The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1918-03-01

and dru. -kards. but who are now men
of goodness and power. he realizes the
potency CT these present experiences
as witnesses to the miracle-workiug
power of the Savior. l. any man finds
| his faith in Christ's ability to save
growing dim, let him visit one of the
! city rescue missions and hear the tes-
tiiuony Of the .nade-over men. What
Jesus diJ to the demoniac of Gadara
1 He is s:sll doing for tormented man
kiI d.
Let Us Alone"
| Strong characters always create
foes, especially if they be strong for
righteousness. When the demoniac
came to Jesus the evil spirits cried out
against him. They recognized Jesus
as their implacable antagonist. The
Master always had enemies in the
, spiritual world, and among men and
! women. That sugar-and-water phil
osophy which thinks it can get thru
! life without any strife finds little
support in the biography of the gen.
| tlest of earth's teachers.
| Goodness, when it is really effec-
tive always provokes enmity. There
never was real revival that did not
/ create a bareback of SANDER One
I of the woes of Christ was spoken
! against that type of character which
find its reward in the praise of men:
| Woe unto you when all men speak
we'll of YOU
The evil 1eglGns asked nothing of
| this Master except that He let them
alone. When party arose in poll
| tics a few years ago, representing
prosperity and big business and be-
| gan to cry, Let US alone" it did
not realize that this quotation was
/ taken from the lips of evil demons.
! Evil always, stands pat" 1t wants
merely to be let alone. Existing con-
ditions are good enough for it, for it
knows that any change will make
them worse, from its standpoint.
/ About Those Swine.
! The evil spirits from the demoniac
pleaded to be permitted to enter the
neighboring swine, and Jesus granted
this request. Straightway the swine
ran down the declivity and were
drowned in the sea, two thousand of
them What howl there has been
thru tn, centuries, but especially in
our own time, about those two thou
sand piSsl Doubtless they belonged
to renegade Jews, who were raising
| them to sell to the Roman soldiers. 1t
was illegal business for the Jew to
be in; but nevertheless the same SYM
| pathy that is created when revenue
| officers pour into the gutter casks OF
! con fiscated liquors. is called forth by
i this spectacle of the sacrificed pork.
i Some persons see nothing in the story
| but this injury to vested interests
They seemingly care more for the
stock than for the man.
| Let Us grant that it cost two thou
sand swine to save one man. The
conscience of our time will say the
ira nsaction was a good one The old
days, wnen per cent from an invest
mcnt was more important than the
conditions of the toiler are passing
/ RAPIDLY away. The sanctity of the
stockholders right to profit is consid-
cred less than the sanctity of health
and happiness. Life is seen to be the
more sIcred thing. Let us drive out
the evil spirits from our commerce
ard our industry and our politics, and
if the cost is high, the gain is worth it
! Make TO mistake about it: the same
master Spirit who Gained the waves
on Galilee, and who drove out the evil
spirits from the afflicted man. is still
regnanl in the world today. The
cross flag is triumphing in the world
| war. He is delivering men and wo-
men and little children from the
thraldoms of sin within themselves,
and the yokes and burdens that greed
and ignorance put upon them from
without. He is the ages Conqueror.
Looking Up and Lifting Up.
Terse Comments on the Uniform
Prayer Meeting Topic of the Young
Peoples Societies-Christian En-
Geavor, Etc-For March 3: Chris
tian Duty and Privilege, Prayer. -
John 14:12-17.
Sometimes we pray merely from
habit, and the habit of prayer is a
good one to have. Yet something
mere should prompt our requests to
God. They should be the expression
of real need, and a sense of depend
ence upon our Father above. None
of US is ever without need. The rea-
soE for prayer is always present.
Therefore we should be watchful that
our prayers be not formal. but that
they breathe the spirit of genuine de-
sire.
There is such a thing as praying
Without ceaSing. OF course, the
apostles injunction does not mean
that all our days should be spent in
the utterance of prayers. There would
be then no time for work. Paul doubt
less referred to the attitude of soul
; which is a constant looking Godward.
To live and work in the consciousness
of dependence upon God. to rely upon
Him as the. source of all benefits, to
walk in His fear and the sense of His
presence-that is to pray without
ceaSing."
Praying aloud is a bar to wandering
Thoughts. If we would cultivate di-
rectness and ciearness in prayer and
increase our realization of the person
ality and nearness of God, we should
} practice praying aloud in our closet
every day.
Nothing is too small to pray about.
Whatever is important enough to con-
. Germ US is not too trifling to interest
God His love is great enough to com
t pTehend our smallest affairs,
Because we are human and by ma
, ture small and selfish, many of our
r prayers are unwise- We often ask for
gifts that God could not grant with
; out being unkind to US. We do not
| know this. and at times We find fal,lt
with God because not all our requests
are granted. But His love is shown as
, much in His failure to accede to some
, of our prayers as it is by the bounties
with which He responds to our proper
, prayers. One of the reasons for JOY
> that we shall have in heaYen-xes ir