Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1855-02-24
MISCELLANY.
LIFE AND WRITINGS OF ST. PAUL.

LECTURE BY JUDGE THOMAS, OF MAssAcHU-
In the reports Of Lectures delivered weekly
in Boston, before the Mercantile Library Asso-
citation, given by the Tfareller, we find very
interesting one upon the Life and Writings Of
the brave and heroic "A posile to the Gentiles -
We think many of our readers viii be glad 10
read the Travellers sketch of the Lecture
and so we give il below. We have often won
dered why a theme so full and lofty was passed
by Lyceum Lecturers but at length il has
fallen into the right hands. atiea r
lie began by observing that fascinating as
was the study ofhistory, its vas,ness yerwhelm-
ed, Its obscurity perplexed us. 1t spread it.
self out like an ocean, boundless and travelless.
With some bay or inlet we might become ia
'miliar, but when we veniured on lis world of
waters, the waves obliierate the track of our
busy keel. ~ hit .sssat i-sss9
Biography, the history Of a life, was like
one OF the streams running TO meet and minele
with the ocean, whose course we might trace
from the fountain TO the sea, becoming familiar
with every winding of its path, with every
spring or brook that feeds it, with the flowers
on Its bank. with the music Of its ripple--jn
the moments of its trouble, as il bounds sue
cessfully onward, or in the moments of lis re-
pose, when II mirrors the glories Of the heay-
en- above, or the beauties of the earth around
IT. Sometimes, indeed, as with his subject
The beginning and early course could not be
traced, and we could look only upon the deep
broad, majestic river, coming down to MS
through the ages, and bringing like the Nile on
ats bosom, The freight that quickens and iertil-
izes the earth. sft l sag ~
1t was midday, beneath the burning sun of
Syria, and near to the gates Of the Oldest citv
In the world, city whose walls were reared
before Abraham pitched his tent between Beth
ell and Hal, green spot in the wilderness. en-
clrcled with gardens fragrant with roses. and
kept fresh by tue waters Of The rivor of cold
when Jew, in early manhood. weary and
ravei-worn, yet glowing with an enthusiasm
as not as the atmosphere which enveloped him,
was gazing for the first time upou a scene
which had filed with delight the heart of the
traveller of all ages, the first view Of the beau
uful city Of Damascus; and suddenly n light
from Heaven, above the brightness of even
that midday Syrian sun, shone around about
him and those that joumeyed with him. And
he fell to the earth, and hoard voice saving
unto him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou
me and he answered, 'who art thou, Lord ~
ana no sald, II am Jesus whom thou persecut-
est ~ Is hard for thee to kick against the |.
goad." Blinded by the qlory of that liobt.1
stayed in his career Of persecution byi the III.
VINE voice, he was Jed into the city convert 20
the cause he came to extirpnie, aud destined to
be the chief apostle of the faith to the death
Of whose martyr ho had just consented. Bv
birth Greek, by citizenship Roman, by faith
a Jew, Paul combined in himself all the csii-
cations Of the old world, and was destined to
be the type of that new civilization which, re-
tanning the vital selomeDAsf Of the old, the
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