The Topeka state journal., 1922-06-30

prophet-role. But who can recall any
such at the present time?
Novelists today are panderers.
rather than prophets.
There is apparently no depth of
salacity, permitted by even our lax
laws, to which the popular" writer
will not descend in order to create
a market. Without reading much of
it, 1 have had a suspicion that the
present vogue of South Sea Island
literature was simply because of its
sheer sex appeal Recently, a travel
acquaintance who is one of the most
popular of continental European au-
thors. sent me an English translation
of his latest book, a South Sea Island
story. read 1T thru-and then felt
as If I needed to be put thru a dis
injecting process, like a Chinese or
Russian famine refugee. 1t is a rot
ten book. From beginning to end it
wallows shamelessly in the sensuality
| of these primitive savages, picturing
as enviable the reversion of an Eng
! lish adventurerer to the stark jungle
level There is never a line of light
or lift in the whole volume; not SIN
gle phrase to intimate that man has
any other than an animal nature; not
a gleam of heroism, sacrifice, ideal
ism or spirituality.
This book is an extreme type of
"popular" ~literature: it reveals how
those writers who should lead may
really mislead, and become corrup-
true prophet of the writing craft
should cry out fearlessly.
Blood on the Preachers Head.
Some years ago it became my jour
nalistic duty to investigate a horrible
| lynching in a church-going Peunsyl-
| ligious leaders, defenders of the lynch
ers and apologists for the lynching,
professed to be hurt because 1 pointed
out that there was blood on the door
CT nj "a oh ~ h.
munity They could not see it-tho
the truth was made clear twenty-five
hundred years ago, in Gods solemn
warning to Ezekiel, which we today
study. Here are the words:
Son of man, 1 have made thee
a watcnman unto the house of
Israel; therefore hear the word at
my mouth. and give them warning
| from me.
When I say unto the wicked,
Thou shalt surely die; and thou
givest him not warning, nor speak
est to warn the wicked from his
wicked way. to save his life; the
sane wicked man shall die in his
iniquity; but his blood will 1 re-
Quire at thine hand.
Yet if thou warn the wicked,
and he turn not from his iniquity;
but thou has delivered thy soul, and
he shall die in his iniquity.
Again when a righteous man
doth turn from his righteousness,
and commit iniquity. and I lay a
stumbling block before him, he
shall die; because thou has not
given him warning, he shall die in
his sin. and his Righteousness which
he hath done shall not be remem-
bered; but his blood will I require
at thine hand.
Nevertheless If thou warn the
righteous man that the righteous
sin not, and he doth not sin, he
shall surely live, because he is
warned; also thou has delivered
thy soul"
Doesn't that send shivers down the
spine of the preacher in whose con-
gregation the political gangsters, the
industrial oppresSors, the financial pi-
rates and the labor-union lawbreakerS
sit complacent and comfortable? In
the lynching to which 1 have alluded,
a case which had none of the usual
grounds for mob violence, one ingenu-
GUS argument for the acQuittal Of the
murderers was that they were Sunday
school mem berSi I wonder what the
responsibility of their Sunday school
teacher is, by Ezekiel standards? And
how about the newspaper editor who
soft-pedals upon the great moral
sanctfties, for political or prudential
reasons? 1t is terrible to contemplate
the possibility OF a prophets appear
ing before the great Judge with blood
on his head or hands. Nevertheless,
that is the clear responsibility that
goes with every sort of prophetic
office.
Ezekiel dwelt amid the scorpions.
and was bothered by the briers; he
knew all the lesser discomforts of the
prophets office; but he was guiltless
of all mems blood. Like Paul, he
could call all who knew him to wit
ness that he had not failed to declare
the whole counsel of God. And his
reward was that, in a time of trouble
and terror and decision, he had for
twenty-five years been the Lord S
faithful and trusted watchman upon
the walls of his nation.
Copyright. 1922. by The Ellis
Service.)