The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1902-03-29

against Stephen. For as an attendant upon
the services Of the synagogue Of Cilicia, he
was probably one of those who often there
disputed with him. and who. with all his
learning and acumen, was mot able to resist
the wisdom and the spirit by which he. spake'
against Stephen that he had spoken "blas-
phemcus words against Moses and against
God-against this holy place and the law
nent subject Of their discussion was, whether
one could be saved by 1.-The deeds of the
law" or not Saul and companions could see
no other way Of being saved, but Stephen and
his companions declared-what Saul himself
afterwards so earnestly. and faithfully pro-
men ~ s9 Gnd ps ch % 6 1nX ya ~
OF Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them
that believe; for there is no difference; for
all have come short Of the glory Of Cod
To Saul at that time, however, these words
were "blasphemous,' and the man who ut
tered them was worthy only OF death-aud
only ne but all who he hed d. similar 5aa opn
seen Jesus as described in this lesson, as
clearly as Stephen saw him.: all this was
changed, and what he now considered 'blas-
phemy" he then considered 1.-The glorious Cos
pei Of the blessed Cod a. Tim, l., LII. Prob
ably, Stephens own arguments, which now
Si IN sSh Ss fbs
change, so that, instead OF continuing to
preach justification by works. he became
himself the strong and convincing preacher
due to Stephens boldness and faithsuiness zsO''
At this time, however. holding most con-
| scientiously the views that he did, Saul deter
mined to follow them that were scattered
abroad after the death Of Stephen, even as
far as to Damascus. Probably his purpose
was simply to apprehend them wherever he
found them and bring them bound unto Je-
| rusalem' to be tried and death with by the
sanhedrin. His letters empowered him to do
! this, 'if he found any of this way" or, as
the Revised Version states it. ''of that way
INV vIyhi a1 R1,n
believers in Christ were known before: they
iaed @ 2 was
selves. They had different way of teaching
| and living from any of their fellow Jews, and
1t was so peculiar that they were commonly
''this way or the way For they were
walking in the narrow way which leadeth
rnsG 1f e. IN the G 81 fS1
father but by mel John xiv, g.. But to
Saul, and to all the unbelieVing Jews, it was
So Saul left Jerusalem 'breathing out
threatenings and slaughter" but he did not
so enter Damascus. ''As he journeyed" with
a number of companions and had almost
| reached that city, great change came over
him. 1t was 'about noon" he says in one
place xxi, g.: lat midday" he says in an
other (xxvi.. 49,, when the sun was shining
| clear and bright as it can shine only in an
Oriental sky, that suddenly there shined
. round about him a light from heaven (verse
-. It was "a great light (xxii... g., ''aboye
was dazzling light. 1t blinded Saul. Now
he stood face to face with God, and he
knew it. r.... -.,. =.
! "And when we were all fallen to the earth, y
he says, II heard a voice speaking unto me-
/ (xxvi, 40. No one heard it but himself, for
such voice always has a personal message
tongue and it called him by name-'Saul,
Saul" The tone of it was not one Of re-
proach, but Of love and tenderness and sor.
row. It said II am Jesus" ". 5)-"Jesus of
Nazareth, whom thou persecutest'' (xxfi., 81:
When thou dost hurt my people, thou hurtest
me, but thou hurtest thyself still more, for
dumb beast-"to kick against the goad''
This was a great revelation to him It
sonal revelation of Jesus Christ to him Il:
Cor, XIV, 81. The imam" whom he had
known latter the 1esh, and known only as
an impostor-whom he knew Fhad died on the
cross-who had been buried in tomb sealed
by the Roman government-was not dead
AS Peter, and John, and Stephen had declared
he was alive,a and, having risen from the dead
could not be refuted. What he had supposed
was zeal for God was, in fact. prosecuting
Of His Son. He now saw clearly that he
his risen Lord and Savior.
|. For three days he was without sight
and neither did eat nor drink (v. 81 The!
of prayer to God. Then when Ananfas came
to him, he learned that he was "a chose1
vessel of God to bear his name before tn,
Gentiles, and kings, and the children o
Israel" ~. 15) Then he received sight
and was "flled with the Holy Ghost" "
~, "and straightway he preached Christ II
the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.
". 20.) - ~.
Henceforth he was lifted up to highe
plane ofliving than any that he had eve
known, for he and his Savior were one, ant
he could truly say: Il have been crucifies
with Christ: yet live; and yet no longer
but Christ liveth in me-and that life which
I now live in the flesh live in fath-th,
faith Of the Son Of God who loved me, ant
: gave himself UP for me- (Gal., IT,, 20 r. "
: From the day in which he saw him arigh
but one thought governed him. 81 press to
ward the mark"-he said-"for the prize o
! the high calling OF iGoa in Christ Jesus
(Phil. ill.,, 14) This always the effect O
t seeing him through the enlightening of tn
Holy Ghost
Bryn Mawr, Pa. ..s -