FOREIGN RELATIONS
Congress Is Told of Imprc
Diplomatic Corps and i
cle Sam's Efforts
Washington. Dec. J.?President Taft
submitted to congress today the first of
aereral messages. It was devoted to our
foreign relatione and In part was as follows:
^ Oawnfo an/f TTotlSA of ReprCSBn
tatlves: The foreign relations of the I
United States actually and potentially af- I
feet the state of the Union to a degree
not widely realized and hardly surpassed
by any other factor In the welfare of
the whole nation. The position of the
A United States In the moral. Intellectual.
^ and material relations of the family of
nations should be a matter of vital Interact
to every patriotic citizen. The national
prosperity and power Impose upon us
duties which we cannot shirk If we are
to be true to our Ideals. The tremendous
growth of the export trade of the United
States has already made that trade a
very real factor In the Industrial and
commercial prosperity of the country.
With the development of our Industries
the foreign commerce of the United States
must rapidly become a still more essential
factor In Its economic welfare.
Whether we have a far-seeing and wise
diplomacy and are not recklessly plunged
Into unnecessary wars, and whether our
foreign policies are based upon an Intelligent
grasp of present-day world conditions
and a clear view of the potentialities
of the future, or are governed by a
temporary' and timid expediency or by
narrow views Drflttlng an Infant nation,
are questions in the alternative consideration
of which must convince any
thoughtful citizen that no department of
national poHcy olTers greater opportunity
for promoting the Interests of the whole
people on the one hand, or greater chance
on the other of permanent national InJury.
than that which deals with the foreign
relations of the United States.
The fundamental foreign policies of the
United States should be raised high above
the conflict of partisanship and wholly
dissociated from differences as to domestic
policy. In Its foreign afTalrs the
United States should present to the world
a united frottt. The Intellectual, financial
and Industrial Interests of the country
and the publicist, the wage earner, the
farmer, and citizen of whatever occupation
must co-operate In a spirit of high
patriotism to promote that national solidarity
which is Indispensable to national
efficiency and to the attainment of national
Ideals.
The relations of the United States with
all foreign powers remain upon a sound
basis of peace, harmony and frlendshpl.
A greater Insistence upon Justice to American
citizens or Interests wherever It may
have been denied and a stronger emphasis
of the need of mutuality in commercial
and other relations have only served
to strengthen our friendships with foreign
countries by placing those friendships
upon a firm foundation of realities
as well as aspiration*.
Before briefly reviewing the more Important
events of the last year In our foreign
relations, which It Is my duty to do
as charged with their conduct and because
diplomatic affairs are not of a natuet
to make It appropriate that the secretary
of state make a formal annual report.
I desire to touch upon some of the
essentials to the Bafe management of the
foreign relations of the United States and
to endeavor, also, to define clearly certain
??V,Uh nra tha IflHdAl
CVm reic j;um iro n mvn ??f- % ?
modem corrollarles of the undisputed and
traditional fundamentals of the foreign
policy of the United States.
Reorganization of the State Department.
. At the beginning of the present administration
the United States, having
fully entered upon Its position as a world
power, with the responsibilities thrust
upon It by the results of the Spanlsh^
American war. and already engaged nl
laying the groundwork of a vast foreign
trade upon which It should one day become
more and more dependent, found
Itself without the machinery for giving
thorough attention to, and taking effective
action upon, a mass of Intricate business
vital to American Interests In every
country in the world.
The deparement of state was an archaic
and Inadequate machine lacking most of
the attributes of the foreign office of any
great modern power. With an appropriation
made upon my recommendation by
the congress on August 5. 1909. the department
of state was completely reorgarlzed.
I They were created divisions of Latln[
American affairs and of far eastern.
I near eastern, and western European
I affairs To these divisions were called
J front the foreign service diplomatic and
consular officers possessing experience
1 and knowledge gained by actual servB
Ice In different parts of the world and
thus familiar with political and commercial
conditions In the regions concerned.
The work was highly speclalIzed.
The result Is that where prevloosly
this government from time to
time would emphasize In Its foreign
^^B relations one or another policy, now
^^B American Interests In every quarter of
the g:ire being cultivated with
I^B equal assiduity.
|^B Merit System in Consular and Diplo- .
matic Corps.
Expert knowledge and professional
training must evidently be the essence
of this reorganization. Without a
trained foreign service there would
rot be men available for the work In
the reorganized department of state.
I'resldent Cleveland has taken the first
step toward introducing the merit
tystem In the foreign service. That
had been followed by the application i
of the merit principle, with excellent 1
results, to the entire consular branch. |
Almost nothing, however, had been j
done in this direction with regard
to the diplomatic service. In this uge
Of commercial diplomacy It was evt- i
dently of the first importance to train '
an adequate personnel In that branch
of the service. Therefore, on November
26. 1909. by an executive order 1
placed the diplomatic service up to
the grade of secretary of embassy, inclusive.
upon exactly the same strict
non-partisan basts of the merit sys- |
tern, rigid examination for appoint- i
mefit and promotion only for effl- ,
ctency. as had been maintained without
exception in the consular service.
Successful Efforts in Promotion of
Peace.
In the field of work toward the j
Ideals of peace this government ne- [
gotlated. but to my regret was unable
to consummate, two arbitration trea- I
ties which set the highest mark of
the aspiration of nations toward the 1
substitution of arbitration and reason
for war in the settlement of international
disputes. Through the efforts
of American diplomacy several wars
have been prevented or ended. I re- j
fer to the successful tripartite media- !
tlon of the Argentine Republic. Brazil ;
and the United States between Peru
and Ecuador; the bringing of the boun- i
dary dispute between Panama and Cos- '
. ta Rica to peaceful arbitration; the j
\ staying of warlike preparations when .
Haytl and the Dominican Republic were |
on the verge of hostilities the stopping (
V
V
IS TAFT'S SUBJECT
ivements in Consular and
Good. Results of Unin
Latin America.
of a war In Nicaragua; the halting of
internecine strife In Honduras. The
government of the United States wai
thanked for Its Influence toward the
restoration of amicable relations between
the A-gentlne Republic and Bolivia.
The diplomacy of the United
States Is active In seeking to assuage
the remaining Ill-feeling between this
country and the Republic of Colombia.
In the recent civil war In China the
United States successfully Joined with
the other Interested powers In urging
an early cessation of hostilities. An
agreement has been reached between
the governments of Chile and Peru
whereby the celebrated Tacna-Arlca
dispute, which has so long embittered
International relations on the west
coast of South America, has at last
been adjusted. Simultaneously came
the news that the boundary dispute
between Peru and Ecuador had entered
upon a stage of amicable settlement.
The position of the United States In
eoforonna ?a Teana. Arlro <1lannt?
between Chile and Peru has been one
of non-intervention, but one of friendly
Influence and pacific counsel throughout
the period during which the dispute
In question has been the subject
of Interchange of views between this
government and the two governments
Immediately concerned. In the general
easing of International tension on the
west coast of South America the tripartite
mediation, to which I have referred.
has been a most potent and
beneficent factor.
China.
In China the policy of encouraging
financial Investment to enable that
country to help Itself has had the result
of giving new life and practical
application to the open-door policy
The consistent purpose of the present
administration has been to encourage
the use of American capital In the
development of China by the promotion
of those essential reforms to
which China Is pledged by treaties
with the United States and other powers.
The hypothecation to foreign
bankers In connection with certain Industrial
enterprises, such as the Hukuang
railways, of the national reVenues
upon which these reforms depended.
led the department of state
early In the administration to demand
for American citizens participation In
such enterprises. In order that the
United States might have equal rights
and an equal voice In all questions
pertaining to the disposition of the
public revenues concerned. The same
policy of promoting International accord
among the powers having similar
treaty rights as ourselves In the matters
of reform, which could not be
put Into practical effect without the
PRESIDENT TAFT.
common consent of all. was likewise
adopted In the case of the loan desired
by China for the reform of Its
currency.
Central America Needs Our Help In
- * a
ueot MQjusimcni,
In Central America the aim has I
been to help such countries as Nlca- !
ragua and Honduras to help themselves.
They are the Immediate bene- |
flclarles. The national benefit to the
United States Is two-fold. First, It is
obvious that the Monroe doctrine Is
more vital in the neighborhood of the j
Panama canal and the rone of the |
Caribbean than anywhere else. There,
too, the maintenance of that doctrine
falls most heavily upon the United
States. It is therefore essential that
the countries within that sphere shall
be removed from the Jeopardy involved
by heavy foreign debt and chaotic rational
tlnances and from the ever-present
danger of International complications
due to disorder at home. Hence
the United States has been glad to encourage
and support American bankers
who were willing: to lend a helping
hand to the financial rehabilitation of
such countries because this financial
rehabilitation and the protection of
their custom houses from being the
prey of would-be dictators would remove
at one stroke the menace of foreign
creditors and the menace of revolutionary
disorder.
The second advantage to the United
States is one affecting chiefly all the
southern and gulf ports and the business
and Industry of the south. The republics !
of Central American and the Caribbean !
possess great natural wealth. They need
only a measure of stability and the means |
of financial regeneration to enter upon >
an era of peace and prosperity, bringing
profit and happiness to themselves and at
the same time creating conditions sure to
lead to a flourishing Interchange of trade
with this country.
I wish to call your especial attention to
the recent occurrences In Nicaragua, for
I believe the terrible events recorded there
during the revolution of the past summer?the
useless loss of life, the devastation
of property, the bombardment of defenseless
cities, the killing and wounding
of women and children, the torturing
of non-combatants to exact contributions,
and the suffering of thousands of human
beings?might have been averted had the
dinnrtmnn! nf state through annrnvsl nf
the loan convention by the senate, been
Permitted to carry out Its now well-developed
policy cf encouraging the extending
of financial aid to weak Central American
states with the primary objects of avoiding
Just such revolutions by assisting
those republcs to rehabilitate their
finances, to establish their currency on a
stable basis, to remove the custom houses
from the danger of revolutions by arrang
In j f'jT their ?ecu re admlnli tratlon and to
establish reliable banks.
Agricultural Credits.
A most Important work, accomplished
In the past year by the American diplomatic
officers In Europe. Is the Investigation
of the agricultural credit system In
the European countries. Both as a means
to afford relief to the con turners of this
country through a more thorough devel|
opment of agricultural resources and aa
a means of more sufficiently maintaining
the agricultural population, the protect
to establish credit facilities for the farmers
Is a concern of vital Importance to this |
nation. No evidence of prosperity among
well-established farmers should blind us
to the fact that lack of capital Is preventing
a development of the nation's agricultural
resources and an adequate Increase
of the land under cultivation: that
agricultural production is fast falling behind
the Increase In population: and that.
In fact, although these wall-established
farmers are maintained In Increasing
prosperity because of the natural Increase
In population, we are not developing the
Industry of agriculture.
The need of capital which American
farmers feel today had been experienced
by the farmers of Europe, with their centuries-old
farms, many years ago. The
problem had been successfully solved In
the old world and It was evident that the
farmers of this country might profit by a
study of fhelr systems. I therefore ordered,
through the department of state, an
Investigation to be made by the diplomatic
officers in Europe, and I have laid
the results of this Investigation before the
governors of the various states with the
hope that they will be used to advantage
In their forthcoming meeting.
Increase of Foreign Trade.
In my last annual message I snld that
the fiscal year' ended June 3h. 1911. was
noteworthy as marking the highest record
of exports of American products to foreign
countries. The fiscal year 1912 shows that
this rate of advance has been maintained,
the total domestic exports having ? valustlon
approxlamtely of $2,200.C00.tA0, a a
compared with a fraction over $2.000 000.000
the previous year. It Is also significant
that manufactured and partly manufactured
urtlcles continue to he the chief
commodities forming Ihe volume of our
augmented exports, the demands of our
own people for consumption requiring that
an Increasing proportion of our abundant
agricultural products be kept at home.
In the fiscal year 1911 the exports of articles
In the various stages of manufacture.
not Including foodstufls partlv or
wholly manufactured, amounted approximately
to 1907.500,000. In the fiscal year
1912 the total was nearly $1,022,000,000, a
gain of I114.00C.0O0.
Advantage of Maximum and Minimum
Tarrlff Provision.
The Importance which our manufactures
have assumed In the commerce of the
world In competition with the manufactures
of other countries again draws attention
to the duty of this government to
use Its utmost endeavors to secure Impartial
treatment for American products
In all markets. Healthy commercial rivalry
In International Intercourse Is best
assured by the possession of proper means
for protecting and promoting our foreign
trade. It la natural that competitive
countries should view with some concern
this steady expansion of our commerce.
If In some Instance the measure taken
by them to meet It are not entirely equl-'
table, a remedy should be found. In former
mesassres I have described the negotiations
of the department of state with
foreign Governments for the adjustment
of the maximum and minimum tariff as
provided In section 2 of the tariff law of
1909. The advantages secured by the adjustment
of our trade relations under this
law have continued during the last year,
and some additional cases of discriminatory
treatment of which we had reason
to complain have been removed. The department
of state has for the first time
In the history of this country obtained
substantial most-favored-natlon treatment
from all the countries of the world. There
are, however, other Instances which, while
apparently not constituting undue discrimination
In the sense of section 2. are
nevertheless exceptions to the complete
equity of tariff treatment for American
products that the department of state
consistently has soutcht-to obtain for
American commerce abroad
These developments confirm thboplteIon
conveyed to you In my annual message
of 1911. that while the maximum
and minimum provision of the tariff
law of 1909 has been fully Justified by
the success achieved In removing previously
existing undue discriminations
against American products, yet experience
has shown that this feature of the
law should be amended In such way as
to provide a fully effective means of
meeting the varylnx decrees of discriminatory
treatment of American
commerce In foreign countries still
encountered, as well as to protect
against Injurious treatment on the part
of foreign governments. through either
legislative or administrative measures,
the financial Interests abroad of American
citizens whose enterprises enlarge
the market for American commodities.
I cannot too strongly recommend to
congress the passage of some such
enablinsr measure as the hill which was
recommended by the secretary of state
In his letter of December 13. 1911. The
object of the proposed legislation Is. In
brief, to enable the executive to apply,
as the case may require, to any or all
commodities, whether or not on the
free list from a country which discriminates
against the United States, a
graduated scale of duties up to the
maximum of 25 per cent, ad valorem
provided In the present law. Flat tariffs
are out of date.
Congress should fully realize the conditions
which obtain In the world as we
And ourselves at the threshold of our
middle age as a nation. We have
emerged full grown as a peer In the great
concourse of nations. We have passed
through various formative periods. Wt
have Oeen self-centered In the struggle to
develop our domestic resources and denl
with our domestic questions. The nation
Is new too mature to continue In Its foreign
relations those temporary expedients
natural to a people to whom domestic affairs
are the sole concern. In the past
our diplomacy has often consisted. In
normal times. In a mere assertion of the
right to International existence. We are
now in a larger relation with broader
rights of our own and obligations to others
than ourselves. A number of great
guiding principles wore laid down early In
the history of this government. The recent
task of our diplomacy has been to
adjust those principles to the conditions
of today, to develop their corollaries, to
And practical applications of the old principles
expanded to meet new situations.
Thus are being evolved bases upon which
can rest the superstructure of policies
which must grow wUh the destined progress
of this nation. The successful conduct
of our foreign relations demands a
broad and a modern view. We can not
meet new questions nor build for the future
If we confine ourselves to outworn
dogmas of the past and to the pe'specfive
appropriate at our emergence from
colonial times and conditions. The open,
lng of the Panama canal will mark a new
era In our International life and create
new and world-wide conditions which,
with their vast correlations and consequences.
will obtain for hundreds of years
to come. We must not wall for events to
overtake us unawares. With continuity
of purpose we must deal with the problems
of our external relations by a diplomacy
modern, resourceful, magnanimous,
and fittingly expressive of the high ideals
of a great nation.
WW. H. TAFT
The White House.
December 8, 1SU
PHOTO-FLAY SCENARIO
Causes Many Heart Throbs and
Disappointments Before Mistake
Is Corrected.
By HELEN DISNAY.
j As Jack crossed the office on his
way to his desk, his eyes dwelt tenderly
on Madge's nimble fingers as
they traced what he felt sure was a
note to him. Thinking to surprise
her, he drew nearer, and suddenly the
large writing on the sheet seemed to
rise up and assail his eyes. With hurt
horror he read:
"Dearest Ted: ?
"Of course I love you. Why doubt
me? As long as I live, I'm yours."
He waited to read no further, but
fled to the stockroom, where hidden
behind the bales and boxes, he fought
out bis trouble and decided upon a
course of action.
".My little Madge, whom I trusted
with my whole bouI," be groaned. Her
falseness seemed impossible.
Who this fellow Ted was he did not
know. It was enough that the girl
he loved, and who had promised to
marry him, was writing such a letter
to another man.
At last he clenched his hands, and
setting his teeth, went Into the private
office of the manager. Six weeks ago,
he had been offered a position on the
road, one that would pay him a much
better salary, and had refused, not
wanting to leave Madge. Now he was
glad to go, and Immediately, too. Within
two hours of his reading the beginning
of that fateful note, he was on
the train to take up the work of one
of the commercial travelers who had
suddenly been taken sick.
Jack did not stop to say good-bye to
Madge, nor did he write her, for he
felt that the less said the better.
"Perhaps If I get away, this hurt
will stop," he told himself; but although
he kept busy and In his labors
J
'\2L a
With Hurt Horror He Read.
turned night Into day, sending back
so much business that the firm believed
they had secured the model
salesman, he could not forget Madge
or her thousand and one appealing
ways. It was all the harder because
she kept on writing to him. in the
same, clear, flowing hand that had
penned the fateful confession of her j
love for another, begging him to let j
her know the reason for his continued j
silence.
Tom. his chum, wrote him that
Madge looked ill.
"She's awfuly close," Tom went on.
"Won't give us a squint at your letters,
though I know she gets one per,
if not oftener. To write her a love
song that often, with all the business
you're sending In, you can't be hitting
the feathers at all. Write her to bo
less close, for we're all agog to know
how you are wresting orders from the
populace as you are. Hut. honest, boy,
Madge is looking badly. I think she's
crying all night long. Better blow In
and try a little consolation, or someone
else may. I'd like to. but I'm true
blue where my friends are concerned,
and so I won't ring in any of the comfort
dope until I'm sure you're going
to stay away forever and a day; but
in case you do?well, I'll not let the
grass grow under my feet. .Madge Is
a dear girl."
Jack groaned as he read the friendly
words, and knew that in between
the lines was a hint that all was not
well.
Things looked black to him, although
he had made such a success in
a business way that the office sent
for him to coine home and make a
contract with the firm, and although
he would have rather remained away
forever, Jack obeyed, and once more
found himBelf in the same city with
Madge.
Being a salesman now. he managed
to have his interview with the man- |
ager without going out among his old
associates, and so avoided Madge, although
a sight of her sunny hair
through the open doorway turned him
sick at heart. As soon as matters
were settled he'made his escape, although
he knew that on the morrow ,
he would have to meet the others,
Madge among them, and receive their
congratulations.
His business outlook was extremely
bright, much better than he had dared '
V*
to dream of for years to come, a*J
yet it was a very heavy heart that he
carried with him into the little motion
picture theater, where he sought a
few moments of relaxation later on in
the evening. He and Madge had often
gone there in the days when he believed
in her, and it was with the hope
of seeing her at a distance, and if possible
discovering the identity of the
hated Ted. that he went.
Wearily he made his way to the corner
seat in the box where they had
always sat. The house was lighted
up, and he was conspicuous as he sat
there, but he did not pay any attention
to the audience after a sweeping
glance over it had told him that Madge
was not there.
Without interest, he gazed at a
thrilling Indian Btory, not caring in
the least if every white settler on the
film was wiped out by the bloodthirsty
Bavages. What was the misery of
people long ago gone, if indeed they
ever existed, to his, deprived of his
faith in his love?
Listlessly he followed the story of
the next film. There was the usual
quarrel between two lovers, although
he reflected bitterly that neither had
his cause. Suddenly he straightened
up. The lover received a letter from
tne girl witn wnom ne naa quarreiea,
and it was photographed on the film.
"Dearest Ted: ?
"Of course I lcwe you. Why doubt
me? As long as I live, I'm yours."
As on a former occasion, Jack
stopped to read no further. He recognized
the clear, flowing hand. It was
Madge's penmanship, that he knew,
but he also understood that it was
never written to a living person. The
thought flamed through him that there
must be some heart-healing explanation.
Realizing how his cruelty must
have hurt her, he turned to leave,
when in the seat by his side where
she had sat so often was?Madge!
Instinctively his hand reached for
hers, and in the tender pressure given
and returned everything was forgotten
and forgiven.
"I saw you here," she whispered,
"and came here to sit by you."
"Darling! How, though, did they
get that letter? I saw you write it,"
he confessed, "though not intentionally."
"I wrote the scenario of the photo
play." she said with proper pride.
They forgot the audience, sitting
there together again in the happiness
of their love, and he bent over and
whispered:
"We'll be married tomorrow so you
can go out on the road with me."
Madge nodded happily. "Of course,
for as long as I live, I'm yours," she
murmured, and this time the words
carried a Joyous message to him,
(Copyright. 1912. by W. G. Chapman.)
HOW BRIAR PIPES ARE MADE
Average Smoker Not Aware of the
Work Involved In Manufacture
of His Pet.
nrlar root pipes have been in continuous
use in this country for many
? "nnni.nl TMlKHrt OVnn th<?
> I'ars, uui cut; gcuci m )>uumv, ^ ^
pipe smokers, have little idea of how
they are made or of the time and attention
necessary in their manufacture.
The briar which furnishes the root
from which the pipes are made is the
shrub called the white heath, or heather,
and is found chiefly in the south of
Italy, on the Island of Corsica and in
Algeria. The shrub often grows to a
large size, although only the roots are
used in the pipe-making industry.
After the roots have been cleaned
of the earth which clings to them
they are sawed into blocks of various
ilimensions, placed in vats and allowed
to simmer for twelve hours,
which brings out the rich brown color
for which the finest pipes are prized.
Following this boiling process the
blocks are steam dried for two weeks
and then are sent to the factory,
where they are converted into pipes.
The blocks are sorted according to
size by experts, are placed on shelves
and kept at an even temperature for
ten days, when they are dried and
then are sent to the machines, where
the actual manufacture begins. After
tho blocks have been trimmed to the
proper size, the upper part of tho
bowl is turned, then the lower part
and stem, an.! then they are Bandpapered.
The finishing cf the bowls
then takes place.
Lad Was Merchant, Not Beggar.
An American lady in Romo bought
some matches from a little match
vender. They wore wax matches in little
decorated boxes. She handed the
boy a five-soldi piece and expected
to have two soldi in change, but the
little fellow shrugged his shoulders
and held the change tightly in his
hand, with a begging expression on
his face, signifying that he wished to
have it given to him, whereupon a
second American ladv who was accompanying
the first straightened herself,
locked Intently at the boy, and said:
"Merchante, non nendicante!" ("You
are a merchant, not a beggar.") That
was an appeal to the boy'a self-respect,
and it so inspired him that he actually
laughed and pressed the change upon
hi3 customer.?The Christian Herald.
French Artist's Criticism.
Count Charles de Chebannes, the
French portrait painter, who is now
in this country, says that the most
beautiful American women are in
Philadelphia, even the maids of that
city, he says, causing him to stop and
exclaim about their beauty. Wash
ingtcn women use too much powder
and paint, he says, and do it so inartistically,
painting trie same way in
the evening as they did in the morning,
with horrible restltg.
lmffimimnal
SDNMSOIOOL 4
Lesson |
(By E. O. 8ELLER8. Director of Eve.
nlng Department The Moody Bible Institute
of Chicago.)
LESSON FOR DECEMBER 8
THE CHILD IN THE MIDST.
LESSON TEXT-Matthew 13:1-14.
GOLDEN TEXT?"In heaven their angels
do always behold the face of my
Father which Is In heaven."?Matthew
10:10 R. V.
Like two mighty mountain peaks
there stand before us in this lesson
two tremendously vital lessons. The
first and the foremost Is that of dlscipleshlp
as suggested by the question
in verse one, "Who is the greatest
in the kingdom?" And the second
lesson is that of Christ's attitude towards
children. Jesus again reveals
himself as the world's greatest teacher.
He teaches by example?setting
a child before them, and by exhortation,
"Except ye become as children,"
by contrast, etc.
The very form of the disciples'
question revealed their coarse ambition
for power and clearly indicated
that they were as yet far from comprehending
the principles of his
kingdom. One of the most insidious
temptations that comes to the Christian
worker is the ambitious desire
for place and power. It is hard to
reconcile church politics with the
principles of the kingdom of God.
Jesus answers their question by
the use of objective teaching that
always has such an advantage over
the purely metaphysical method of answering
such a question. Placing a
child in their midst he answered in
the words found in verse two of the
lesson.
What He Meant.
The word "verily" is tremendous
with emphasis. "I say," again reveals
his authority to answer. "Except
ye turn." what does he mean?
To become childish? No, but to become
childlike; there is a vast deal
of difference. There the child Btands,
trustful, obedient, submissive, unselfish,
pure, potential, imperfect, ready
to receive lmpressiona ao wax auvi at.
tenacious to retain those Impressions
as granite. Pride, self-confidence,
disobedience, selfishness, impurity,
assumed perfectness, and an unwillingness
to learn will effectually keep
us out of the kingdom of heaven.
What a rebuke his answer implied,
viz., not who is greatest but rather,
"are you sure you are really in the
kingdom?" The true disciple who
realiy comprehends the essence of
Christ's teaching is far less concerned
with his rank in the kingdom
than he is to "know him" and thus
make sure of a place in the kingdom.
Ever after this, when wrong ambitions
arose, these disciples must have
recalled that Bweet child and Jesus'
saying, "be like that."
Does this lesson then teach us that
all children are by nature children of
the kingdom? Hardly, though we certainly
do not believe that a child dying
in infancy is lest. Rather we incline
to the belief that they have
that spirit of teachableness and trust
that fits them to "enter" (v. 3) the
kingdom (see John 3:6). Therefore,
the added significance of verse six.
The responsibility of parents and
teachers to lead them into the kingdom
at this early ago when their
trustfulness has not been destroyed.
Let us lock at seme of the conditions
whereby wc enter the kingdom.
John 19:9, "I am the doer, by me
shall ye enter." Jchn 3:3, "Except
ye be bcrn again." Heb. 3:19, "They
could not enter because or unoener.
Head also 2 Peter 1:5-11.
How to Become Great.
Having thus struck at the primary
question Involved, Jesus then tells
them how, once being in the kingdom,
to become great, "whoso humbleth
himself, etc." To humble yourself is
voluntarily to choose the humble, the
lowly, place for yourself; that place
removed frcm the admiration and the
adulation of men. Paul learned this
lesson and constantly refers to himself
as the "bend slave" and wishes
that ho might be accursed for the
sake of his brethren Israel. Moses
found this place when he pleaded with
God to blot him out of the book of
his remembrance hut to save the children
of Israel. Jesus is himself tho
greatest illustration of this principle.
(See Phil. 2:6-11.)
Jesus goes on to teach by contrast
what Is to be our attitude toward
those who are In the kingdom.
There is an incidental illumination
Df the attitude of little children to
Jesus. They were never afraid of
him. It is true that he might have
meant here humble men who have
childlike hearts, but we are inclined
to feel that it was real children of ?
which he is speaking. Our treatment
of them is our treatment of him, for
he completely identifies himself with
them.
Jesus pictures fcr us the heavenly
glory that rests upon children and yet
we in our folly too often fail to receive
them, neglect our God-given opportunity,
or, worse still, cause them
to stumble, and bring upon ourselves,
upon our homes and our nation a penalty
even worse than that of being
drowned in the midst of the sea.
Such is the greatness of childhood,
if we are to make sure of entering
the kingdom it must be as we get
back to childhood, get back to the
principles of trustfulness, of humility,
Df service and of purity. It is then
we enter into fellowship with God