The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-08-19
International
SundaySchaQlLesson
By WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

For August FL is "PauPs Second Mis-
sionary Journey: Paul Prepares For
World Conquest. Acts 1896, 1855
MeddIers, Mischief Makers and Mis-
sions.
Out of the. war-fog the church
seems to be now emerging. Within
the present year, after a period of
paralysis, Christian leaders are com
ing into the clear sunlight of the con-
viction which animated the Apostle
PauI-and this timely course of Sun
day School Lessons. studied all over
Christendono5 will greatly accelerate
the movement. We are afresh facing
the stupendous truth thai. as Paul
saw it, and as the disciples of Jesus to-
day must see it, the Christian religion
is designed to conquer the world.
All sorts of men are waking to this
tremendous reality. that the only ade-
quate solution for the desperate needs
of humanity is the complete sway of
the gospel of Christ. That note is
creeping into newspaper editorials
and magazine articles; and was there
articles in secular publications as to-
day. Government officials are pro-
claiming that only the teachings and
spirit of Jesus can save our times.
General Jan SHUTS has moved into
first place of leadership in world af-
Christianity. The famous business
doctor" Roger w. Babson. is a more
powerful preacher nowadays than any
professional evangelist. So clear is it
that the old era of sordfd, petty, per-
sona1, selfish politics is doomed that
we may expect to find a new order of
public men offering themselves on
the simple platform of loyalty to the
principles of Christ.
When Florence Elected Christ King.
Audacious Paul held this daring
conception. What Egypt and Persia
and Greece and Rome had failed to
do. in complete world conquest, he
fearlessly attempted; his only weapon
Story, his only power a Persons
Definitely, deliberately, dauntlessly,
this hero of the ages undertook to
make Christ the acknowledged Master
OF all men. The growth of the king
dom has owed more to his Christian
imperialism than to any other single
Down thru the Christian centuries
until today, attempts have been made
to give Jesus complete sway over or
sanIzed life. Savonarola, in -1495, tried
to have his beloved Florence for
mally vote Christ into civil sover-
eighty. Thirty-two years later, in 1927.
the city-state of Florence, by a great
majority of the ballots of the citizens,
elected Jesus Christ king. On one of
the great palace doors was placed
tablet inscribed
JESUS CHRISTUs REX FLOREN-
TIM POPULIS P. DECRETO
ELECTUS."
We shall miss the point of these
International Lessons unless we get
liked firmly in our minds the stag
gering truth that this man Paul was
bent on nothing less than the en-
thronement of Christ over all men
and over all life. 1t will be vain to
study his routes and his cities and his
companions and his methods if we do
not subordinate all these details to his
essential purpose, which was to give
the world its true Saviour and King.
In that aim Was~wrapped UP all of
social service and political reform and
CIVIC justice and human welfare that
mankind has since aspired to make
practicable. These avail only insofar
as they yield allegiance to the law
and love of Christ Versailles and
Geneva. have failed to meet war ideals
and postwar needs because there has
Eeen more of the cunning and selfish
and sophisticated statesmen in their
deiverances than the simple. sincere
and straightforward spirit of Christ.
God grant that the mind of the Mas
ter, which is truth and righteousness
and love, may dominate the forthcom-
ing world conference at Washington!
ATeddIers and Mischief Makers
The heart-sick men who saw the
allied war aims perverted and suffo-
Gated at Paris can understand the
feelings of Paul ard Barrsabas. after
their first mighty missionary tour
thru Cyprus and Asia Minor. They
had labored and dared and suffered.
in the glow of a great ideal and pur-
pose, and had prevailed. After them,
tho, game the partisans and ceifish
sehismatics to thWart their clear and
simple mission. and to nullify the free
dom of the Gospel they had preached.
These bigoted Judaisers professed to.
speak in behalf of the Church of Je-
rusalem, when they declared that all
the Gentle converts would lave to
accept circumcision. and the other
manifold ordinances of the Mosaic
ritual
Most veteran modern missionaries
could tell tales similar to Paul's; of
how proselyters are forever coming to
the mission field with their peculiar
doctrines, to preach to the native
Christians-not to the heathen; that
field is too hard for then1-that unless
they are baptized after a certain fash
ion, or by certain kind Of clergyman,
or ksve a second blessing" or be-
iieYe il the imminent second coming
o. Christ, or keep Saturday as the
Ssbhath, or forego the use of tobacco.
or this or that or the other distinctive
teacning, they are not wholly saved.
'She er-stealers" is the current mis-
sionary name for these meddlers and
mischief-makers, who are in direct
descent from the Judaizers who trou-
bled PauIs flock of cid. It can not
too often or too strongly be said that
it is important to keep to the fore
only those great central truths of the
Gospel which the apostles preached.
The men who are threatening to split
the churches of North America on the
issues of n-essential teachings need
new Council of Jerusalem to deal
with them.
Between last weeks Lesson and the
present one lies this great story of<the
Council of Jerusalem, whereat the is
sue was once and for all settled that
Christianity is not narrow-g gauge but
broad-gauge: not sect of Judaism,