Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1893-12-21

Again. 7 learn from this subject that
there is hope for the worst offenders.
II was particularly outrageous that
Saul should have gone to Damascus on
that errand. Jesus Christ has been
dead only three years. and the story of
His Kindness ana His generosity and
His love filled all the air Il was
not an Old story as it Is now.
1t was new story. Jesus had
only three summers ago been IN
these very places, and Saul every dav
IN Jerusalem must have met people
who knew Christ people with good
eyesight whom Jesus had cured of
blindness. people who were dead. and
who had been resurrected by the Sa-
viour. and people who could tell Paul
all the particulars of the cr.ucifxion-
just how Jesus looked in the last
hour-just how the heavens grew
black in the face at the torture.
He heard that recited every day by
people who We're acquainted with all
the circumstances, and yet in the fresh
memory of that scene he goes to perse-
cute Christ's disciples. impatient at the
time it takes TO feed the horses at the
inn, not pulling at the snaff1e. but rid
ing with loose rein faster and faster.
Oh, he was the chief of sinners. No
outbreak OF modesty when he said
that. lie was a murderer. He
stood by when Stephen died and
helped in the execution of that
good man. When the rabble want
ed to be unimpeded in their work
OF destroying stephen. and wanted to
take off their coats, but did not dare
to lay them down lest they be stolen.
Paul said: I'll take care of the coats
and they put them down at the feet of
Paul, and he watched the coats and he
watched the horrid mangling of glori-
Gus Stephen. Is it a wonder that when
he fell from the horse he did not
break his neck-that his foot did
not catch somewhere in the trappings
OF the saddle and he was not
dragged and kicked to death He de-
served to die misera bly,, wretchedlv and
fCSever, Notwithstanding all his meta
physics and his elOquence and hi, logic
The steed on which you ride may be
swifter, and stronger, and higher-met-
tied than that on which the Ciliciau
prosecutor rode but Christ can catch
it on the bride, and hurl it back and
hurl it down. There is mercy for vou
who say you are too bad to be saved
You say you have put off the matter so
long. Paul had neglected it a great
while. You say that the sin YOU
haun committed a.
the most aggravating circumstances
That was so with Panls. You say YOU
have eXasperated Christ and coaxed
your own ruin. So did Paul. And vet
he sits to-day Oh one of the highest of
the heavenly thrones; and there is
mercy for you, and good days for you.
and gladness for you, if you will
only take the same Christ which
first threw him down and
then raised him up; it seems
to me as if l can see Paul to-day rising
up from the highway to Damascus and
brushing off the dust from his cloak
and wiping the sweat Of excitement
from his brow, as he turns to us and
all the ages, saying: This is faithful
saying. and worthy Of all acceptation,
that Jesus Christ came into the world
to save sinners, of whom I am chief"
Once more: | learn from this subject
that there is a tremendous reality in
religion. If it had been mere optical
delusion on the road to Damascus, was
not Paul the man to find it out? If it
had been sham and pretense, would
he not have pric!1ed the bubble? He was
a man of facts and arguments, of the
most gigantic intellectual nature, and
not man of Authorizations. And
when / see him fall from the saddle,
blinded and overwhelmed | say there
must have been something in it. And,
my dear brother, you will find that
there is something in religion some
where. The only question is, where?
There was a man who rode from
Stamford to London. ninetv-fve miles,
in five hours, on horse back Very swift
There was a woman of Newmarket who
rode on horseback Il thousand miles in
a thousand hours. Very swift But
there are those here. ay. all of us, are
speeding on at tenfOld that velocity.
at thousand-fOId that rate. toward
eternity May Almighty God. from the
opening Heavens, flash upon your soul
this hour the question of your eternal
destiny, and oh that Jesus would this
hour overcome you with His pardoning
mercy, as He stands here with the
pathos of broken heart and sobs into
your ear: Il have come for thee. [
come with My back raw from the beat
ing. ! come with Ny feet mangled
with the nails. I come with Nv brow
aching from the twisted Dram bic
come With Ny heart bursting for your
woes can stand it no longer am
Jesus whom thou persecutest'