IS
1T have lain alone among the dead.
With no hope but to die;
I have seen them killing the wounded ones
have seen them cruelty.
II have seen the devil in petticoats
Wiling the souls of men;
I have seen great sinners do great deeds,
And turn to their sins again.
II have sped thru hells Of fiery hail
With fell red-fury shod;
I have heard the whisper of voice,
have looked in the face of God"
you've a right to your deep. high look
You have met God in the ways,
But he feels it all his days.
you've a r., right TO your deep. high look
And we thank him for his grace't -; r
i Introducing Man to God.
II Many a soldier has thus met Goo
for the first time On the battlefield
which is the most important thing II
heaven or earth. It is so important
: As we look back over six months OF
study in the life of Jesus, we perceive
how the central fact is that the Master
, was continually trying to introduce
men to the Father in heaven. He
wanted men to know God. Theil
ideas were twisted and small and un
worthy. They had been conventional
lied to the point of Justification. Wha
the Jews believed was more about 6
} theological and ecclesiastical system
. than about living, loving God. AL
, vitalities are in danger thus of LOSING
. So Jesus, with a simplicity that doe!
; not at all resemble the elaborat,
,, structure that we have erected in Hi
name, came to show us what God Ii
really like, and what he would have
US do.
: Anybody who can bring God dow,
out of a misty and mysterious heaven
and make Him personal and present
is continuing the work of Christ. Any
thing that accomplishes this end il
; worth while. even tho it be a work
Indignation. Trivial scepticism ant
cynical agnosticism and blatant in
: fidelity were early victims of the pres
ent conflict. We know that there il
God, whose thoughts are not on
. thoughts, and whose ways are not GU
! ways. and who acts on a stupendou
scale for the fulfilment of vast de
signs, all meant to bring man int
closer accord with his Heavenl,
Father. The Jesus program is beini
. fulfilled in strange ways in our time
With new dignity and sacredness. ma
llOilS llIluiuS CueIIlSeIVeS IN ACCORD
as tools in the hand of the Workman
with these divine purposes. BY tn
red glare of battle we are seeing Go,
anew.
The Basis of the New Order.
Only three men have emerged from
, this war. on the allied side, as domi
, mating, figures and they were alread
: such by virtue of their position-Pres
ident Wilson, Lloyd George and Pre-
: mier Clemenceau. In the quiet talk
which men have about the war, sayinl
the things which are never printed
one sometimes hears this point stress
ed, that the war has not produced an,
: great leaders from among the un
!. known. but has, instead, been a grea
! revelation of the capacity and char
l acter of the the common man and wo
man. Now this is not so wonderful
r as it may seem. Since the war mean