The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1902-08-22

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vocation, and in the character of fool.
and Yet boasting it was. downright
actual unmitigated boasting. Then in
this twelfth chapter he goes on TO do
some more boasting. He had some
visions and dreams that gave him right
TO precedence over his enemies. He pro-
ceeds 10 tell them about one which had
come to him fourteen years before II
could not have been the same as that ON
the road TO Damascus, for besides
marked differences of character between
the two the point Of time is different by
i've or six years. 1t was in many re-
respects a very wonderful thing. So
loftily did Paul think of it that ii
seemed TO have been given not to
the actual Paul with all his shortoOm-
ings and limitations, but TO that other
and ideal Paul, the Paul he aspired 10
be. He knew this man but could not
tell whether he was in the flesh OF out
Of the flesh when he was caught up 10
the third heaven and there heard such
wonderful things that it was not lawful
TO utter them TO mortal ears / sup
pose il would have been the easiest
thing in the world for Paul to have
plumed himself or this wonderful ex-
pe,ience. but instead he kept ii all 10
himself for fourteen years, trying
doubtless TO make out its full meaning.
And now that be does tell it he rather
relegates il 10 another, an ideal Paul,
and not the actual Paul '-On behalf Of
such a one" he says, VIII glory. but on
mine own behalf. / viii not glory save
in my weaknesses.< As much as TO say
this actual Paul Is too mean and IN
worthy to have entered into such
heavenly rapture Besides Paul was
afflicted with a very rare sort Of feeling
he did not wish people to think of him
any more highly than be really was. He
would not have a reputation which
outran his actual character OF ability
10 perform Most nen would say the
higher men think Of me the better
The more they exalt me in their
thoughts the happier shall be But
Paul said no, do not want 10 appear
for one whit more than really am
And here it Is that his thorn IN the
flesh is seen TO have had its mission 1t
was sent TO keep him humble. If he
had nothing but revelations he might
have been exalted over much But
here there was that thorn reminding
him constantly Of his weakness And
Of how many of Us Is ii true that We
are made and kept humble by some
ever abiding source Of pain II Is some
family shame or sin which has come TO
Us in the waywardness Of sister or
brother that makes Us charitable in
Judgment when we see snothers child
go astray 1t is a consciousness of a
weakness of our own that gives Us a
fellow feeling for the brother who has
fallen out 10y the way. 1t is the thorn
which rankles and hurts constantly,
that gives the touch of human SYN
pathy which makes us wondrOus kind.
Were we caught up into the the third
heavens TO see visions too often we
might become too proud But with the
hurting thorn things are kept more
evenly balanced
But again Paul's thorn taught him
the right spirit and issue of prayer /
think the number of people is legion.
who think that the whole meaning and
purpose Of PRAYER IS to go to God TO get
something from him A great many of
Us don't seem TO have learned to pray
until some crying need appeared A
threatened calamity or the imminent
death of some dear one sent Us TO our
knees for the first time with strong cry
ing to God that he would stay the blow
Now while God delights no doubt TO
give gifts TO his children and we are told
that he Is more willing TO give them
than we, i think he wants to give the
spiritual gift more than the temporal
gift.
One reports finding among the Nava-
hoe Indians, a rude hunting tribe. a
prayer for beauty. 1t runs. Lord ON
high whose youth is immortal ruler
above, / have made you the Offering.
preserve my body and members. pre-
serve il in beauty, make all things
beautiful, let all be completed in
beauty." And there is an Aztec prayer
which goes. 20 merciful Lord, let this
chastisement with which thou hast
visited US give as freedom from evil
and follies- IF the rude Indians have
thus learned TO pray for such sasthetie
things as beauty. such moral things as
freedom from evil and follies. certainly
the christian should learn that prayer is
more than going to God to tease him for
something. And right here Paul's ex-
ample comes to us. He prayed for his
thorn that il might be removed And
ii was no general indefinite praying
that Paul did The fact that he men
tons three times would indicate that
TO the apostles mind these times Were
times Of downright pleading with God