The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-29
For March 81 Is Jesus Our Example
in SerVice."-Phil. 2:1-11.

when the allies ca ptured JeruSaleml
In that dramatic event was gathered
up the spiritual significance of the
war. 1t meant that the heritage of
Christianity is to be delivered from
the hands of the enemies of Christ
and of righteousness. The Jesus of
justice as of -gentleness, of brother
hood as of belief is coming into His
own. The city that He loved is to be
haven of safety, a center of min
istry, "a shrine of pilgrimage.
When General Allenby's terse tele-
gram announcing the capture of the
city was flashed around the world it
stirred unsupported emotions in the
heart of civilizat ton. For Palestine is
central to our world, as Christ is CEN
trail to our thinking Some of us have
affected worldly manner, as if we
were Indifferent to the teachings of
religion. An event like the capture of
Jerusalem makes us realize how ire
imendous is the hold of the gospel
upon our Inconsistencies. Jew,
Christian and Moslem all have a his
toric stake in the Promised Land, but
of these three the greatest is the
Christian. Every devout follower of
Jesus is concerned for the future of
the land supremacy hallowed by His
blessed feet.
Now that Palestine has become an
active center of war interest 1t Will
be studied over by the whole world.
This quarterly review of the activities
of our Lord furnishes convenient oc-
casion. since all the teachings and
deeds of Jesus were localized. This is
time to study the old map of Bible
lands, and to mark on them the new
railways that have been built, and the
course of the present military cam
paign. 1t may be not inappropriate to
mention that the present indications
are that the next stand of the Turks
will be ma de at Nazareth, the boyhood
iy..r e for i- hnr q
hill country gives way to the historic
plain of ESdraelon.
Great Issues in the Lords Land.
AS this lesson goes to press there
is a large Joint unit of British and
American Red Cross workers mostly
missionaries, on the way to PaleS-
time, to take up relief work for the
civilian population in Jerusalem and
elsewhere. Destitution and distress
are very great Since Jesus no longer
goes a bout in person, healing and feed
ing and teaching, His work is being
done by these friends of His
How His tender heart must yearn
over the lot of the peeple in Bible
lands today who bear His name
the Armenians, the Syrians, the
Greeks, and the other Christians
Since the war began there have been
uncounted martyrdoms on this hal
lowed soil The transition from the
1.-THE present light of the people,
j Christians, Jews and Moslems, is
easy and proper. 1t would be en-
tirely out of accord with the spirit
of the great Teacher himself to owen
upon the Scriptures of nineteen CEN
taries ago and ignore the conditions
of<today. -.
Aside from the definite and de-
tailed sufferings of the people of
Palestine today, We perceive thatthe
!, for h
decision of. great issues of the war
Prussianism wants to lay its IRON
hand on all the territory compre-
hended within the scope of the Bible
narrative, from the Garden of Eden,
down Bagdad way, to the scenes of
! the Apostle Paurs labors at Salon
lea They would make this all trib-
utary to the materialiStlc and anti
Christian conceptions of N1etzschlsn
and German rationalism, with their
ruthless seIfishnesS. Blocking them
are the clear words of President Will
son, the voice of the allies, declaring
that all these long-suffering little
peoples are to have self-government.
No longer may they be exploited by
either Turk or PruSSlan-
This issue has become central to
the settlement of the war. 1t is
enough hero to say that whoever
would accept any terms of peace that
do not once for all settle the ages
| old question the I<dhuS, W
delivering the small Christian nations
| from the power of the Turk, has a
yery different idea of peace from
that taught by Jesus.
The New Fulfilling the Old.
These are days for the open minded
and the alert eye. God has smashed
all our old schedules and conventions
He is bringing great things to pass
so quickly as to daze the beholders::
Tho ancient goals of the Kingdom OF
| Heaven are being fulfilled in ways
! tindreamed of five years ago. The
/ teachings of Jesus are having sudden
| and strange fruitlons
| How else can we interpret in Chris
tan fashion, the new passion for hu-
man rights and freedom and brother
hood that is dominating the world
| Christ's conception of mans loving
relation to man is sweeping all of So
ciety. Whether we say democracy or
the Kingdom of Heaven nowadays
we are likely to mean the same
| thing. The audacity of Jesus, in see
ing and declaring a transformed So
cial order is being dramatically in
dicated. There is not wide-awake
and thoughtful man alive today who
does not believe that the world is
rapidly entering upon new era OF
social apo international relationship
that will spell peace and good Will
| God forbid that needless Christians
should permit any goddess substitute
to take the place of the great reality
/ indicated by Jesus
How Jesus Would Now Work.
| of old. Jesus sent forth His disci-
/ pies fter the fashion of His land and
,irie He hurriedly worked in &C
C dance with the customs of Pales-
tine in the year 80 A. D. He pic
tu-ed in parallels the coming of the
new order which He alone envisaged
All that He said and did looked for
ward to large service and large
results.
Today Jesus is sending out His dis
cipIes in Y. NJ. c. A. and Red eros:
and chaplains' uniforms They are
facing elemental human nature anC
DaadS Much that is customary anC