The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-11-29
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON
BIZ WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

''~e1AAA4 - SLASAS.
For December / is Joseph Sold by
His Brothers. 37:1S-23.
Tho Dreamer Who Saved the World
There Is q choke in our threats, a
mist before our eyes. a thrill in every
iibre OF our being. as We realize. in
war is over and that the world has
oeen saved. Even the thoughtless
and the irreverent (if there be any
such left) cry Thank God." Now we
nave come to point where we can
look back and see the Providence
which has ruled in all the strange and
tragic events OF these dark years. Al
ready there emerge above the dark
ness and the ruin dim foregleam y of
the purposes of the Supreme Ruler
who makes the wrath of man to praise
Him and who has declared MY WAYS
are not your ways, nor my thoughts
your thoughts" None is so infidel as
not to believe that thruout the war
the Almighty has been doing business
with mankind,
AS if to Reinforce this great truth
OF an overriding Providence, which
lies like the light of sunrise behind
the darkness Of the worlds night, mil
lions are this week called to consider
the same theme as 1t is set forth in the
romantic story OF Joseph. the dreamer
chapters of the hook of Genesis. which
began with the story of Creation, are
devoted to the affairs of this one man.
Does that seem alike an incongruous
descent from the great and sublime
to the small and the unimportant :?
Far from it. The providence of God
Is as truly concerned in the affairs of
one life as in the establishment of the
universe. Reverently it may be said
that the Creator himself reveals His
In ~frz1r
into whose frame He has breathed a
free and sovereign spirit. All the
final aims of God have to do with
mans life. 1t is for the sake of hu-
mainly, in whose estate God himself
has chosen to find His highest glory,
that the worlds were brought into be.
ing; and it Is for the sake of humanity
that He has overturned nations and
systems and the ancient order in a
world cataclysm. AS we follow the
a plain path of divine leading.
By a Way We Knew Not.
Bad men and good men are both
tools In the hands Of God. The mad
and ruthless ambitions of a German
kaiser, and the lofty, altruistic pur--
poses Of an American president, alike
serve the benign purpose of an over
ruling Providence. Joseph, the ideal
list, the dreamer, is an instrument of
Heaven, as are also the bloody broth
ers who constgn him to a cruel and
unnatural fate. As we now look back
upon history, and try to see things
In the large, it is clear that a vast
purpose was at work in Canaan and
Egypt long ago; and in the whole
world before our eyes.
Joseph had to go into bondage in
order that his race might come into
their heritage Of freedom He was
carried out of Canaan to make it pos
sible that his fathers remoter children
should continue in Canaan. He be-
mately, might become free. Our sons
nave died in France in order that
never again will blacks in African
forests; HISTORIANS in far Kurdistan;
Armenians In Turkey; and Christians
IN the Balkans die victims of tyranny
and bigotry and autocracy. We see
of the sweep of the new !
peace and safety that have come to
earth thru the sacrifice of all who
nave suffered in the war. 1t is only
In the light of the worlds long to-
morrow that We may be reconciled to
tEe worlds awful yesterday. Without
a grip upon the truth that, seen as
God sees it, life is whole unity of
good. such tragedies as the war would
be intolerable.
The Lord is still ruler of his world.
even as In the days of Joseph. He
holds our times in his hand. He may
be leading by "a way we know not.
but he is still leading. One simple
truth that was visualized for me in
France. early this. year. is that the
beautiful beyond telling.
Remembering the Joscphs.
Somewhere there is always a JOS
eph. Most of the world ignores that
fact. 1t Is more interested in the rich
and powerful Jacobs-about to die
BY the time man has spent his force
and originality, and become the mere
possessor Of a fortune or a position,
his neighbors dub him a leading cit
izen." and elect him upon boards and
committees and to public office; altho |
really his days of leadership and mi |
tiative are done. We forget that 1t has |
ever been the young men who have |
created the new nations, the new eras
the new methods.
Now is the time to take thought of |
the Josephs. the saviors of tomorrow. |
II ever there was a day for looking |
well to our youth. protecting it. in
spiring it and making sure that it
DREAMS the fight dreams. this 10 that |
day. A plastic world awaits shaping |
handA Feeble and nerveless fingers,
from yesterday, are trying to
crowd it back Into the old m6ulds. In
vain: Youth will have its way with
The emancipated world; ours At Is to
see that youths way is way of wis
1om and brotherliness and reverence.
At the present time, 1t Is more worth
while to teach a class Of boys or girls
he clear and simple integrities which
God has stamped as eternal than 1t is
20 sit on committees of eminent citi-
sens' or to be director of the larg-
EST bank on the continent. Vital
,orces are human forces. What counts
most today for tomorrow is boys and
girls. If the reconstruction era does
lot witness a worldwide stressing OF
he importance of child-training it
will have missed its greatest oppor-
unity. This is the hour to concern
ourselves with springs.
1T is quite possible that somebody
who reads these lines has in his. or
more likely her, keeping the Joseph
who will again save the world. No
,ody in that southern Christian home.
| generation ago, imagined that the