The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-12-17
International
SundoySchoolLesson
az WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

BIZ WILLIAM T. ELLIS.
For Dec 1s is Jesus Feeds the
Multitudes''-Matt 14:13-23.
The Leader Who Cared.
81 have no interest in individuals >.
pompously declared a public official
of the old order, to whom came the
4 retort, ''Then you've got ahead of the
Lord Almighty"
herd" the plain, everyday folks who
make up the bulk of humanity, is a
first characteristic of the aristocrat,
the snob and the cynic. Whereas
the sure sign of the spirit of Jesus
in a person is care for ordinary men
and women. Great souls delight in
common-folks and common ways; in
the qualities of the general run of
mankind; in their Joys and sorrows,
their ideals and their heroisms.
A person may suspect that his
lsensibilities are becoming calloused
if he does not take pleasure in his
! fellow men, and love to associate with
them, whether they are Broadway
throngs, or small-town crowds, or
sweaty multitudes of Russian ref
ugees, or congregated humans of any
sort.
Some travellers delight to recount
the differences between themselves
and the natives amid whom they
I
! as heroes for undergoing what is the
daily lot and life of myriads of other
human beings. How silly and cheap
and stupid. 1t is one with the age
! Iongt blunder of petty spirits who de-
| light in setting themselves up as SUI
perior to their fellows.
Contrast the Jesus way, as our les
son sets it forth Aristocracy shuns
! crowds; Jesus lived close to the multi
tudes. He even cared that the inn
pertinent, wonder-seeking rabble were
| hungry. His second greatest miracle,
which today we study, was wrought
to fill the bellies of an improvident
multitude.
The Observation-Disclosures problem is
the one thing that the whole world
has in common. We have recently
! seen. in the plight of the Russian
refugees from the Crimea, how the
| softiy-nurtured and favored mem
bers of a privileged class may in a
| few days be reduced to the level of
Armenian or Syrian refugees. wolf
ishly clamoring for food of any sort.
At present all of this favored land
is hearing, and generally needing, a
| plea for the succor OF the hungry
| children of Europe. This perpetual
| question What shall we eat? was
not too material or commonplace to
be beneath the notice of the Son of
God.
| The Gospel of Labor.
Accredited by His calloused hands,
and by His brother1y, understanding
heart. Jesus of Nazareth is today the
| one acceptable leader of mankind out
of the dire distress and disorder of the
world. His passion for common peo-
pie. Hiss patience with US ordinary
| folk His steadfastness to US when an
other in disgust would leave US to
stew in our own juice-these are the
qualifications which commend Christ
| 70 he mn fU M
as our days Deliverer and Hero.
Seven short sentences, written on
a second or third century scrap of
papyrus, and dug up along the Nile
known as 1.-The New Sayings of Jesus. "
Each is introduced by the words,
Jesus says" The fifth Saying is
l ''RAise the stone and thou shalt find
Me; cleave the wood, and 1 am there" y
Upon this DR.. Henry van Dyke bases
Felix" Felix sought the Light as
| desert hermit, where sanity anchor
tie gave him this cryptic word. He
Jared forth to the life of labor, as a
common toiler At last, in the temple
during evening worship, the Master
| appeared to him, saying:
" .Henrken. good ard faithful servant, true
| disciple, loyal friendl
| Thou hast followed me and found Me
l will keep thee to the end.
/" We'll I know thy toll and trouble; often
weary. faintfng, worn.
| / have lived the life of labor, heavy
burdens have borne
''-'Never in a princes palace have slept
| on golden bed.
| Never in a hermit's cavern have L eaten
unearned bread.
:" Born within lowly stable, where the
| Trained a carpenter in Nazareth, I have
toiled, and found it good
&" They who tread the path of labor follow
| where MY feet have trod;
| They who work without complaining do
| the holy will OF God.
" Where the many toll together, there am
1 among Ny own;
| Where the tired workman sleepeth, there
. am 1 with him alone.
''I, the peace that passeth knowledge,
dwell amid the daily strife;
| I, the Bread of Heaven, am broken in the
sacrament Of life
" Every task however simple, sets the soul
/ that does it free;
Every deed, love and mercy, done to man,
| is done to Me-
Thou hast learned the open secret; thou
hast come to Me for rest
| With my burden, in thy labor, thou art
Felix, doubly blest-
/ NeNtTmOTc tLUd HeeueSL seek Me L HHl
with thee everywhere;
Raise the stone, and thou shalt find me !;
cleave the wood; and I am there"
| This is the gospel of labor, ring it, ye
! bells of the kirki
The Lord of Love came down from above
to live with the men who work.
! This is the rose that He planted, here In
! the thorn-curst soil
| Heaven is blest with perfect rest, but the
blessing Of Earth is toll"
1
Sympathy sometimes sees straight
er than scholarship. Erudition has
often been befogged and bemired in
| theological questions concerning Jesus,
| but simple saints, men and women
bent beneath the burdens of life. have
| never lost their clear vision of Christ
as their best Friend and surest Lea der
and sympathizing Saviour and one Re-