Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1906-02-10

satiOli or things IN every way. Let me
illustrate this thought In simple
form: The great railroad train IL start
ing across the continent. Its dozen or
cOnchcs are filled with all classes OF
people Here Is II young boy thinking
only of the dinner he will eat ut the
next stop and Indifferent 10 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 and
examines the brake couplings. He asks
questions about the trucks: lie inquiries
about the industry of the surrounding
countries which has made this railroad
possible: he asks this and that and the
other thing. If 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
follow Christ blindly; he was not will
ing To follow Him as an ignorant man
TO whom the name of Jesus means but
little more than II fetch. hut he wanted
TO know to the fullest extent who
Christ was and what Christ wanted
him 10 do.
ON the Oasis.
Methinks | am vending my way over
the Arabian desert. IL Is about the
wear - A. D.. or two years after Paufs
conversion. on in the distance see an
oasis Right on the edge of that oasis
IL n little hut. Under the shadow OF its
walls see there n man sitting with
scroll of parchment Oh his knee He
has an eye like hawk. There is some
thing about the curve of his forehead
which proves that he has been leader
of men. There is something about his
mouth which tells me those lips are the
lips of eloquence lie Is not hand
some man. His back Is bent like that
of II student His stature is under size.
As approach his humble hut this
small figured Hebrew halls me: "Stran-
ger. wilt thou not come in and rest
awhilei | have not much to give thee,
but what Is mine Is thine" After we
have had n pleasant conversation for
little while intuitively feel that ! am
In the presence of n great man. | turn
deferentialiy 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 eXclam in great
amnzemcnt 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
unrelentng prosecutor of the Chris
tians? You are not the man who was
supposed TO he converted on the Da-
mascus road and then fled from Da-
mascus and have been IN hiding for
the last two years. 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 | say: But. Paul. why art thou
here. out in this desert: You seem to
be- living here alone without n friend?
Why do you not 20 back to Jerusalem
and take your position by the side of
the other disciples of Christ and be
there leader for your Master?" II
cannot go yet" says Paul. Il am ut
ting myself for future work by study
ing Gods word 10 find out what he
wants me To do" Not fitted YETI Why,
Paul. thou art one of the most learned
men of all the east. Thou hast sat ut
the feet of the greatest teachers. Thou
hast been the favOritc pupil of CANA
liel. the most famous teacher Of the
east" True" says Paul, IL am not I'M
learned in many things. People say
am leader. But ! have been study
ing art In the past for arts sake and
eloquence for eloquence's sake All the
greatest hooks OF the past are mine.
but To be worldly wise Is not to be spir-
itually wise. And 80 have turned my
back upon the world now for two years
simply To read Gods word. ! want the
teachings of Christ In every sense TO
become part of my life" Then the
mighty Paul bends upon me his great
soulful eyes. full of earnest beseech-
mcnt. as he says. "Would'st thou have
me conversant with the messages OF
men and not cOnversant with what my
Lord and Master Jesus Christ Is and
what he wants me To dOY
Is Paul speaking TO you today. o men
and women Years ago your mother
wanted you TO become II good musician.
She was urging you week in and week
out to practice. daughter" she used
to say. you must practice mt least two
hours day or else you can never las-
ter the keys" Year In and year out
YOU have consecrated two hours Il day
TO studying the works of the great mu-
siclans How many minutes per day
do you 90 of alone into your Arabia
10 study Gods word? One hundred
and twenty mnutcsf sixty minutesy
One-half hour? Ten minutes: DO you
take five minutes alone with God every
Ia,s T.r rna1lnar "a ahuntnr nftt nf his