The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-08
THE sUNDAY-sCHOOL LESSON.
June d, 1901, Acts xii. 6-I6-Jcsus
Appears Ia Paul.


"a Journey incomparable.' all must exclaim,
when the character OF the traveller. the object
of his expedition, the event which transpred
on the way. and the consequences near and
remote, are considered. Persecution had.
as usual. the very opposite effect from the one
desired. 1t had only shaken the disciples out
from the center when they could have been
most easily repressed. or at least kept under
surveillance. Now they scattered abroad
live Goals. best incendiaries Of the worid'
Saul quickest TO appreciate the situation,
and ardent enough to pursue the refugees even
to foreign cities. He would fan strike first the
remotest point TO which they had fed; then,
working backward toward Jerusalem. reverse the
i'll effects nj the earlier persecution. rid the
world of this Galilean fanatcism and re-estab-
lish the lettering fabric of Hebrew ecclesiasu-
cisra. The Jewish Church might we'll
congratulate herself in her dire emergency. Saul
a choice instrument in her hand The ex
petition required physical hardihood. The CT
lician enthusiast had it, He was in the ''heyday
of his young manhood" Mental we'll as ply
steal force demanded by the complicated
conditions And Saul a born dalectician.
better versed in history and dogma of Israel than
any. And to zea-why he fairly breathed
it. Courage? In that he was nvincible. The
fame of the prosecutor outstripped him on his
way TO Damascus. Only those Jews rejoiced
however. and those Christians feared, who neg
leced in their calculations that invincible factor
the providence of God If Cardinal Glib
bons. without premonitory or explanatory
attendant circumstance should, in a day, abjure
Remanism. surrender his emouments present
and prospective. the latter including the papal
throne itself-not only that but on the same
day become Methodist saddle-bag itnerant
a starvation salary, living in a '.dug-out''
and preaching in sod church-such an tncred-
ible metamorphosis could not possibly produce
a greater sensation than the instantaneous con-
version of st. Paul Methodsm would extend
the right hand of fellowship in a tentative fash
ion TO the ex-cardinal. and Rome would gnash
on him with her teeth So Paul got a half
hearted and suspicious reception from the Chris
tian Church, while Judaism followed him with
implacable malice until ii gloated his blood
at the Three Fountains. The conversion
of St Paul must ever be recorded among the
strongest evidences of Christianity Barrett we'll
says. with the celebrated case of Lord LittIeton
evidently in view: Many a reflective mind
hitherto unmoved. has yielded to the power of
this page of the gospel" Paurs self is an
rrefutable argument The logical and judicial
mind of the Pauline Epistles could not have
been imposed upon by cunningly-devised fable.
The man who catalogues his sufferings in III Cor
nthians Xxi could have sinister motive in prom
| agating a lie. The conclusion is inevitable: the
religion which Paul espoused is divine.
key and Analysis
! /. Journey extraordinary.
III. Paurs policy.
Ill An ideal inquisitor.
| ". An hypothetical instance
V. Quod demonstrandum.
THE TEACHERS LANTERN
Paul was conscientious in his persecution. He
verify thought he ought to do what he did. But
conscientiousness was no justification. There are
consciences and consciences-unenlighten de-
| filed and scared. well as good. If one saws
| he do palpably wrong thing conscientious
| ly the natural retort is. What kind of a con-
| science have your? The way Paul was in
| seemed right to his unenlightened monitor, but
| the end the less death conscience
| illuminated by the Word and cleansed by the
Spirit is safe guide only. In this in
stance there seems some foundation for Angus
tines doctrine Of the irresistibility OF grace
| In spite of supernatural light, vision of Christ.
| His words, and effect upon the physical senses
| yet there remained ultimate element OF
| self-hood that might have asserted itself In a
| contrary manner. The inference is plain from
Paurs subsequent language that he might have
been disobedient to the heavenly vision IL he
| had wanted to. And IL grace was not irresisti-
| bic in this instance. IL Is not in any.
| Sauls blindness was not punitive. 1t was a
| disguised mercy-insuring seclusion. The last
| scene was not dissolved by the intrusion OF new
objects Competest concentration OF thought
| was made possible. The utility OF prayer Had
| Paul not prayed, Ananias had not come.
| Paul Was shown how great things he must suffer.
| AS in a panorama, the whole dread scene passed
before his minds eye-stripes, rods shipwreck.
perils, WEAKNESS. painfulness watchings, hun
| ger. thirst, Hastings, cold and nakedness. The
| dauntless courage and complete devotion OF Paul
| is evident from the fact that though revealed
| before. none OF these things moved him.
The imperative and universal obligation OF bap-
tism Though he had seen the Lord, been called
| by Him directly 10 the apostolate. and filled with
| the Holy Ghost yet Paul must needs submit 10
| the significant nductive rite of the church.
|
| York street, from Davidson street TO Full
ton street.
For a local sewer along Lewis street,
| from Tenth street TO Malott avenue.
PETITIONS FILED.
| BY A. b. Meyer & Co. 10 lay a switch
| across North street
! For water mains along Raymond street
| from Illinois street To Daisy street.
| CIRCUMSTANCES FILED.