The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-09-24
International
SlrndaySchoolLesson
BY WILLIAM n ELLIS

1
BY WILLIAM r ELLIS.
For September IS is saul. David and
| solomon Compared. RS. AZ; 1
| Sam. 1851.
Three Kings From the Orient.
A man may become what be is not
] That pointed truth sticks out from
the story of the three kings of the ORR
j ent about whom the Sunday schools
or North America have been studying
for q half a year. Character is not
fixed but ever changing. The young
are never too young and the old are
never too old to be transformed in
their souls, for better or for worse.
Al OF NE is but a workshop for the
making over of human spirits. The
bad may become good, the good may
! become bad That is why we should
all walk softly, without either pre-
sumption or despair
Saul, the sensitive, modest, self-dis-
trustful young country lad became the
proud and arrogant and vanity-crazed
monarch.
/ David, "the sweet singer of Israel"
who walked with God and behaved
himself seemly, became an adulterer
and murderer; and then a con-
itrite, chastened, heart-broken penitent.
trusting hunbly in the mercy of Je-
hovah.
Solomon. child of fathers prayers.
began as humble seeker after divine
wisdom. and ended as uxorious. self
iexaldng oppressor of his own people.
The plastic character of the human
spirit is written large above this story
of Israers first three rulers. Their
message to us is one of hope as well
as one of warning.
i One Young Mans Can.
The world never ootgrows its inter-
est In the human. Biography is best
literature. The tales that are told by
the desert fires of Arabia, of the lpwly
who became great, of the poor who
became rich, of the obscure who be-
came famous, are twin to the favorite
| literature of our own land and time
Youth and age alike read with zest
the story of the young Saul who went
in search of his fathers straying asses
and found, instead, a crown and a
Kingdom.
Saul stands for opportunity. He is
OF that vast company of youths who
!are. consciously or unconsciously, pre-
pairing themselves for higher things;
and who are under the spur of a c.
wine urge. Last night. in a Virginia
town, 1 fell into talk with a boy. OF
eighteen, who has for five years been
the head of a family of seven He
has moved to railroad center, where
he works in the shops, in order that
the younger children may have educa-
after eight hours a day of labor
lspends two hours a night in study He
is unconsciously getting ready for his
kingdom. Some day the youths who
loaf in the pool rooms will be talking
about his luck"
The greatest menace of our time is
idle, irresponsible, low-grade young
people; the most hopeful sign of oul
time is the host of young men and
women who have the stamina and the
tTrfc - b.
a great tomorrow, There never was
lgreater need for Sunday school and
young peoples societies, functioning
at 100 per cent efficiency, than con-
fronts US today. If youth is fired with
Christian ideals, all will be well with
the world.
AS country boy and Israers king,
uge-statured Saul is a story of death
| less charm. But he is also an admoni-
ltion. He stands in that great com
lpany of men-we all can call some OF
them by nane--who began with noble
purposes and shining prospects. but
who ended as selfish, sordid, material
minded grubbers among fgnoble pur-
suits. The successful man is the one
who holds fast to the end the unfair
nished ideals of youth.
Farm Fruits Versus Palace Products
happen to know personally a
royal prince, whose name is often
in the worlds press. And I know
him for a weakling, a coward and
a fool. For one reason, he has never
| had a fair chance in life. Not for an
| hour has he ever stood on his own feet
as a boy among boys, or man among
men Sychophants and courtiers have
| famed upon and flattered him, and his
worst transgressfons of the primary
code of manhood have been lightly
| brushed aside as mere peccadillos. So
he is going the Absalom route.
Soft Circumstances produce soft souls.
| The child of fortune is usually set
| in real adversely, so far as the de-
| velopment of sterling manhood is con-
cerned. Palaces are a poor place for
the growth of great character. Hard
! circumstances create hardy charac-
tiers.
King David's greatness was of the
| shepherds hills and of the Soldiers
| camp AS a sturdy, resourceful. self
reliant keeper of the sheep, fearless OF
| lion or bear or robber. he grew to be
| a valorous and high-visioned soul.
| What a brave and chivalrous char