The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-04-25
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON
BY WILLIAM t. ELLIS.

For April 81 is: 1.-The Holy Spirit Our
Helper" Acts 2;1-S-
Religion at Bed Rock.
There are more tongues in Paris
than were heard at Pentecost. Ours
is bigger world than Peter knew.
When the forked tongues of fire rested
upon the little company of men and
women gathered in Jerusalem to await
the promised outpouring of the divine
| Spirit, they represented the universal
loutreach of Christianity. From that
| room the disciples went everywhere
| preaching. The rapid dissemination
| of their message became one of the
wonders of history; and it made over
| the world.
Our world is larger than theirs. but
| it is also more easily reached. 1 can
! fly in an aeroplane over the route OF
Paurs long. tedious missionary jour-
neys in a few hours. 1t was but yes
/ terday that / covered in a night and
a morning the distance from Rome to
the tip of Italy. which took the pris-
! oner apostle weary weeks. Cour1ers
carried the DEGREES of Caesar to the
| limits of the Roman Empire, so that
| the outermost provinces were many
DAYS or weeks in getting news; but
now the ends of the earth read at
| breakfast what was done in Paris the
| day before. Our area has enlarged
since the day of Pentecost, talready
languages and dialects), but so also
| have our material facilities. The
] apostles had no such opportunity as
| the Christian church of today pos
sesses.
When the World Was Turned Upside
Down.
| They had a Power which explained
the wonder. So marvellous was theii
| effect upon life that they got a repu-
tation as earthquakes. People de.
clared that they had turned the world
upside down. No pagan position was
too strong for them to take. Ever
Caesars household was entered b,
them. The military might of the Ro'
man Empire became subject to them
Greek philosophy soon was their tool
Exploration and commerce and trave
land even persecution were but as sc
many wings by which the message
flew. In countless ways. overcoming
all obstacles, this new Power operated
upon human society for its .beneftcen
transformation.
That Power is variously named il
the record: but it was the Spirit o
the living God. He was the expires
sion of the Divine. He was Omnipo
tents method of operating. Unseen
intangible, indescribable, ipcompre
hensibIe, this mysterious Spirit of Goo
expressing Himself to and thru man
Theologians have tried to catalog tn
vine Agency; but in vain. He may b'
experienced. but He may not be de
scribed. This Spirit is He who sup
plements supernaturally all that Il
done for God humanity He takes tn
worlds worst and makes 1t the best
He is the one supreme explanation o
the miracle of Christianity.
After Paris, What?
This lesson is being written in al
in Do pc olH rifU Of pe
salonica. AS 1 have wandered abou
its muddy, filthy streets, and as have
come unto contact with ITS selfish, sor'
did oriental life, Il haVH unused niucl
upon Paul and the wonder that M
wrought here in the long ago. Fol
he made heather Thessalontca Chris
tian-and by no power that isanots a
the command of the church today.
Facing the pagan cities of icofflpla
cent Rome, the little company o
Christian disciples needed "a new
equipment. Roman arrogance coult
easily overawe them, Roman powei
could diShearten them, and Grecial
was in vain for them to go forth al
commanded unless they had some spe
cial indueement which the proud worlC
could neither match nor meet: thu
disciples simply had to possess som'
irresista BILE equipment.
That is the logic of Pentecost. 1
was necessary and inevitable. TIL,
descent of the. Spirit was a natura
corollary of the resurrection. Chris
tianity's heralds had to be both en-
messaged and empowered.
At the present time all the worlC
is waiting upon the deliberations O
the peace conference in Paris TIL,
commissioners have envisaged a new
world order, They see what must b'
abolished ana what must be establish
ed. So far as sagacious statesmanshiI
can do so they have provided for 1
better state of human society every
where. Out here in Paurs Salonica
however, amid such misery and sordid.
ness as the peace commission know
nothing of, it is clear to everybody thai