The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-05-24
VICTOR HUGO UPON ST. PAUL.

Translated for the Indiana polls Journal
Paul. saint for the church and for humanity
at large represents that wonder, at once human
and divine, the conversion He is one to whom
the future appears Nothing is as superb as
that haggard face forever astonished from being
overcome by the light
Paul, born Pharisee, had been a weaver of
camels' hair for tents, andservant of Gamaliel.
Having studied with the priests, and guarded the
mantles of the prosecutors, he aspiredto become
atormentor. While en- route to Damascus for
that purpose, suddenly bright light fails about
him and throws him from hishorse. This
transformation of St Paul lisa, great day. Re-
tain that date; it corresponds to the 25th of Jan
uary of our Gregoriaa yearl
The road-to Damascus is necessary to the
march of progress. To fall in the truth. and rise
ADJUST mana falling TRANSPORTATION that is sub
lime. Reckoning from ST. Paul, his history will
be that of humanity.
Paul, once again on his feet, marches on with
out being arrested any more. Forward! is his
cry He is cosmopolitan He loves and gives
himself to those from without, whom paganism
called barbarians and Christianity, the gentes
There was no more neither lew, nor Creek nor
slave. Hear him speaking to the Galatians: 20,
foolish Galatiansl how can you return to the
sohCo ~ WiliCH you WcIO Oouaus ucCidIo w
you that all your grand ceremonies accomplished
by the law are nothing Love~one another You
are called to liberty" He held that man may
become new creature.
At Atheus, Paul stood upon Mars Hill, on
the steps cut in the rock which one still sees
there to-day. Here had sat the POWERFUL Judges
before whom Orestes had appeared and Socrates
had been judged The Areopagus was not sit
ting on that night when Paul made the announce
meat,. 81. come to declare to you the unknown
God"
Paul's letters to the gentiles are ingenious
and profound, with assubtles power upon those
savages. These messages have in them gaimpses
of hallucnation.. He spoke of celestial things
as if he saw them distinctly. Many of the
finest of his works are rejected economically; and
among Others his epistle to the Laodieeans, and
above all, his Apocalypse were erased by the
Roman council under Gease 1t is the spirit
and not the letter that sufficeth him. He pre-
fers aud names grace, the soul of the law
from celestial point of view as we name.'i it
right from earthly point of view
Henceforth whatsoever desires growth should
follow the indicating finger of ST Paul. The
light that they will find will change nature for
light is always relative to darkness; it will grow
in intensity; after having been revelation it will
become rationalism; but it will always be light.
Voltaire was as St. Paul. upon the road to Da-
mascus.. This road will be forever the passage
of great spirits and of peoples, those vast indi-
viduals that have, as each of US, their crisis and
their hour
Paul. after his august fall, rises, armed with
the shining sword Of Christianite against the cid
errors. Two Thousand years afterwards France,
dismayed by the light, also rose, holding in. her
hand that flaming sword, the revolution.