Omaha daily bee., 1908-08-03
PAUL BIC IN BODY AND MIND
George R. Vending Opposes Common
View he Was Small.
APOSTLE WAS LARGE PHYSICALLY
PronOunces Him Braveat Man In the
World and the Greatest orator
in the ChFistiaA
World.

George r. vending transgressed the
common theory that Paul. the apostle, was
a small, MISUNDERSTANDING man, in his
address yesterday afternoon at the Belle
vue c~hautauqua- He also opposed the pop
ular belief that Paul was a bachelor. He
pictured him as a man whose, physical
figure and force were as powerful and
commanding as his intellectual and said
that he thought perhaps his wife died be-
fore his conversion.
saul Of Tarsus," tho man rather than
the great apostle OF the Christian faith,
was the theme followed by Mr.. Vending,
The address was begun by a review OF the
history Of the world which prepared the
way for the coming Of Christ and the
preachers who followed the Master. Saul
was described both as the prosecutor and
the prosecuted.
But after Saul became Paul the apostle,
there was never a thought OF turning
back said Mr.. Vending. Even when
he lay outside the city gates OF Listera
after being stoned and left for dead, did
he doubt for a moment that conversion on
the road to Damascus? No, he was not
yet ready to give up the fight. His years
Of apostleship were yeurs OF labor and
almost superhuman suffering, but he never
rave up the fight.
Mt His Love.
"One wonders II there could be any
love left in Paul as an old man after all
he had gone through. Listen to him as he
talks to the Christians. In every city
bonds and Affections await me-but none
Of these things move me- He blessed them
and when he left them they kissed and
wept over the old man who had been
scourged and prosecuted but who kept the
indness of his heart.
one wonders of the personal appearance
Of the great man and there are many con-
flicting opinions. 1 am convinced that
he was not a small or an insignificant
looking man. He was a strong man,
strong physically. 1 mean. and probably
not one man in a thousand could have
gone through the hardships and labor
which he sustained to an old age. He
must have been one of those men whom
people turn to take a second look at, even
when they know nothing Of him.
81 disagree with most commentators again
on the question of his marriage. He must
have been a married man. For one thing
we know that he voted in the council Of
the sanhedrim and no Jew could be a mem
Der Of that body unless he was a married
man. 1t is probable that his wife died be-
fore his conversion and after that he lived
a wifeless. childless, homeless life.
HE was the bravest man that ever trod
the earth. II 1 were owner Of half the
thrones of this world and had to choose a
general for all of my armies on the basis
Of physical bravery and moral courage he
is the man 1 would choose.
He was the greatest orator of Chris
tianity. He was gifted with downright,
self-consecrating, se~lf-forgetful earnestness
and without that no orator can be great.
The reason why in this country, where we
have so many conditions favorable to ora
tory, we have so few great spe akers> is
that the men on the platforms lack this
earnestness. More than this, he had all
the other qualities and especially self con-
troll. Never but once was he angry. The
world never saw his equal as a religious
orator and the earth still vibrates with his
speech.
Then at last in Rome. Did he falter at
the last the supreme test? No! DauntIess
still he says. There is laid up the crown
OF righteousness which the Master has
given me- We hail him as the wondrous
apostle and the magnificent martyr"
Mr.. Vending was preceded by the Elks'
quartet, which sang several pleasing num-
bers, and Mrs. w. A Challls, who read
three selections. The reading OF Mrs. Chal-
lis was enjoyable and was appreciatively
received.
In the evening the Elks' quartet and
Mrs. Challis gave the first part OF the
program. which was concluded with NOV
ing pictures by Prof. Price.
Sunday the program will be:
Z;SO p m.-Sacred concert by the Council
Bluffs Elks' quartet; lecture by Rev. Frank
Dixon OF Washington, d. c.
1880 p m.-Sacred concert by the Fiks'
quartet; lecture by Rev NJ nIrnn