The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-08
INTERNATIONAL
SUNDAY SCHOOL
LESSON
BY WILLIAM t. ELLIS.

From the Angle of bethlehem.
In the soft glow of a summer even
ing 1 rode yesterday from Jerusalem
to Bethlehem. The distance is only a
little more than five miles, along the
main southern highway to Hebron. It
was over this very road that Joseph
and Mary and their faithful donkey
went in haste the day before Christ
mas. The ancient well by the way
side is pointed out, with every degree
of probability. as the one at which
Mary refreshed herself. Near Bethle-
hem we pass the tomb Of Rachel.
Olive and vineclad terraced hills sur
round the town, which Is solidly built
of, the ubiquitous limestone of the
land: the wise man builds his house
on the rock-the underlying rock of
Palestine-and Of the rock as we'll.
The stone is quarried soft and hard
ems upon exposure to air.
In a limestone cave, which once was
! the rear room or stable of the Bethle-
| hem inn, or khan, there was born
| nineteen centuries ago a Babe. Over
that cave today there stand the old
est Christian church in the world,
built in the reign of Constantine the
Great, on the site of a still earlier
| construction. Since the capture of
Jerusalem by General Allenby-when
an American officer in his army was
certain unlovely evidences of ecclesi-
astical strife, notably the unsightly
wall that divided the interior, have
been removed 1t is still necessary,
tho, to maintain a military guard at
the manger to prevent sectarian strife:
tho now the soldiers are British, in
stead of Turks.
A silver star is let into the center
of the grotto beneath the church,
and it is inscribed, 'dic de Nirgine
Maria Jesus Christus natus est"
Around it burn perpetually the lamps
of the Latin, Greek and Armenian
churches There Is much ecclesiasti-
cal ornamentation. One can scarcely
realize that at this holy spot the mira
| Gle of the ages was wrought; and that
here was manifested the Son of God,
the Saviour of the world. Here
gathered the wondering shepherds
from the neighboring hillside. Over
this town the mysterious celestial glory
shone; and later the star rested. This
| is a focal point of the universe and
of eternity.
New Power of an Old Place.
What has all this got to do with
| the present Lesson? Everything.
This Bethlehem manger has become
central to a newly self-conscious
world. The star that shone here
nineteen centuries ago has become,
as it were, the supreme luminary of
| a celestial system, drawing all les
ser planets into its orbit and power.
1t represents the uplifted Christ who
| is today drawing all men unto him.
self. Now, above all days that have
ever been, is time of the supremacy
| of the teaching and spirit and sacri-
| flee of Jesus. once born in Bethle-
hem as a lowly mothers Babe. The
heart-sore world is ready to say. with
the shepherds, Come. now, let us go
| unto Bethlehem"
| AS of old Paul heard Macedonia
calling in, a vision-that same poor,
distraught Macedonia thru which I
have recently traveled-"Come over
and help u.s." so now all the weak and
war-worn and newly-awakened ma
tions are crying to Christ and his
Church, Come over and help u.s."
There is no thoughtful person who
| intelligently reviews the worlds
present condition who does not arrive
at the conclusion that the greatest
need of the nations is spiritual, and to
| be met only by vitalized and present
| religion.
As the Soldier Secs 1t.
Upon returning from Bethlehem
yesterday. and after dinner, 1 spent
mopolite who has seen most OF the
problem-p places in the present world
| unsettlement- We discussed the ma
tional perplexities, one by one. and
| finally confessed ourselves baffled, I'M
til the soldier said-and he is not a
religious mani tell you. this whole
business will never be settled on the
| basis of religion which will make peo-
| pie really friendly. There has got to
be some great power to bring the
spirit of brotherhood into all the
world"
That interview was true to type.
Oyer and over find all sorts of men
| turning to religion as the solution of
the present world chaos. Some ex-
/ press desire for a new religion or
a new prophet or an amalgamation of
/ all religions. In the speech of soldiers
and statesmen and-m men of the world,
the great affirmation of Christ is being
| echoed-mankind must be born again.
| and receive a new nature, before it
\ can live life of holiness and help
| fulness and harmony.
Under His Own Hat.
That line of reasoning leads US
straight to the conviction that the
most important work in the world at
the present is to create Christians.
Christ they are led out of the self
tishness and smallness and sordidness
! that now afflict society like a dis
| ease. A sturdy type OF intelligent
Christianity is the best bulwark
against Bolshevisnn, capitalism, i'm
perialism. and all the other isms that
menace the integrity of civilization.
Recently Life had an editorial
upon the Importance of each mans
| having a league of nations, and Of
good intentions under his own hat.
II the little world that lives there is
reorganized. the affairs of the greater
| world will be cared for automatically.
The final problem is the state of mind
of the individual.
That is so obvious that its impcr-
lance may be overlooked. All of US
are so busy with vast schemes for
making over mankind in the mass
that We are tempted to forget that
Gods way'is the one-by-one method.
He deals with individuals. He is
changing the world by Transforming
men one at a time. Whoever leads