Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1894-03-12

precat0Q services, the text heing TAX
en- from Cor. 1888, Through q
window, in 0asket, was Leu down by
the wall"
Damascus is a city Of white and glst-
ening architecture, sometimes called
"the eye of the East, sometimes
called ga pearl surrounded by emer-
aids" 40 one time distinguished for
swords OF the best material, called
Damascus blades and upholstery of
richest fabric, called damasks. A
horseman by the name OF Paul, riding
toward this city, had been thrown from
the saddle. The horse had dropped un-
der q fash from the sky, which 40 the
same time was so bright 10 blinded the
rider for many days, and i think so
permanently injured his eyesight that
this defect OF vision became the thorn
in the nesh he afterwards speaks Of. He
started tor Damascus 90 butcher Chris
tians, but after that hard fall from his
horse he was a changed man, and
preached Christ in Damascus GIN the
city was shaken TO it's foundation.
She mayor gives authority for bis ar
rest, and the popular cry lis "hin him.'
xiii himw The city is surrounded oy
high wall, and the gates are watched
by tho police lest the Cilcian preacher
escape. Many OF the houses are built
on the wall, and their balconies pro-
jected clear over and hung above the
gardens on the outside. TO was custo-
mary 90 lower baskets out OF these bal
comics and pull up fruits and
FLOWERS FROM THE GARDENS.
To this day visitors at the monastery Of
Mount Sinai are lifted and let down in
these baskets. Detectives prOWled
around from house 90 house looking for
Paul, but his friends hid him now in one
place now in another. Heis 20 coward,
asfitV incidents in his life demonstrate.
But be feels his work is not done vet,
sad so be evades assassination. as
that preacher here?n the ioaming mob
shout at one house door "Is that IA
natic here?' the police shout 40 another
house door. Sometimes on the streets
ircognitO be passes through a crowd OF
clenched fists, and sometimes be seCretes
himself on the house-tOp. AT last the
Infatuated pOpulaCe get on the sure
track of him. They have posi-
tive evidence that he is in the
house Of one Of the Christians, the bal
cony Of whose home reaches over the
wall Here be u.s.. Here be Isl" The
moderation and blasphemy aud bowling
OF the pursuers are al the front door.
They break In. "tetch out that g0s-
pe,lzs-, and let us hang his head on the
city gate. Where is he?' The emer-
geacy was terrible. Proyidentially
there was = good stout basket 10 the
house. Raurs friends iasten rope 90
the basket. Paul steps into it. The
baskQt IS lifted 20 the edge Of the bal
COM on the wall, and then while Paul
bq. on TO the rope with bosh hands
III friends lower away, carefully and
60 busly, slowly but surely, further
100 pand further down, until the bas-
osstrikes tia earth and the apostle
gsDs ont and afoot and alone starts on
that famous missionary tour, the story
O. which has astOnlshed earth and
heaven. Appropriate entry in Pau's
diary of travels: Through a window in
basket vas I leo down by the wall"
Observe, first
on WHAT A SLENDER TENURE
great results hang. The rope maker
who twisted that cord fastened 90 that
lowering basket never knew how much
would depend on the strength of be-.
Row ll is had been broken and the
gpostla's life had been dashed out?
What would have become OF the Chris
tan Church? AN that magnificent
missionary work tn Pamphyiia, Cap
uadocia, Ga.atia, Macedonia would
never have been accomplished. AN bis
writings that make up so indispensable
enchanting and part of the New Iesta-
ment would never have been written.
The story of resurrection would never
have been so gloriously told as he told
a. That example of heroic aud trium-
phant endurance at PhUIppi, TO- the
Mediterranean eurocydOn, under flag
citation and 40 his beheading would not
have kindIed the courage OF ten tnous-
and martvrdOms. But the rope holding
that basket. how much depended on it.
So again and again great results have
hung on what seemed slender c'rcum-
stances.
Did ever ship of many thousand tons
crossing the sea have such important
passenger as had once boat on leaves,
from tafra.. 90 stern only three OF four
feet. the vessel made waterproof by o
coat OF bitumen and floating on the Nile
with the infant lGWg,yer OF the Jews ou
board? What 81 some crocodile should
crunch it2 What III some of she cattle
wading in for a drink should sink lts
Vessels OF war sometimes carry forty
Guns looking through The portfolios,
ready I'd omen battle. But that tiny
craft on the NIe seems 90 be armed
with an the guns OF thunder that 0om-
barded Sinai at the law-glying. On how
fragile craft sailed how much OF his-or-
zeal Importance.
Tins pARsONAGE AT Epw0ErH,
England. is on fire DOB the night, and
tbs father rushed through the hallway
for the rescue OF his children. Seven
children are out safe on the ground,
but one remains in the consuming
building. That orewaEes, and hndiug
his bed on FIRE and che building crum-
bHnr comes % the window, and two
peaslrts make q ladder OH their bodies,
one reasaut standing on the shoulder
of the other. aud down che human lad-
der the boy desceris-loln Wesley. To
Won would know how much depended
ON THAI ladder OF peasants ask the mile
lions of Netb0jists on both sides of the
spa. Ask their mission stations all
rouod the world. Ask Che hundreds OF
thousands already assembled 90 join
their founder who would have per-
isbed but for the living stair of peas
ants shoulders.
Again, notice unrecognized and unre-
corded services. Who spun that ropa2
Who tied DC 90 the Casket2 Who stead
led the ulustrious preacher as he step
ned into it2 Who relaxed not muscle
Of the arm or dismissed au anxious look