The Hillsborough recorder. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1820-1879, 1857-02-18

name IN Jerusalem, and came hlther Tor thai
intent, that he might bring them bound unto
the Chief Priests:" Looking at the facts just
as they appeared to the people Of Damascus
and as they are proved out Of the very mouths
OF Christ's enemies, we may we'll ask how
could this sudden revolution in Saul's mind
have been accomplished He himself has
| given us full explanation Of the way in
which it was wrought. IT we admit the truth
of his statements, then we admit all that is
essential to the truth of Christianity. But,
if we deny this explanation, then we have
before us the unexplained fact that Saul the
prosecutor. became Paul the Apostle. And
how will the infdel solve this great historical
lprobleml There are only two ways in which
We can attempt it. He must set Paul down
either for an impostor or an enthusiast, a
rogue or mailman. He may assert that Paul
was al impostor, and that the whole story
about his conversion waS fabrication of his
own. Now, il this had been the case, would
it not have been easy for his lellow-travel-
lers to come forward and say so! We're
such witnesses ever arrsyed against him !!
Did the Scribes and Pharisees, whose cause
he deserted, in all their efforts to malign his
character, ever. attempt to convict him Of
faisehuod in this matters When he was ar.
raigned before the council, when lie stood in
chains befOr Festus aud Agrlppa. did his
enemies, who SO yehementIy pleaded against
him, bring forward his companions in the
journey to Damascus, 10 prove that his mira
culous conversion was fiction.
And, besides this, what motive could Saul
have for entering upon such course OF de.
eepton? A man who would have the cum
nig and the hardih0Od to fabricate such a
story, and act it out in all his subsequent life,
would not be fool enough to do 50 without
the expectation Of profiting by it; and what
could lie expect to make BY abandoning the
dominant party. whom he believed to be right,
and uniting with prosecuted sect, which,
according to the infdel's theory, he knew to
be wrong!
lie well understood what kind Of enmity
the Christians were called upon to face. The
garments Of Stephens murderers, which were
laid at his feet, was a sufficient indication Of
what lie might expect if he became a Chris.
tian. The scorn and hatred Of his kinsmen
the sacrifice Of every worldly honor and
passion-the endurance Of poverty, bonds,
seourging and death, these were the penalty
be must pay for embracing the religion Of
Christ. And are we to believe that a man
like Saul wOuld brave all these perils, and
persist in his course to the forfeiture Of his
life. Just for the sake of making others belle, e
what he knew TO be he, and that, too, a most
unproffaJie aud injurious he? Let the intidel
think so; such childish crcdulty is consistent
with his character: for !" the cautious and
captious unbelieyer is of all men weakest to
believe" But we know, that whatever else
he might be, Paul ras no i,npostor.
But, perhaps, in order to avoid the force
Of this reasoning. the infdel will adopt the
other theory and assert that he was an en-
fhasiaSt. When they Can no longer resist
the spirit and iorce with which he speaks,
they exclaim with Festus, . Paul, thou art
beside thyself, much learning hath made thee
mad"
But, ask, hoc much enthusiasm does il
take to make man see light and hear a
voice from heaven, in the public highway, at
midday and that. too, when his heart and
mind are absorbed in the pursuits Of an OBJ.
ieCt. which such a vision would certainly
defeats Men may imagine miracles for the
confirmation Of their own desires I; but who
ever imagined that The sun grew dark al
noon because Of still brighter light-that
a voice spake from hcayen-that lie was
stricken blind for many days, and all 10
teach him that his desires and purposes are
totally wrong! And is not that a strange
kind Of madness, which enables a man TO
move such cities as Jerusalem, aud Corinth,
and Athens. and Rome with his eloquence
TO utter such words Of truth and soberness
as Paul spake before Agrippa TO write such
specimens Of logic. and patI,os, and beauty,
as are found in these Epistles, 70 lay broad
and deep the foundations II system which
il still Ia the ,igur ol its youth alter the
dust Of centuries has gathered on the ruins
Of the cities in which il was prosecuted.
See what children in credulity these boast
cd free. thinkers are, when they can believe,
that man who has left such monuments OI
sincerity and wisdom, was either an imposteI
or an enthusiast and see here, IN the unde.
niable facts Of Saul's conversion, a sailpl'
Of the evidence or Christianity.
..@--@~1~l~1-Ds1~.~1~-
An ISGESIous RocrE.-A Few days since 4
we'll dressed grntlemanly looking man lead
ing a beautiful bay sumo Eve years Of age
entered jewelers. shop in Broadway, and
asked the price Of handsome gold bracelet
/ il was Sl25. The gentleman examined, adj
inred. aud finally bought the article an d pu
+ Il in his pocket. lie then topk out a larg,
purse full Of shining pieces and opened il. Al
\ that moment, he Suddenly exclaimed with i
luok oI alarm, /" Why where i Charley I
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