The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-09-15

solving the problems Of our day. when
men give God his due they Will not
fail in justice to one another. There
is a ringing note of social justice in
Malachi that is more vital than mod
ern radicalisn. for it links right-doing
Up with the stern VIII Of God. quote
a few lines:
st will come near to SOU to judg-
ment: and I will be swift witness
against the sorcerers. and against the
adulterers, and against the false
swearers, and against those that op-
press the hireling in his wages, the
widow, and fhe katherless,s and that
turn aside the sojourner from his
right, and fear not me, saith Jehovah
OF hosts
Proving Mans Religion.
'Hard-headed" and practical" we
call Malachi and the other old He
brew prophets because they Insisted
upon the cardinal virtues as proof of
religion. There is a recurring noteakin
to Sam Jones "Quit your meanness"'
In their messages. Spiritual faith was
to be proved by material offerings and
works. Thus, the most familiar quo
tation from Malachi is, Bring We the
whole 1.-THE into the storehouse, that
there may be food in my house and
prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah
of hosts, If I will not open you the
windows of heaven, and pour you out
| a blessing, that there shall not be
room enough to receive it." That is
to say, be fair with God before ex-
pecting the favor of God. His face
| cannot be turned toward those who
| turn their backs on him. Disloyal
| subjects have no right to royal ap-
prevail. And loyalty is expressed In
deedsSand not in lip worship. Nobody
possesses any more religion than he
practices.
OF course. the old Hebrew law OF
| tithing is not binding upon Christians
| any more than the other items Of the
Leviticai code. But a tenth is a good
standard for guiding ones giving
| Christian tithers can testify to tbs
satisfaction and to the clear reward:
that have come to them<from devo
| ton of one-tenth of their income sys
| tematically and intelligently to many.
| sided Christian service. Spiritua
| blessings are often consequent upor
| material sacrifices.
The Corporation Head and the Miners
J One other phrase stands out from
this meaty lesson in Malachi: THE,
that feared Jehovah spake one will
another" That is the sort of confer
ence that makes an end to strikes an(
! international and individual ~estrange
ments. At the commencement O
Blackburn college. Illinois. this year
\ the speaker was the president of tn
Indiana Standard Oil company. which
owns coal land adjacent to the college
| Just before ne began his address tw,
hundred striking miners in shir
sleeves entered the hall. The onl.
vacant seats were up in front, SO tn
miners were the object of all eyes
| What would be the effect OF thei
presence upon the speaker. and of hi
words upon the miners? One who wa
present told me that the corporation
head was so Christian and brotheri
in his views that he quite sold" him
self to the workingmen, with an en-
tirely new feeling resulting.
| One reason why we have industria
strife is that the Christian employee
and the Christian workingmen do no
speak often together. Employers NEE
only employers and workingrnen NEE
only workingmen, each group nursin
its own grievances. AS Ian Maclare
says in one of his stories: "They ar
| gued together; they prayed apart" ]
| rich and poor who love the Lord spok
i often one with another there would b
more of the Christian democracy @
i which we preach and for which w
i pray. Malachis way is still the bes
tway for our tangled, troubled day.
/ Copyright. 1929. by the Ellis Service