The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-06-08
Sunday School
Lesson
for
June 9.

lNTRODtCTlON.-For q time after the asccn.
sion the apostles had comparative quiet in tho
city OF Jerusalem. TN tho day of pcntcCo-t fol.
lowing the uuipouring ot the Holy spirit they
testified OF Jesus and thousands added TO
tho church. Soon, hiwc,cr, the spirit OF pcrsc.
cution arose. Peter and John were brought he.
fore the council and charged not to speak any
more in the name Of Jesus. But they continued.
as did others. with great holdncss. subsequently
n determined effort WAS made to rXtirpatc this
new hcicsy. stephen was stoned and many ot
the believers fled for safety to other cities pur.
suit was made with the purpose if possible, TO
put 10 death all who followed Christ. \ Young
| man named saul, who had been we'll instructed
in the Jewish religion. WIS commissioned to go
to Damascus and to bring thence men and women.
Jealous, influential and talented, he was wnll
adapted to such service. and threw himself into
1t with great resolution.
ARRESTED Vcrscs . and ~ Saul was pre-.
vented by direct intcrposiion from executing his
purpose. More than twenty years aitcrward he
told TO a Jerusalem mob tho story oi that won.
dciiul event which forms our lesson today. lie
had nearly reached Damascus, the capital Of
syria, lying one hurdrcd miles north oi Icr,i,d.
lem tActs ix: ~. 1t was probably oh the old
caravan road along which passed the merchant.
men OF those and earlier times. suddenly a sup'i-
natural light spread over the earth, exceeding
even the brillanry oi the noondiy sun not
like that which appeared 70 the shepherds on the
plains OF Bethlehem duke ii: ~. 1t was burst
Of heavenly glory Illuminating the earth. over.
come with fear with the nervous influence.
probably by some power cycrtcd upon him, saul
fell TO the earth He wss undcr arrest i'm hii
career as a prosecutor Tn TO that time he had
acted according to his pleasure. thinking he was
doing God service (i Tim. /: -. Now he was
helpless lying on the ground. Then came a voice
explaining this phcnomenon ..Why uerscc,,,cst
thou me-"
INQUIRED tvcr>cs s and D.--What voice was
it that spoke. Some have sunpo,cd that i, was
the voice OF conscience As Saul had witnessed
the stoning of stephen IActs vii: 5s) TO which
he referred in his later ministry ,Act. xii: ,O,
il is Thought that the pcaccful death of that holy
man had greatly impressed him leading TO MANY
questions concerning the power that had sun.
ported the martyr Several writers have described
at considerable length the probable refccti
as Saul nasscd on his Journey resulting n con.
vcton that he was wrong. While all this doubt.
less occurred it is evident that he believed some
heavenly person had spokcn 10 him, for he cr,d
who it was that had come TO him. The answer
was prompt and full 1t was Jesus OF Nazareth
who stood between this violent man and tbc di,.
ciplcs of Damascus who considered their persecu.
ton the same as due TO Him tJott xyv. 4M
That was the time probably when he saw Jesus
as he aftcrward declared II Cor. ~: -,
GUIDED Vcrscs 10 and ~. .--..What shall T
do! - exclaimed saul, or as the earlier narrative
has il, .Wlmt wilt lhou have me do?', lA,ts
ix: G) lie rightly Judged that such , suddcn in
tcrfcrcncc with his plans Indicated another mis
sion. lie did not imagine that lie was merely
Christians but that some other work was f., n.
4.