The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1902-06-08

this. lie makes the lion to lie down with
the lamb. This standing miracle is the
standing testimony Of Christ.
When Saul was g Pharisee he "perse-
cuted"; when he became a Christian we
read that he proved" How many moral
miles lay between those two words! AS
Pharisee, he had said: destroy Chris
t:anity, by destroying Christians. Bind
them, open your prison doors; put an
end to this pestilence."
Such was his policy at first But hay
ing seen Jesus, and felt His touch, does
he say 81 have prosecuted the wrong
party. will now change 1t, and perse-
cute every man and women Of you?
Nothing of the kind! All the old per-
scouting temper is gone; every whit OF
It, What is his tone now? Standing with
the scrolls open before him, he reasons
AID nightly contends; he increases tina
mole in knowledge, in strength, proving
that this is the very Christ"
Once he never thought Of proving"
anything. He had o rough, short, and
easy method-stab them, drown them,
bind hem in darkness and let them die
OF hunger. Now that he is converted,
he uses an argumen. as his only weapon;
the only chains with which to bind his
opponents.
What has happened? Something vital
must have occurred How far it is from
prosecuting to praying? From threaten
ing and slaughter to proving? That
tended only to go from Jerusalem to
Damascus some hundred and thirty-six
miles. Christ took him a longer jour
ncy. He swept him round the whole
circle of possibility. It is thus that God
makes US do far moro than we ever in
tended. He meets US on the way we
have chosen, and graciously leads IN
a way OF His own.
In the opening Of this narrative Saul
was a strong man; the strongest OF the
band; the chief without whose presence
it would dissolve. He is consumed with
anger; his eye burns with the supreme
passion OF his heart. Nothing stands be-
tween him and the accomplishment Of
his full design. The Caravan road from
Jerusalem to Damascus required about
six days.
Saul knew not that lapse Of time. SO
high-strung was his energy. SO resolute
his purpose.
Yet in a few short verses~we read that
they led him by the hand" What has
happened. We thought he would have
gone into the city like q storm, and he
entered it like blind beggari We
thought he would have been met at the
city gate as a great deliverer; he is led
by the hand like a helpless cripple.
Wee to the strength that is not heaven
born! Such so-called power will wither
away When we are weak. then are
we strong Saul will one day teach us
that very doctrine. Really and truly,
understand, Saul was a stronger man
,Hhan he was led by the hand than
when he breathed out threatening and
slaughter against the disciples Of the
Lcrd.
Saul led by the hand. Then why should
we be ashamed Ol inc SAME pioCesS!
Saul began feebly; why should we, hesi-
tate to begin on a small scale? Saul
led by the hand; who then, will de-
spise the day Of small things? Presently
be will Increase in strength, and will
develop the full powers Of his conse-
Grated manhood.
Christianity is a moral plea. Chris
.ianity burns no man. Whenever pro-
tossing Christians have resorted to the
block or the stake or to violence of any
sort, they have proved disoyal to their
Master; they have forgotten the spirit
Of the cross. Christianity is the APP
peal within the man that makes man.
lit uses no force, and it asks none. You
cannot make men pray by force of arms.
You cannot drive your child to church
except in narrowest and shallowest sense
of the term. Love, not violence, is the
compelling force to-day mall the world.
Grow in grace and in the knowledge
of our Lord Jesus Christ is the key note
OF progress in all spiritual things. But
remember that the mightiest chief under
CHllSL tnat ever lel lne CHRISTIAN uOSlS
to victory was himself conducted by
friendly and compassionate men into the
city which he had intended to devastate.
See from this conversion that Chris
tarity does not merely modify q man s
moral prejudices; it alters his whole
character. II makes new hearts and new
creatures. The Christian must be born
again. IF any man be in Christ Jesus,
he is a new creature; old things have
passed away, and all things have be-
come new
Test yourself by this rule. Apply 1t to
Your lie and your aims, and then truth
fully watch the result.
How will it be decided?
OUR RELIGIOUS CONTEMPORA-