Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1919-02-21
Little Children Larger Grown

~ with questions and interjections.
Inc younger the child the greater
the lmpatience. Now that was about
tne intellectual condition OF the
ShiIdren of Israel: they were chill
dren indeed. With Moses out of
their sight they could not wait;
waiting is a mans art, a sign of
maturity and strength. The essential
lmmaturity of this people whom
Moses led is a characteristic of the
story that stands out boldly. Had
they been more fully developed, they
would have had more sense.
But stay; before we throw stones
clear over into the Sinai wilderness
let us consider whether it is not true
that the new people of this western
world are also afflicted with the same
festlessness and impatience. We do
not Know how to wait. Immediately
is our motto. Like, the monkeys in
tne jungle. we must be ever In mo-
tlon' never able, like the stronger
jungle folk, to win our prize by pa
tience. What we want we want
right away; if it is not at hand.
we are willing to accept any substi-
tute.
COILS +. Huntington. that curious
admlXture of cunning, cruelty, self
lsnness and real greatness, showed
the last named quality when he said
something to this effect: II get
what ! want because | can bide my
time, there is only one thing that
can beat me at waiting, and that is
the Roman Catholic church." The
strong man always has a store of pa
tience and provision; he knows that
Whatever is worth working for is
also worth waiting for. Had they
1,.l
dren of Israel would have waited Il
return of Moses. and then have per
ceived the benefit purpose of his alb
sence. They. like later pilgrims to
the Land of Promise needed to stand
sun and see that Jehovah is God.
Where Idols Are Plentiful
Ihe reader who has a taste for
tollowing an interesting thought
through the books may care to verify
by the histories this assertion: the
greatest nations are those which
nave the greatest God. Like mas
ter ike man." The people which
mas the most exalted conception of
the Deity is the one which has the
most exalted type of manhood. Lit
tie gods mean, in the long run. a
mule people. Slowly. through the
centuries, the monothesm of the
Jews elevated them above the sur
rounding idolatrouis nations, and
made them peculiar people. a
powerful people and a persisting
people.
After more than little ffrst-hand
observation of idolatry, I am pre-
pared to say that idol worship is all
ways on descending scale. 1t de-
generates into mere superstition and
aenonoiatry. There are doubtless
some Hindus and Chinese and Japan
ese VINO can give an intelligent eA-
planatlon OF the character and pur-
pose of the greater figures in their
pantheon; but the plain people wor-
snip all idols, any idols, only from
oIlnd fear and an ignorant hope of
receiving favors. l nave a dozen or
more charms that l secured at var
luos heather temples, which engage
10 protect me from all the ills of
pooy and spirit. The people who
start with one idol soon have many
IDOLS, and customs of the grossest.
Those Jews at first wanted a mere
representation that would fix their
thoughts upon Jehovah-an laid to
DEVOTION" all lovers of images and
pictures say-but it was not long
ere they rose up to play" after tlfe
aoominable manner of the heather
eHcesses. He whose devotion is not
centered upon the one Supreme OBJ
Ject or devotion will find himself
swinging in strange orbits and wor-
shipping unexpected gods in unholy
ways.
Skill and Superstition
Those who consider civilization ,
mere matter of material skill and
progress may be reminded that some
OF the finest mechanical arts are pos
sessed by peoples far down on the
intellectual and moral scale. The
emorolderies of old Japan, the cary
lngs OF China, the brass work of In
dla, the shawls of Cashmere-these
are not eXcelled anywhere in tho
world. In the museum at Cairo Won
may see piles of beautiful jewelrv
In cunningly wrought gold and
gems. 1t was such as these that the
lsraelites wore, and offered to the
melting pot for the golden calf.
DO the two things seem incongru-
ous-those elaborate ornaments of
gold and pueIle, savage worshin of
the molten calf? All. but even to-
day barbarism and gross superstition
wear Jewels and silks and raiment y
Ia mode. 1t is not in our wealth
and p-to-dateness and material
grandeur that the hope of the age
hes' Dut in a clear-seeing, steadfast
and obedient recognition of those
ritual Ideals which follow in the
wake of the intelligent worshin NJ
the true and living God. Material
ism cannot make a nation great any
'ore than a big house and lavishlv
spent money can qualify a person to
move in truly good society.
Ihe golden calf is still being wor-
shipped today. The bull, as repre-
senting life and reproduction. is
common object of heather venera-
ton. From the living bull is wor-
shipped in India. and the streets of
Benares are full of slate-oolored
bulls. roaming at will. lords of the
~hwav and pillaoing nmoIestod
from the bazars. The mummy OF
cow, and its restored temple-tonnh h
IS one of the most interesting sights
IN the museum in Cairo.
The Swift Vengeance
The orgies around the molten calf
dld not go unheeded on the mount
where Jehovah conferred WITH
Noses. Heaven is forever less jndif-
ferent to the doings of earth than
OF those who stoop to folly is TO
suppose that nobody cares": where
as the whole social body cares. and
so does the God above, who is zeaI-
Nns Tor the welfare of his peonIa
below. There is never an idol set nm
IN nation or in a human hraost
that the loving Father of all is not
erieved and offended. "o'
Swift.v Moses was sent dor,, e.
hn