The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-22
AN ELOQUENT LECTURE
THE FIRST OF THE STAR COURSE
ny THE Y. NJ. g. A.
George n. vending Discusses "saul
OF Tarsus" at Turner Hall to
a Pleased Audience.

|
fair-sized audience greeted George II.
Vending at Turner hall last night, to
hear his famous lecture. Saul Of Tarsus,"
although all OF the seats had been fold.
The lecture was preceded by a short
talk by Mr.. s. p Luce secretary OF the
Young Mems Christian Association OF
Houston, In which he explained that the
| lecture about TO he given was the first of
a series OF seven star entertainin onts to be
given under the auspices of The Young
and that the price Of admission to all OF
the remaining ATTRACTIONS would be sl.3o
for the entire six. after which, in few
fitting words, he introduced the speaker Of
the evening.
when Mr. Vending came upon the plat
form, II was seen that he vas a man oil
commanding prosence-"a manner and
form, indeed. 10 give the world assur-
ance OF n man His gigantic build. broad
forehead large mouth eagle eye, and
masterful personality give the Idea at
once Of an orator and leader among
men, but only when the full, deep. but
sweet resonance OF his voice Is heard, and
the magnetism OF ais presence 10 felt can
one fully appreciate his great po"ers OF
orat0ry. his voice nov rivaiing IN accents
the sweetness Of a woman's tones. the hext,
laundering in bursts OF eloJuence-a sllen-
did copfagration.
Mr.. Vending began his lecture by ASK
ing the small audience to be guilty Of
that common failing, sympathetic embar-
rassment and taking up his then est.
Paul he said he lssred for the moment
to dlvost him of III mystery and sanity
| character, and spslK OF him as n man. lot
Il profound theolo4iln, but as an orator
hero. a martyr and a man Of genius
The speaker pronounced Saul of Tar
sus the foremost of orators, 'he greatest
of warriors and the granicst hero that
ever lived say that 10 fully appreciate mis-
greatness one must think of the herculcan
task he gave himself among a hcnghted
aud supcrsiltlous people. lie rapidly re-
viewed the prominent events Of ancient
| history, beginning vita the building OF
| tho pyramids and coming down 10 the
| birth of Christ. and showed the great in
iluehce during that time that the Israeltes
had on the worlds history. paying a high
| tribute TO that race, when he said that
| they have been the gulf stream OF human
| lily, and that by Israel's faith in one God
have the nations OF all the earth been
blessed. But while he honored them be-
yond measure for keeping alive religious
faith, he condemned them for their ex-
elusive haughtness and arrogance the
cause of their undoing In one breath. h.
spoke of their greatness as poets, prophets
aud warriors and In the next of their UNI
paralleed wanderlngs and suffcrings; that
while In past ages the Jew had been apart
scorned and reviled. he thanked God that
this is an age when tho Jew and the gem
Tile are beginning TO unite; the former
having been for centuries without q coun,
try. but tho only nationality which had
never intermarred with others, created
new races and lost It's identity
The speaker then came to Saul OF Tar
sus told of his birth In Tarsus OF a
rharisee father and mother; spoke OF his
being taught the trade OF tent making,
aud the speaker took occasion to- inter
ject remark that he was not 80 anxious
to see Latin and Greek give way to Ger
man and French In the schools. as he was
to see blacksmith shops. cook stoves and
work houses In them. a sentiment which
was loudly applauded.
Returning to Saul OF Tarsus Mr. Wend-
ing explained how he was educated for
rabbi MT Jerusalem. his sitting in 1udg-
lnent at the trial of stephen. and listen
ing TO his laundering deuuncation of the
rabbs, his Judges, sublime in its courage.
and almost superhuman In it's eloqueace.
Sauls wavering after the speech OF
stephen. his voluntary retirement into
solitude for three years, his conversion.
wanaerings. incalcuable prosecutions and
sublime courage and forttudc under 1t
all. were graphically and powerfully de-
scribed.
The speaker was OF the opinion that
saul OF Tarsns, or Paul. as he was called
after his conversion. was man of large
and powerful build, aud called attention 10
the fact that when Saul wrcte that he was
weak OF body and contemplate Of speech
That he was quoting his enemies. and that
the inhuman torture and suffering to
which he was put could only have been
borne by an iron frame besides that he
was hailed In many countries as a newly
arrived God, unlikely in man of mean
stature.
Speaking of Sauls personal qualities. Mr..
vending declared that for unselfishness.
physical bravery and moral courage. In all
history Is there not such a splendid OK
ample mat ne was the bravost man on
earth since God first sent 1t circllng round
tho sun. hut In his cloquencc did he es-
pecially consider Saul of Tarsus 10 be ns
comparable. as few fragments OF his
epistles have had a greater influence over
The minds of men than the entire volumes
OF other men, He accounted for sauTs
powers OF oratory in one way, Ly saylnv
that II was partly due to his intense earn
estness; that TO be a great orator one must
have self consecfating self consuming
aud soul absorbing esrnestness; tho enc
quality paramount to all others in an
orator.
the speaker called attention 10 tho fact
that there have been many fine takers
IN the worlds history. but that the orator,
could be counted ON ones fingers; ttaS
70 DC great orator. there must pc II great
soui on hre In n great cause
Mr.. vending treated finally VI Saul Of
Iarsus MS philosopher, and said when he
thought of his writings II seemed 10 Rim
mat he could see heat lightning PLAYING
upon them. 'Ne
GRANT IL ON rnr.