The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-01-18
For January 30 Is Jesus It Work. =
Mark 1:21-45.
Worship Thru Ministry.


Worship Thru Ministry.
1 am far afield, amid the warning
nations, studying the religious effects
! of the immeasurable conflict; and this
| lesson comes pertinently as a light
| upon one of the outstanding truths of
| today. For its message is ministry:
! the modern version of which is Y. NJ.
c. A huts church and Salvation army
hostels, hospitality committees for SOL
| diers, Red Cross activities, ambulance
and hospital services chaplaincies,
and all the other countless forms of
! spirit of patriotism and of Christ.
| Preaching religion has largely given
way to ;ninistering religion at the
| front and at the camp.
In detail, too, this story of the busy
life of Jesus in and about old Caper-
naum parallels the experience of the
war; He found in the congregation
of the righteous a man With an evil
| spirit. No pacifist was Jesus when
| evil was concerned He DID not COM
promise with the condition. but drove
| out the evil spirit, at a cost of tumult
and violence and suffering to the vic
tim. There is an unclean spirit abroad
! in our world; the very spirit of anti
| Christ; and the allied nations have ac-
cepted the sacred responsibility of de-
stroying 1t, to the salvation of the race.
| The process is not easy. But it must
be accom- .,lished if Christendom is to
true to Christ.
In another phase OF the story, we
find Peters mot r-in-law, and the
! poor leper, and many afflicted ones,
touched by the healing, helping hand
of Christ. This represents the other
aspect of the present terrible war:
the minis y to the. suffering soldiers
and civilians and to tie nations which,
| sitting in great darkness, look to this
war for new life and deliverance. For
this is the war of the mercifuI heart
as well as of the strong hand.
! Inc most observant of the Chris
tan leaders of our time are convinced
| that the Gospel for today must be
expressed in terms of service All the
modern social movements, be they col
lege settlements or new political par
ties, are an expression of deep desire
for the great realities of practical re-
hg1on. Ours is not a doctrinal age
would that it were more so-yet it is
quick to hear that first doctrine of
| Christianity. love in action. Jesus lived
life before He taught a truth. His
] deeds outran His words. A church
that renders service as we'll as holds
the allegiance of the people of our
time.
Growing Up to Jesus.
Thirty years ago the idea of so
| cial Christianity" meant nothing big
ger than a church soeiable- The few
men who were beginning to glimpse
this phase of Christ's example and
teaching were looked upon as faddists-
1t is really difficult for the modern
man to realize that this present era
of the pre- commence of the thought of
social service was undreamed of
| generation ago. Nowadays 1t is a poor
preacher indeed who cannot support
and vindicate the social message of
| the Gospel.
The plain truth is that all times are
forever rising up to the level of Christ
| The world outgrows some men: Jesus
it is ever striving to grow up to. Even
this war is but a CONFUSION of pro-
gress, that will lift mankind nearer
to the level of the Master.
| The last word in modern social ser
vice is the example and message OF
Jesus. He went about doing good.
The attention of His world and time
was attracted to Him by what He did
rather than by what He said. His
miracles were at the time his mightiest
| MESA ge. He spent himself to the last
spark of His vitality in behalf OF peo-
pie. His life burned so brightly that
it consumed Him in ministry his
message, beyond which no modern
| social preachrsent goes. was not TO
he ministered unto. but to minister,
and to give His life a ransom TOT
many.
THE modern social gospel is not a
new religion; 1t is mercy Oil
trance into the religion which Jesus
nracticed and preached. This present
Sunday school lesson is best under
| stood as a little study in applied
Christianity. 1t is an illustration OF
the modern social service program OF
the church. All the noble ministries
of mercy that are exercised behind
the battle fronts are but expressions
| of the mind of the Master.
Creating a Commotion.
The background of the lesson IS
lovely Galilee, with its rolling mus
it's rich gray olive trees, so soft and
beautiful in all lights, and its multi
tude of beautiful flowers, with the
lake itself in all its varying moods,
as a constant influence upon the lie
of the people. These were country
folk of simple ways. The wonder is
that the personality of Jesus still
holds true to type, even when intro
dueed into our modern complex civiE-
zation. That life was lived among
the peasants and the fishermen whose
interests were few and trivial.
To them came the news of this new
Teacher, with His wonderful works
and His strange words. Thru the
countryside ran the tidings of His
miracles of healing. The report
strangely moved people A commo-
ton was created turnout the land.
AS women gathered at the village
wells, morning and evening. they
talked of the latest bit of news from
the new Teacher and Healer at
Capernaum. Travellers bore the It'd
ings from village to village, The
leisursly East sent its representa-
tives to see for themselves what Jesus
was doing. He created a real com
motion.
And why not? Part of the outcry
against sensational preaching is fool
ish, and part is based on a misappre-
hension. If preaching is alive and is
. true, 1t ought to create sensation.
Jesus came to stir the world. A min
: ister may question his call if he is not
causing people to talk; and to talk
: a bout The higher things instead of the