Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1885-02-09


Bsp.ist and the ministry Of Jesus a.A 4 =
certain that Paul could not hase 49, :.
both of thess movement. either - . fs'ena
or IS q foe
But before long
HE RETURNED TO JKkusA
.nd learned With ssfonishmenf and indg-
nation of the riss Of . sect shica behesea
that Jesus Who bad been erucifeds Was ne
Messiah Of the Jewish people Chnsii.n-
ity vas as JET only two or three years old'
and vas growing very quietly IN !efnssae!.
Although those who had heard u
preached at Pentecost had Carried
The news Of Il to their homes IN
mapy Quarters, IFS public representatives
lad not vet left the city OF Its birth AZ
6,st The authorities had been inclined 70
nersecute Il. and checked its teachers when
ibev appeared in public Bat they had
ch.r rsd their minds. and. acting under the
,dyiee of Ganaliel, resolved TO neglect IT.
bel;sving that IL would die out, Il let al1ne-
Rut tie truce cogld no; last. and these
seeres OF peace were soon TO De mssoeo
with terror and bloodshed- There arose .
man in the church in whom the aggressive
iendfpcies of Christianity embodied them
selves. This was Stephen, one OF the seven
Ssseons Who had been appointed 70 watch
over The temporal affairs Of the Chrsn,n
Soc;s,y He vas man full Of the Holy
Ghost He vent from synagogue preach
inc the Messiaship Of Jesus and annoane,
inc the advent Of freedom from the yoke Oh
tbe Law. Champions of Jewish orthodoxy
encountered him, bat we're not able 70 v,.n ,
stand bis eloquenee and holy zeal raiiea
in argument. they grasped al other seaPona'
stirring up the authorities and the Pop'Acs
10 Eondrous fspsiicism.
Ore of the syusgogues in which these
disputations took place was that o, tae
CSbe;ans the countrymen of Paul When
,be argument Of logic was EXCHANGED
for that Of violence, Paul
Tas in front. When the Witnesses Who casi
the first stones at Stephen we're stripping
for their work. they laid down Their garments
AZ bis feet. There, on the margin OF thai
wild scene, in the field Of Judicial murder,
We see his figure, standing little apart and
sharply outlined against the mass oil per
seniors unknown 10 fzme-the pale OF
many-colored robes at his feet, and his
ewes ben, upon the holy martyr, who Il
kneelipe in the article Of death and prayingi
Il ord. Law not this san TO their charge
His zeal on this occasion brought Paul
prominently under the notice OF the authcr
ities. II probably procured him Q seat 10
the Ssnhedrim, where We ind him soof
Afterwards giving his vote against the CHRIS
,ians. At all events, il led 10 his being en-
trusted with the work Of utterly uprootinf
Christianity, which the authorities nov re
solved upon. He accepted their. proposal
for be believed il 10 be Gods work. HItn
erto ha had been striving to please God
but ALWAYS felt his services to come short
here was chance OF making up tor all ar
rears by one splendid act Of service. Ter
,ible were the scenes which ensued. ID
few from synagogue to synagogue, and
from house to house, dragging fort
men ard women who were cast into priso'
AID punished. Some appear to have beer
nut 10 death and-darkest trait oil all
Others were compelled TO blaspheme tn
Savior. The church in Jerusalem VA
broken in pieces, and Its members who Is
capped the prosecutor were scattered ore
the reighboring provinces and countries.
Ii NAV seem too venturesome to call thu
the last stage of Paufs unconscious prepar
alton for his apostolic career. Bot 90 in
deed it was. In entering on the career o
a prosecutor he was going on straight in tn
line of the creed in which he had beel
brought up; and this was its reduction u
absurdity. Besides, through the graciou
working Of him whose highest glory il is on
,, Of evil still to bring forth good, ther
sprang out Of these sad doings in the mind
OF Paul an intensity Of humility. willing
ness 10 serve even the least Of the breshre'
| of tnose whom he had abused, and zeal u
redeem lost time by the diligent use Of wha
was left, which became permanent spurs Il
action in his subsequent career
Unto me, who am less thai
the least of all Saints. is thi
grace given, that ! should preach amonl
the Geniiles the unsearchable riches o
Christ"
Two practical questions are suggested b,
this interesting subject
The first is to parents: what kind Of socisI
snd religious influences pervade you
homes? Are your children being uneon
sciously Influenced and trained BY you
teachings and example. for great usefulness
when they reach manhood and woman
hood2 Are they now being prepared b.
you, to become blessings to their generation
instead Of blights2 Are you diligently
teaching them to do the things which Chris,
would teach them, and which would b,
pleasing to Him2 Remember, your boyI
and girls are nov unconsciously being pre-
pared for their future work o, what shsl
the harvest bef Second, young men. youni
women, do you possess Christian charac
tersf Are you being built up in Christ
Are you now being thoroughly equippst
for His seryice' So that II need Be, YoI
can endure hardness as good soldiers o
Jesus Christ? Eternal life, crown o
glory, unsearchable riches, an incorruptibl,
inheritance, pleasures forever more, are nj
offered to you, If you will accept Jesu
Christ as your Savior.