The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-01
INTERNATIONAL,
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
For March 3 is Jesus Bringing
Peace" Mark 4:35-5:20.
IBea..o and tho UoacopaEpr
By w. T. ELLIS

Peace and the PeaccInakcr.
over and over again it comes to me,
The thought of Christ on the stormy sea-
The weary worker holds our imag-
ination more than the raging waves.
Worn out with spending His souls
substance for other people, Jesus was
lying, in the stern of a Galilean fish
ing boat asleep. He was tired with
just the same sort of tiredness that
comes to this worlds tired toilers who
have spent themselves to the limit.
The Son of Man was akin to all His
brethren in all their experiences. The
world would not willingly lose this
picture of the weary Christ, sleeping
in sheer eXha
Modern prophets" who profess to
mobilize the mind of the Galilean
peasant, travel around the country in
private cars, but this was no private
yacht in which Jesus sailed. Instead,
it was just an ordinary. clumsy, odor-
Gus fishing boat, with the scales of
yesterdays catch smeared over the
thwarts. 1t had no cabin, but under
the overcast sky on a simple pallet lay
the great Teacher needless of the
bobbing of the boat or the shrieking
of the wind or the pounding of the
waves 1t was such a storm as sweeps
down from the hills of the eastern
shore o. Galilee; or as makes sailing
Oh Lake George dangerous 1t does
nos take great ocean to make a
dangerous storm. The little craft was
in as much danger on Galilee as if it
had been in the middle of the At
lantic
The Friends to Whom We Turn.
There are some persons to whom
their friends naturally turn in trouble
Ihey are the efficient ones. Emergen-
cies bring them to the fore Just as
the apostle Paul dominated his ship
parably higher degree, with Jesus. He
was master of men and of conditions
His fishermen friends had no thought
that He would still the storm, yet they
wanted to take refuge in the shelter of
His strong character Therefore their
petulant arouSal of Him as He slept
The ship that carries Caesar cannot
sink. That boat with Jesus aboard
was safer than one of the limestone
caves in the hills of Nazareth.
The fishermen wanted only COM
fort. and they got instead great calm.
1t is glory of the Christian faith
that Christ always exceeds expecta-
lions. They who ask for little got
much His givings are always more
than we desire OF deserve. The af-
amazed when, instead of words of
counsel or assurance, Jesus spoke in
majesty to the sea, Peace be still
And the winds ceased and there was
a great calm"
Nature is but a servant whose
master is God If we will go part
of the way with Christ in acceptance
of His character and work, we are
bound to go all the way and believe
Him when He says, IAN authority is
given unto me-" To any who are
troubled by this miracle the words
of the Master to the disciples in the
boat may be repeated, Have We not
faith? True, we may marvel with
them and cry, who, then, is this
that even the winds and sea obey
him ?" Marvellous beyond compare
was that wondrous deed. yet what
about Jesus is not marvellous? He
who rules the winds and waves is
still master of this world as in all
human history. Let US stand by our
simple faith that our Christ is ornnip-
otent. Amid all the changes that
we face in these troublous times, this
assurance holds us steady. He who
rules is our Redeemer.''
A Warning Worlds Peacemaker.
When we apply this truth to the
storm and Wrack of war it is not so
easy to realize that the Christ of peace
is having His way with the world
Doubtless He would have had better
way had men let Him. Nevertheless,
| He maketh the wrath of man to
praise Him." We can see thru this
| tempest only by the illumination of
the cross, which is the symbol that
righteousness is worth supreme cost
| God will go to all lengths to serve His
holy ends of justice and love Moth
| ing necessary to that purpose has He
withheld, not even the life of His Son
| AS Jesus died in human service, by the
| divine will, so are men dying today
| to bring to pass peace that Will serve
all the generations to come.
Recently, we perceive that amid all
the tumult and wreckage of war, the
| mind o. Christ is being VIGOROUSLY
| fulfilled. What a wonderful demon
stra+lon of comradeship and helpful
ness and mercy and practical ministry
and religion we are having from the
| battIefields today. A single hysterical
outburst concerning moral conditions
! in London from one uniformed
| preacher may get more publicity than
oil the glorious truth as those who
| really know have seen it. For myself
what l have beheld in London, OF
| ol1fe, strength and dignity, on the part
| of soldiers and civilians; OF service OIL
! fered as a matter of course; OF the
worlds greatest city attuned in every
| department to exalted but pract1cal
| natriotism is nothing less than one OF
| the wonders of the war. saw nucn
of religious activity IN Lonoo1 any -
! little Of vice After investigation IL
| seemed to me that righteousness Is
1,ictoril1s in this particular battle. 1he
| shirt of Jesus is outWorkinS To d nv
! life il the heart of manklnu' any ~
a new and better order Tor the "hoie
| when Life Is at Stake
| C.o-,ox waters are less tumultuous
-, 4Ta storms that rage IN the
human breast If we marvel at the
r,ojracIe which the fishermen saw, let
ms marvel more at the power when
can say. Peace. be stir to turou,
1ent life. The miracle of transformed
characters of evil men made good, OF
nassionate men made serene. of avar-
! cious men made generous, is stun, as II
has eve been. the supreme miracle OF
nature.
illed boatmen by the sitting of the
| Storm must take second place to the
calming of the furies of the demon
taos nature This poor creature. who