Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1906-02-10


anism of the locomotive that Is draw !
ing the train. Here is an ignorant man
concerned only with the sordid details
Of his tourney 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 ana
examines the brake couplings. lie asks
questions about the trucks; he inquiries
about the industry Of the surrounding
countries which has made this railroad
possible; he asks this and that ana the
other thing. If he cannot get satlslac-
tory replies from one man he goes 10
another man and keeps on gong uhll
he gets rational answers. Such was
this man Paul in his mental ana spirit
nal makeup. He was not Wllilhg "
follow Christ blindly; he was not Will
ING 70 follow Him as an ignorant man
IN whom the name of Jesus means put
little more than fetch, but he wahteu
70 know to the fullest extent VINO
Christ was and what Christ wahted
him to do.
On the Onsis.
NethInks am vending my way over
the Arabian desert. 1t IS ABOUT 'no
wear 3S A. D., or two years atter faui
conversion. OFF in the distance see an
oasis Right on the edge of that OASIS
"a n little hut. Under the shadow Oh il7
walls see there man sitting with
scroll of parchn. ut on his knee lie
has an eye like b wk. There IS solle-
thing about the Gun Of his forehead
which proves that he has been ieauer
of mon. There is something about HIS
month which tells me those lips are the
lips Of eloquence. He is not a manu-
some man. His back is bent like thaI
of a student. His stature Is under SIZE
AS I approach his humble nut tnlS
email figured Hebrew halls me: "Stran-
ger wilt thou not come in ana rest
awhile? | have not much to give thee'
hut what is mine is thine AFTER we
have had a pleasant conversation Tor d
little while | intuitively feel that am
in the presence Of great man. turn
deferentially and say, May l ask VINO
is my host and for what thou dosl
show me this courtesy todayT My
new found friend answers simply:
am Paul Of Tarsus. | greet thee thus
for the love Of my Master, Jesus
Christ" What l exclaim in great
amazement. You are not Paul, other
wise known as Saul Of TarsusF You
are not the man who was famed as
the greatest and the most bitter and
unrelenting prosecutor OF the Chrls
!, fans? You are not the man who was
, supposed to be converted on the Da
mascus road and then fled from Da
mascus and have been in hiding tol
, the last two yearsY "The same" says
+ nv host. Il am the same Paul or thu
q same Saul. once the chief Of sinners
, but now a disciple Of my martyreC
. Lord"
I Then l say: But, Paul, why art tho'
9 here. out in this desert? You seem Il
, no living here alone without friend
Z WHY do you not 90 back to Jerusalem
y and take your position by the side o
q the other disciples of Christ and b
= there a leader for your MasterT
cannot 90 yet" says Paul. Il am III
fling myself for future work by study
:. ing Gods word to find out what d
. wants me to do" Not fitted yet? Why
Paul. thou art one of the most learne
- men of all the east! Thou hast sat d
- the feet of the greatest teachers. Tho
- hast been the favOrite pupil or Cana
uel the most famous teacher of tn
q east" True" says Paul, Il am not III
q learned in many things. People say
- am a leader. But l have been stud!
- ing art in the past for arts sake an
= eloouence for eloquence's sake. All III
greatest books Of the past are MINI
- but TO be worldly wise is not to be spl
finally wise And so | have turned III
" hack upon the world now for two yeal
simnly TO read Gods word. | want Il
- - teachings of Christ in every sense
= become part of my life" linen u
= mighty Paul bends upon me his grei
a. soulful eyes, full of earnest beseec
- ment. as he says, "WOuld'st thou NAY
- me conversant with the messages
:, - men and not conversant with what II
-, Lord and Master Jesus Christ is al
=. what he wants me to dor
~ Is Paul speaking to you today, o me
is and women? Years ago your moth
- wanted you to become a good muslcla
~ She was urging you week in and wet
" out to practice daughter" she us'
ie' to say, "yOu must practice at least "
~ hours n day or else you can never ma
&c ter the keys" Year in and year o
III Won have consecrated two hours az
&c. 70 studying the works Of the great m
sicians. How many minutes per d'
y" do you go off alone into your Arap
ne to study Gods word? One hundr
Ell and twenty minutes? Sixty minute
-er One-half hour? Ten minutesT DO y
take five minutes alone with God eve
ia dav for reading a chapter out OF L
III holy book? You have your libra
We shelves filled with books Scientl
lat books, essays, books Of travel, boo
an Of all sorts are there. | go into yo
ar library and turn over the leaves ha
hazard. find that you have read me
ce, of these books. Have you systematic
On. ly read Gods book as much as y
EN- have the books of human authorsf
of your idea of an education a gre
INT deal like that of the poor lrishwom
Id whose husband was learning how
m read? One day her pastor came to l
It's and said: well Mary, l understa
ain John is learning how to read. Can
ng read the first chapter Of Genesis yet
ld- "BIess your heart, pastor" said Ma
lis "John is doing better than that.
yht has got far beyond the Bible. WI
John now spends most of his time
the reading the daily newspapers. Is
,rt that splendidY All, my friends,