Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-03-20

An RV8ee0 - - AsA8n&ts
Give Paul Mars Hill for pulpit, and
Thousands Of Athcnians for an audience
or let Felix's judgmsnt-hall ring with his
noble voics-or let him pour forth gospel
tldings at Rome Phillippi. Jerusalem. any
where--put him In prison. In tho stocks
even; but somehow It seems to deal harsh
ly with our sense Of proprety to see such
noblemsn Of both nature and grace, in
such a humlliating dilemma as that Of bs.
ing squeezed into basket.
Itwould shock tho ssnsibilitIes Of most
Of preachers Of our day. terribly. to be
thus disposed. They would shake thoir
canonicals In horror at the idea Of o pcr.
sonal incarnation Of this kind.
But tho Apostle went into this thing
like man. jewish dogs and Pagan
wolves wero In full cry after him, thirst.
ing for his blood. But Paul desired his
blood to circulate little longer, for tho
sake Of tho church. lie had no oblsc-
tions that these wild beasts should have IL
when the proper time should como. But
believing said timo had not yet come. no
held on to life. Aud to save 1t. he must
do the best thing that could be DONE
And as basket, let down from tho wall
Of Damascus by friendly hand, was the
most likely Of all modes Of escape. into
the basket ho went like man.
And Satan would have been pleased to
have had Paul stand up from his dignity
and decline 80 humiliating way Of es-
cape. aud thus be sacrificed to the fury Of
his enemies, and the church thus bcreav-
ed Of this burning and shining light
But Paul and Satan wero never on good
terms after their frat collision; and there
was no harmony now. Satan would have
Paul 60 out toflifo tho earliest day possible,
Paul could not accommodate him; but
chose to 1.-Two as long as he could, for the
sake Of doing as much harm as possible TO
tho kingdom Of darkness.
Satan may snccr. and other people too,
at Paul in basket-calling this com.
promise Of his proprioty, pitIful humili-
alton, and all that Not bit Of it,
There was, at that particular juncturc, but
just one place for The Apostle; and that
was In that same basket Il was better
for him to be thers than to have been IN
the greatest pulpit and before tho might.
est audience man ever addressed better
than oven 10 have had the crown Of q
ssraph In heaven.
Paul In q basket and Paul on Mars
Hill! There Is truly some difference in
thssc positions Of tho Apostle. But a.
duty led 10 each Of them, into each oil
thom ho wsut, and wc doubt mol with
equally joyful promptnsss He was a
truly serving God whilo In the basket AZ
whom In the noblsst pulpit he ever asccn.
ded. Hs was on o. happy terms OF &C
csplancc and communion with God while
dangling At the ropes end. by which hs
was suspended, ~ when laundering IN the
cara Of Thousands the extraordinary gos.
pol, or writing those sublime messages o
bis. which form 20 important and vital .
part OF the Word Of God.
Tho question Of all others is this Iss
man. under any circumstances, actually
whore tho path Of duty carries him
where the Providence OF God places HIM
This being settlsd, II matters not where
that spot 10, that spot is sanclhsd by being
tho spot assigned by duty. and 10 thereb,
made more honorable than any other spo'
on Garth. Lot the child OF God In tho hum.
blest circumstances, or In those the mos
trying and humIlIatIng. DO content and
happy In HE lot. Lot him remember the
great Apostle to tho dsntiles In tho bas
kct and II Providence puts Us In such I
place. 1t 10 tho bost place In tho universe
for us.
We love to think Of Paul In that bss
ket ItreconcIlcs US to many IN uncom'
Portable position In life. II makes US fee
that great good mon have been made sub
jsct to positions and circumstances very
rcpulsivo; and why should not we?--
Gmcc has carried thom through great ha'
millatons. II can carry us.--Euangelist