Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-02-08

noma0 BedOuin tribes. Thus when
Paul wrote the words of my text,
Neither went / up to Jerusalem to
them which were apostles before me.
but went into Arabia" he practically
meant this: "Instesd Of going at once
into a great city as soon as l was con-
verted I departed into a desert place.
/ went off to be alone with Christ.
tarried for three long years In Arabia
In order TO tit myself spiritually for tho
work God was to give me to do. Then
went up to Jerusalem TO see Peter
and abode with him fifteen days"
We all ought to have our sacred Ara
bias. We should ever and anon turn
our backs upon the world and have
our quiet communion with Christ. What
is desert Of sand to many human
eye may be a spiritual Arabian har-
vest field to the children of God
The Arabian desert in the first place,
meant for Paul theological education.
II meant thlrty-six long months, when
he did little but study the science Of
Gods relation to the world 1t meant
weeks and weeks and weeks OF read
ing Scripture and of saturating him
self with the history of Jesus Christ's
life. 1t meant Paul living over again
his past scholastic life and Interpreting
his studies from a new spiritual stand
point, and this for man of Paul's
mental caliber was no short or light
task.
The stronger n man is mentally the
wider is the range OF his spiritual hori-
zop; the more a man natures the more
he IS DESTROYS Of probing into the eau.
sation OF things in every way. Let me
illustrate this thought in q simple
form: The great railroad train is start.
Ing across the continent. It's dozen OF
coaches are filled with all classes of
people. Here is a young boy thinking
only Of the dinner he will eat at the
next stop and Indifferent to the mech.
anism OF the locomotive that is draw.
ing the train. Here is an ignorant man
concerned only with the sordid details
OF his journey and taking no notice Of
the country through which he is pass
ing. But here is an alert intelligent
man who is eager to learn all he can.
When the train stops he gets out aud
examines the brake couplings. He asks
questions about the trucks; he inquiries
about the industry Of the surrounding
countries which has made this railroad
possible: lie asks this and that and the
other thing. II he cannot get satisfac-
tory replies from one man he goes to
another man and keeps on going until
he gets rational answers. Such was
this man Paul in his mental and spirit
ual makeup. He was not willing to
follow Christ blindly; he was not will
ing TO follow Him as an ignorant man
10 whom the name of Jesus means but
little more than fetch. but he wanted
to know TO the fullest extent who
Christ was and what Christ wanted
him to do.
On the Oasis.
Nfethinks I am vending my way over
the Arabs desert. II is about the
year 50 A. D.. or two years after Paul's
conversion Off in the distance sec an
oasis. Right on the edge of that oasis
is little hut. Under the shadow Of its
walls / see there a man sitting with
scroll Of parchment on his knee. He
has an eye like Il hawk. There is some
thing about the curve of his forehead
which proves that he has been a leader
Of men. There is something about his
mouth which tells me those lips are the
lips Of e!oqucncc. lie is not q hand
some man. His back is bent like that
of a student. His stature is under size.
A ! approach his humble hut this
small figured Hebrew halls me: "Stran-
ger, wilt thou not come in and rest
awhile? 7 have not much TO give thee.
but what is mine is thine" After VIC
have had a pleasant conversation for
little while intuitively feel that ! am
in the presence OF great man. ] turn
deferentially and say, May ask who
is my host and for what thou dost
show me this courtesy today My
new found friend answers simply: II
am Paul Of Tarsus. | greet thee thus
for the love of my Master, Jesus
Christ" What" | exclaim in great
amazement You are not Paul. other
wise known as Saul OF Tarsus? You
are not the man who was famed as
the greatest and the most bitter and
unrelenting prosecutor of the Chris
tians; You are not the man who was
supposed to be converted on the Da-
mascus road and then fed from Da-
mascus and have been in hiding for
the last two years. 1.-THE same" says
my host. Il am the same Paul or the
same Saul, once the chief Of sinners,
but now disciple Of my martyred
Lord
Then l say: But. Paul, why art thou
here, out in this deserti You seem to
be living here alone without friend d?
Why do you not go back to Jerusalem
and take your position by the side of
the other disciples of Christ and be
there Il leader for your Master" Il
cannot go yet" says Paul. Il am fit
ting myself for future work by study
ing Gods word to find out what he
wants me to do" Not fitted yet? Why,
men of all the east. Thou hast sat at
the feet of the greatest teachers. Thou
hast been the favorte pupil Of CANA
licl the most famous teacher of the
east" "True," says Paul, II am not I'M
learned in many things. People say
am leader. But ! have been study
tho arr in tho MAST FOR art'S soke opJ