The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-08-04

Tnenting upon this ancient group of
! temple builders. There are usually
to be found all three r1assifications in
every organization or enterprise; tho
carry their share of the load; the
Jerkers-the spasmodic enthusiasts
whose character is composed of layers
of zeal ana of indifference. hot today
\ and cold tomorrow; and the workers
the faithful ones who plod- ahead in
all weathers and despite all difficult
ties.
After the foundation of the temple
had been laid, there was a long in
terval, wherein enemies were active.
that saw nothing accomplished. Then
| in the final squirt, lasting more than
FOUR years, and supported by a reitera-
| ton of Persian permission, the super
| structure was finished.
There is an illuminating sentence
in the latter part of the record: The
Jews builded and prospered, thru the
prophesying of Haggai the prophet
and Zechariah the son of lido. And
they builded and finished it" That
is to say, the part played by the pro-
phet, or the preacher, was determi-
native. Not the architect, or the mas
ter carpenter or mason, but the in
spirer, the heartener, the spiritual
| leader. was responsible for the success
of the task 1t is ever so. All work
needs technical rules. Leadership is
essential even before specificat tons
We do not ask that our clergy become
dry law enforcement agents, or vice
Investigators, or members of councils
and boards of alderrnen; but that, as
of old, they keep the fires of devotion
and faithfulness burning in the hearts
or the workers. We can well spare a
dozen of our great financiers'' and
another dozen of our, leading politi-
cians' in. exchange for one ali-afire
prophet of God, who can quicken men
to live and labor as seeing the invisi-
ble \God-seeing spirits are the men
leading spirits. Spiritual leadership is
community. Stupid money-grubbers
sheer at the "idealists" but everybody
who sees things in the. large. knows
that these same "idea1ists,''A or men of
vision and fire, are the real builders
of our temples and of our nations.
Shouts and Singing.
y Groups that are proud of being .'6e-
scendants"-they usually have little
else of which to be proud-are nota-
bly, averse to enthusiasm. THY never
ler themselves be carried away by zeal
for any thing: it is not good form"
Being adopts at the art of sneering,
which is a universal accomplishment
of ineffecttveness, they sheer at ardor
and excitement They condemn a
speaker as "evangelistic." In a word,
they faithfully follow the fashions of
decadence and death For life and
builders are full of enthusiasm. Doors
are intense. A vital, experience ex-
presses itself in such shouts and songs
and weeping as marked the compile
ton of the restored temple Doubtless
there were cynical .on1ookers who
made biting and contemptuous re-
marks about this religious revival,
even as David's unworthy wife de-
spised his dancing before the Lord.
Out of this return to Jerusalem,
md 81 ~ a @
flowed beautiful Hebrew psalms which
are read and sung all over the world
to this day. Real religion always
finds expression in song: infidelity has
no hymn books. Materialism makes
no music. Skepticism sings on songs.
Critics create no choruses. But the
worship of Jehovah. and every per-
sonal experience of the living God and
his Christ, fills the mouth with joy
and the lips with praises. The Gospel
Praise is an angelic quality of which
worshipping mortals partake.
This Lesson has closing word
about the place of the visible temple
in religious experience. 1t is common
nowadays to hear persons say that
they worship God out of doors-but
these are not usually the men anS
women to whom the neighbors look
for spiritual comfort and leadership.
There is much buncombe talked by
men on the way to Sunday golf about
finding God in nature: but one hears
few hymns or prayers or pious con-
versation on a golf course. Gods way
is for his friends to meet with Him
in His home on His day, for worship,
for praise, for instruction and for fell
lowship. Religion can scarcely out
last the church: neglect of church at
tendance is neglect of religion, and,
usually, neglect of God.
Copyright, 1922, by The Ellis Service.)