The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-02-18
International
SundaySchoolLesson
For Feb. 20 Is, "The Wise and the
Foolish Virgins. Matt. 25:1-13.
A World inefficient and Unready.
By WILLIAM 4. ELLIS

For Feb 20 Is, The wise ana the
Foolish Virgins. Matt. 25:1-13.
A World Inefficient and Unready.
General ineffieiency is a greater
peril to our day than some other evils
against which organized societies and
movements wage war. Any busy man
anywhere can heap up stories like the
following: "A negro laborer does odd
jobs about my house; a week ago he
was to appear on a given day to clean
the cellar and carry out ashes. He did
not come as stipulated; he never does.
come when expected; nor do any of
the substitutes We have tried in his
place. After few days, l called up
the employment bureau at the college.
and asked for two boys for out-of-
door work. 1 was definitely promised
a report within few hours as to
when the boys would come. I am
still waiting for the report, and for
the boysi For your college student is
quite as irresponsible as your negro
casual laborer.
Both are little worse than a multi
tude of employed men and women. A
week ago I urgently wanted three
hundred China famine information
pamphlets, for an uncommonly i'm
portant purpose. After repeated tele-
phonings and promises. I got three
hundred large posters! After still
further telephoning and telegraphing
got further aSsurances-but I am
pan1DnleIS.
Chinese are dying at the rate of ten
thousand a day!
These are merely near-at-hand and
familiar illustrations. such as most
persons could duplicate in their daily
experience, of the grave prevalence of
sheer inefficiency, which menaces the
warp and wool of our social fabric
What avails it to teach the boys and
girls philosophy and history and
mathematics If we are not also teach
ing them how to be reliable and eff
fective in the daily round of ordinary
life? Why dress the wedding attend
ants in festal array, carrying silver
lamps. if they have no oil for the hour
of need?
A Parable of Preparedness.
Practical beyond words is this Les
son Parable of the wise and foolish
virgins at the wedding feast Before
We pass to its spiritual symbolism, let
US get hold of the surface teaching of
simple, obvious preparedness. The
charge is being made against more
than one muddling government that it
is as unprepared for peace as 1t was
for war. 1t came up to great hours of
duty and opportunity with empty
lamps.
Broadly surveying our present time
the criticism may soberIy be written
that the worlds leadership, in state
craft, economics, industry. education
and religion, is not making ready for
the era upon which mankind is enter
ing. Opportunism and Obscurantism
sit in the seats of authority. Forward
looking" men and women seem rare in
the high places The great bulk of
common folk seem more aware of the
portentousness of our day than those
whose business it should be to discern
the signs of the times.
A friend, who is one of the real
statesmen in the affairs of the king
dom of God, told me that he has just
returned from an international inter-
UNCONVENTIONAL meeting of missionary
officials, where he heard no word
concerning the present crisis. no
prophet note as to new duties, no con-
Germ for war-born conditions. Routine
organization matters chiefly occupied
the time of the meeting. That an hour
of reconstruction is dawning for all
the world at no time appeared thruout
the meeting. The delegates carried
'empty lamps.
Russians With Empty Lamps.
Every message that comes from the
Near East tells terrible stories of the
plight of the Russian refugees. Aristo-
cratic ladies landed in the Gallipoli
mud in the same satin slippers in
which they had danced away the night
before the evacuation of Crimea. De
spite the grimmest of warnings, the
Russian anti-Bolshevik supporters in
Sebastapol were unprepared for flight:
now their suffering battles our under
standing.
In a still larger sense these Russian
bourgeoisie are unready: they do not
know how to take care of themselves
in even the simplest way. Their spirit
is brave and optimistic, but the least
of the Armenian peasants was better
able to shift for himself during the de-
portations than these high Russian Of
ficers and their families. The partic-
ular blackness of the outlook of the
Russian aristocracy consists in its be-
ing unfit for the emergencies of
stern world.
All these incidents but echo the
Lessons primary warning. 1t is a
word that comes with peculiar SOL
emnity to parents and teachers. To
be ready and alert for life, and what
ever it may bring, is the only reason
able attitude of youth. Old-fashioned
pioneer efficiency and self-resource-
fulness. which made nations out of
this North American wilderness. are
qualities supremely needed in our
slack and careless times. Too many
of us are more interested in the pay
envelope than in the job. 1t is said
that the swarm of place-seekers
swooping down upon the new admin
istration at Washington Is simply
overwhelming. Men want to attach
themselves to a sure payroll, rather
imam 10 race the struggle OF lie.
Really strong personalities do not
want safe and easy positions; they
ask only a fair chance to serve the
world for reasonable return. The
hero life cries, with the late Louise
Imogen Quincy,
a short life in the saddle, Lord,
- Not long life by the fire"
As To Modern Youth.
Sage guiders of youth will spare
no pains to drive home the truth that
this is peculiarly a time to make ready
for life by real efficiency. Fit bodies,
fit minds, fit spirits are as much a
duty as they were for recruits in the
army. All young people need craven
on their hearts the motto of the Boy
Scouts, BE Prepared" No boy or girl
is educated today who is not proficient
in knowledge of present world con-
-