Pueblo chieftain., 1921-11-19
In the Religious World

and he would have reminisced about
| Cyprus as the home of Darnabas and
John Mark. But he restrained him
self even, in dealing with Crete, a
place the apostolic party did not love.
/ The same restraint appears in his
powerful description of the storm, re-
calling Stevenson s dictum that "the
only art is to omit
"once Upon limo Man"
| A man is only as much of man as
he proves himself in emergency and
adversely. Any ship is. good in fair
4 weather. Civilization routine and
machinery make it possible for the
weak and the strong, the noble and
the contemplate, to move along on
an even plane, indistinguishable. 1t
takes storms and strain to test char
acter. AS the war re, ealed essential
worth, and drew deep and ineradi
cable line between the slackers and
the servers, so the calamities which
overlook the ship conveying tho
Roman soldiers and their prisoners
quickly made clear who was the great
est soul aboard.
Opportunities do not make great
ness: they only reveal it. What we
are in crisis is an unveiling of what
we have been in our innermost being
The hero's deed is but the expression
of the hero's heart. If Paul had not
steadfastly played the man thruout
the years, with all their vicissitudes;
if he had not met the common days
events masterfully, he would not have
risen to the great heights which he
attained when the hurricane and dan
ger stripped bare the naked souls of
the men of all ranks.
Luke's long and absorbing story,
which comprises the twenty-seventh
chapter of the Book of the Acts, must
be read and reread to get the setting
and sequence of events. Essentially,
it is the narrative of how a man rose
above circumstances, and stood serene
in the presence of panic and in the
face of death. That man Paul was
a fearless hero, as well as hearten-
ing saint; a king among men, be-
cause "the slave of Jesus Christ"
The Ship Versus the Folks
Real light upon one of the great
est of our days issues is shed by this
thrilling adventure Of the storm-buf-
feted ship. 1t embodies the clamorous
question Of property versus people;
Of material rights in relation to hu-
man rights. The ships captain,
abetted somewhat by the Roman Off
cial, was all for seeking the welfare Of
the ship; Paul could cheerfully order
all the cargo thrown overheard, and
all the gear; and could see the stout
craft splintered on the rocks, with
no serious concern, % long as the men
we're saved. And that is Christian
ity's verdict upon our present acute
industrial and economic problems. If
the welfare of people is kept first, all
other considerations will in time fall
into their due place.
Early in 1918, shortly after I had
left perturbed Russia, chsnced to
meet Mr.. Cyrus McCormick-head of
the International Harvester company,
whom ! had seen almost year be-
fore in Siberia. He was full Of ques-
tions concerning Russian conditions,
and the safety of foreigners. there.
Always he returned to the one idea !:
Should the Representatives of his
company be withdrawn "If property
is destroyed, that may be restored; !;
but human life cannot be replaced. !"
The real solicitude of this famous
corporation head for folks, rather
than for investments, made a deep
impression upon me. For that is the
Spirit which is going to solve the in
dustrial question.
It is the Pauline spirit, it is the
Christian spirit. Gods first concern
with earth is not for things, but for
people.
For the Disappointed Person
As there is said to be perfect calm
In the center of the cyclone, SO in
the midst of this tumultous adventure
of the Apostle Paul there is a mes
sage of peace for every troubled, dis
appointed, baffled life. All who seem
to have made shipwreck Of some dear
design or expectation; all who have
felt their spirits crushed by the col
lapse Of ambitions and dreams; all
who have laid in any grave their most
cherished hope, may see clearly, amid
the darkness Of the rushing storm that
drove the great missionary's craft
across perilous waters upon rocks of
disaster, that God s purposes are large
and sure and unthwartable. He leads
His own by strange ways; but He
leads them. He carries them thru
mysterious and difficult experiences,