The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-03-13
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON.
March IL. 1S97-Acts tx, 1-12, 1920.
BY DAVIS w. CLARK.

There lay Damascus, heart of the Orient her
marbles cleaning amid her blossoming groves.
city so lovely that, at later date, Mo-
manned turned aside exclaiming: There is but
one paradise for me! Ii j enter this I'll miss
the above" considerable band OF Chris
tians in this Syrian metropolis awaiting with
dread the certain approach of a threatening per-
secutor.
On comes the Cnician enthusiast, the ideal in
quisitor. consumed with his zeal to steady the
tottering fabric OF Hebrew ecclesiasticism. His
credentials indisputable. His dauntless cour-
age. coupled with dialectical skill and perfect
knowledge Of the history and dogma Of Israel
thoroughly fit him for his cruel task.
Such is the eagerness Of this young Sanhedrist
TO lay his hands upon these perverts from Jewry
that he shows pity toward either man or
beast in his own cavalcade. The universal East
ern custom would have called long halt during
the noon hours. But on he speeds,
with lips firm clos'd and fixed eve.
Like warriors when the fight is nigh,
Nor talk nor landscape heeds
half-mile. and the goal of this ever-mernor-
able journey will be reached. The city's eastern
gate is in sight. On an instant. it IS IL the
troop struck an invisible but impenetrable
barrier. Brave riders are endorsed. and the
dumb brues give sign of recognizing the pre-
ternaturdlness of the event
What sudden blaze Is round him poured
As though all heaven refulSent DoaTu
IN rich glory shone?
One sentence in that never-to -be-forgotten dia-
logue quite lifts the veil from the heart of the
PROSTATE prosecutor: 1T is hard for thee TO
kick against the pricks." SO. then. Saul has
been resisting repeated thrusts OF the goad of
conscience The very speed and fury of this
long Inquisitorial journey may have been a last
effort to rid himself of the conviction OF the
Messiahshp OF Jssus-a conviction which no
doubt began at the martyri9m of stephen
No wonder that the highroad has been de-
where thought
to have trlnsrired, in order that careless feet
made in the original r5adbed by the carrying
away of pebbles by myriads OF pilgrims. The con-
per fm ii in the history Of cRrstanity Aside
too, from It's sacred claims. on purely historic
There the complexion of Europe was changed.
and our current Occidental civilization MADE
possible.
MOSAIC FROM COMMENTARIES
Yet: Up to this moment his blind. prosecuting
rage burned as hercely as ever.-J.. f. and B.
breathing threatenings: His inner atmosphere
Of the sOul.-Whedon.
Desired letters of the high priest: The high
priest was Jewish pope. with his SaahedrIn as
his cardinals. with sway as wide as the Ro-
Empire.-Ibid.
Women: Thrice mentioned aggravated
feature OF his cruelty.-J., r. and Il.
As he journeyed: Usually travellers are not
susceptible OF appartions, because OF the motion
and noise.-Bengei.
a Light This the shekinah or divine
luster OF the person of The gorifed Jesus
Whedon.
Voice: stern. yet full of grace.-Bengel,
Saul. Saul. Jesus knew saul Saul knew
Jesus.-Ibii.
Persecutest me: Paul strikes in Damascus.
He trembling ana astonished. Like powerful
rail train. he is stopped and driven back by a
solid collision, terrible, and apparently wrecKlhS
What do? He does not wall out. All. Lord,
what have done? II may be a deep repentance
that Eliminates in sorrow over the past; but IL Is
a more effective repentance that seeks. as far az
use of the future.-Stier-Whe
II shall be told thee: Jesus could have told
those Very disciples, whom Paul was going TO
bring in bonds to jerusalem, the means OF his
conversion: /. To show that God will help man
by man 2 That in the beneV olence OF Ananias
he might the spirit of that religion he was
Three d4vs: The business Of conversion is
WORTH the bestowal of whole days.-Bengei
Rtcoliections of early years, passages or SCRIP
turc misunderstood. thoughts of his cruelty. last
looks of stsihen. crowded his mind, and made
ance.- Conybeare and Howson.
Saul. Brother Tender Christian epithet for the
Received meat: ike body Is not supported by
perisheth.-CiaTk.
THE TEACHERS CULVER.
1. Pauls self is a more convincing argument
than even the superb monuments OF reason he has
reared in his epstles His logical mind could
not have been imposed upon by cunningy de-
vised fable The man who catalogues his ex-
cessive suferings could have no sinister motive
in proTagating lie. Barrett, with the eele-
brated case Of Lord Littleton in view. says:
MANY reflective mind. hitherto unmoved, has
yielded TO the power OF this page Of the gospel"
>. speaking of this event. Paul says: II was
disObedient to the heavenly vision The in
ference Is, he might have been Powerful as was
the pressure, il was not irresistible There was
an ultimate element of selfhood' that might
asserted itself
g. saul, the prosecutor, acting consoien-
tiouslv. "He thought he ought But there are
consciences and consciences-unenlghten de-
filed. scared. well good. IL is not enough
10 say, Il can do and 50 cOnscientiOusly. -
Answer is what kind OF a conscience hdre
you2'' 4 conscience illuminated and cleansed-
such only is safe guide
4. Paul was shown how great things he must
suffer As in a panorama. the whole dread scene
passed before his minds eye-stripes, rods. ship
wreck. perils. WEAKNESS, painfulness, watchings.
hunger thirst. HASTINGS, cold, ana nakedness. The
dauntless courage and complete devotion of Paul
: from the fact that. though revealed
before. OF these things moved him.