The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1903-04-30
Copyright, Davis ". Clark.

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Within the very precincts of the
temple, hard by the chamber in which
he had sat as member of the Sanhe-
drin, in sight of the very spot where
he had taken an official part in the
legal murder of the first Christian
martyr; in the very presence of some
who had furnished him his commits
sion as prosecutor, and of others who
made the journey with him to Damas-
Gus, Paul tells the thrilling story of
his conversion. He was Jew born
indeed in a distant province, but
brought up at the heart of the He
brew commonwealth, and by its great
est teaches graduating from the school
of Gamaliel, a zealot and prosecutor.
But how sudden and complete his
transformation. He resigned his seat
in the Sanhedrin: relinquished all
hope of preferment; suffered the ten
derest ties of kinship and friendship
to be broken; went voluntary exile
from home and country; becs use as
the filth and offscouring of the world,
counting all that he priced before as
dross; wearing as slave the brand of
the Nazarene and glorying in it; yes,
rejoicing nowin propsect of martyrom.
And the incredible transformation
had come to him, not by the slow infil-
tration of Christian doctrine, precept,
and Example, but suddenly at midway
when in the very height of his career
as a prosecutor, at the very gate of
Damascus, by the miraculous appear
ance to him of Jesus the Nazarene.
1t is very true that this powerful
sermon preached to a riotous mob,
overawed for the moment, by the
towering moral grandeur of the
preacher, was not permitted to reach
a conclusion; but : was not preached
in vain.
THE TEACHERS LANTERN.
This narrative fairly bristles with
points of application to our time in
general, and to our personal expert
ence in particular. A mob has been
characterized as the most odious and
despicable spectacle which the world
can witness. Mobs are often, as in
Paufs case, the instruments of cruel
injustice. For example, it was on the
mere supposition that Paul had
brought the Gentle Trophimus into
the inner temple that he was treated
with such violence.
The suspension of law and civil
power is coveted opportunity of the
worst elements, If juries would con-
vict according to evidence, judges in
fiict penalties according to law, and
governors refrain from mitigating
penalties by the use of executive
clemency, crime would be lessened
and the excuse for mobs removed.
In transitional times, in politics and
religion the example of Paul is to be
initiated. He pursued the middle
course. The Jewish Chris tian might
obey and revere the law up to any
point below trusting it for salvation.
On the other hand, the Gentle Chris
tians were encouraged to continue in
and enjoy their liberty from the law
Persecution often defeats itself. 1t
sent Paul to Rome-just where he
wanted to go-the very center of
power. Standing there at the golden
milestone he could send the gospel out
the numberless avenues radiating
from it, he could make converts in
Caesars household and the pretorian
guard, could write epistles and man
age the Churches, all under the pro.
lection of the Empire.
Jesus held the mirror of history be-
fore the holy city when, in his famil-
lar lament, he cried, 80 Jerusalem,
that killest the prophets!n In spite
of her unequaled privileges and with
obstinacy of fate she cast herself up
on her doom, and her house was left
unto her desolate.