The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1909-06-17

udu Ucch lSaTuSu tudl tue dutnOTltleS
intended to put him ter death But
the great apostle answered: II am
ready. not only to be bound. but also
to die at Jerusalem. for the name OF
the Lord Jesus"
And Paul did go ter Jerusalem.
There he met Tertullis, one of the
judges or rulers, who made a power
full publick speech, charging Paul
with ''sedition, heresy and the pro-
famation of the temple"
Paul made a powerful speech in
his own defense, and the Judge re-
fused to pass sentence and sent Paul
back to prison, 1t is thought. Later
Saint Paul appealed to Caesar and
then to King Agrippa. His speech of
appeal addressed direckly to King
Agrippa, while not eloquent In the
modern sense Of that word, will go
down ter the end ov time az mas
terpiece because ov it's plain an d.
reck language an forcible logic. In
this speech Paul told erbout his ex-
perience when he was converted, af-
ter having opposed everythin' SAVIOR
ing of religion for years. He said:
GAS I was travelling toward Damas-
Gus at midday, o King, l saw a light
from heaven, far exceeding the
brightness of the sun, encompassing
me an my companions. On seeing
this awful appearance, we fell to the
earth, an heard a voice which said
In, hn IaIl Ion
Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou
me? 1t is hard for thee to kick
against pricks" To which I answer
ed, Who art thou, Lord?" and he
replied: 81 am Jesus, whom thou
persecutest." But be not terrified,
arise from the earth: for l have ap-
peared unto thee that thou mightiest
be both a witness Of the things thou
hast seen, and also Of others which
will hereafter reveal to thee. My
power shall deliver thee from the
Jews and Gentiles, to whom now
send thee to preach the Gospel: to
withdraw the veil Of darkness and ig-
lnorance; to turn them from falsehood
unto truth, and from the power of
Satan unto Cod "Accordingly,
King Agrippa, I readily obeyed the
heavenly VISION" and then he con-
tinued along the same line, telling
King Agrippa where he had been
preaching, etc. When he had con-
cluded his defense, Festus, an Of
fetal, arose an said: Paul, thou
art mad; too much study hath de-
prived thee of thy reason"
Paul answered.: II am far, most
noble Festus, from being transported
with idle and distracted ideas; the
words I speak are dictated by truth
and sobriety; and 1 am persuaded
that King Agrippa himself is not ig-
norant of these things" To which
Agrippa replied: paul, thou hast
almost persuaded me to embrace the
Christian faith"
But the King and the court finally
decided to send Paul to Rome. a pris-
oner. He started on ship under
heavy guard and finally reached
Rome. There he appealed to Caesar
the Roman Emperor, and was set
Tree. raul SdlQ. was OuISSo ~
appeal to Caesar; not that l had any
thing to accuse my nation of: / had
recourse to this method merely tc
show my own innocense."
Paul preached in Rome for two
years, at Epheusus three years, an
then went into Spain and other coun
tries. Later he returned to Rome
and preached. Soon afterwards hi
and other Christians were accused o.
setting fire to the city an they were
tried, condemned and beheaded.
Those were trying days for Chris
, tians in Greece an nearby countries
The experiences of the apostles wer'
terrible, indeed, and the above fack
, are here told in order that the reade
, may contrast the Greece of ancfen
days with the modern Greece, and be
, cause they are part ov the wonder
| full history ov this country, coun
try that has been maxim history fe
thousands ov years; that wuz maxim
q. history when much ov the balance o
the world wuz a wilderness.
Az ever,
ZEKE BILKINS.