The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-04-17
"A Man Made ODer; the Change
 Made m Conuersion of Soul
The International Sunday School Lesson For Tomorrow Acts n: 130-A Powerful Personality Was Turn
 ed to Gods Work.

young student-whose age was about the-sare as that of the Nazarene with whom his life was to be identifiei-- that he was early made a member of the Sandhedrin, the highest official body in Jewry.
 Linked Up To Martyr.
 Back of every life and work lie other lives and works. All talk of self made men" is aside from the mark, for no man makes himself; he is the product and expression of other lives than his own. Saul was linked up to stephen, the first martyr. Prob ably his career as a prosecutor, of- ncially commissioned to harry the Christians wherever he could find them. dates back to that event It l was at this scene that he first appear | ed to the historians eye: not throwing l stones. of course. for he was a gentle l man. and that was work for the rabble, but standing to one side lending coun- l tenance to the crime, and even guard4 4 l ing the cloaks of the sweaty mob. His responsibility as leader and ad- wiser was greater than that of any | mere hurler Of deadly missiles We are stin very prone to blame mobs for crimes. forgetting the responsibility of the men who have created the conji- etOhs anu tHlpuihCS -IcaQlHR to the crimes. Nevertheless the same quali- ties of initiative and daring and fear lessness which made Saul chief among the foes of Jesus. added value to his 'dfscipleship when he later devoted his trained mind and sensitive spirit to the service of Christ.
 As Dr. Martha Tarbell says in her capital summary of the character of Paul: He was born leader of men, ia sfsr~fr. r...Itk tkwr r.G philosopher, his spiritual insight made him theo1ogian. New conditions and difficulties presented themselves wher- ever he went, but he was equal to any emergency, and whether talking to a few women by the riverside at Philip pi, or to many philosophers on the Areopagus at Athens. he could do all things through Him who strengthen ed him. And yet this intellectual giant-organizer and administrator orator and theologian, prophet and seer-was >intenseIV human, and it is perhaps his humanness that has en- deared him most to countless multi tudes of Christians He had great visions and inspirations. but he lived on human levels. We see him Cnot q saint. but man, with human weak nesses, impulsive, uhyieiding at times. of quick and vehement temper, and we SN[ thA5 lAidu III fildHy OTulnaFY SlLua- tiens pressed on every side, yet not strengthened; perplexed. yet not unto despair; pursued. yet not forsaken: smitten down, yet not destroyed He represents human nature at it's best the nature toward wlifch all may strive. for he could well say to the Corinthians Be ye imitators of me even as also am of Christ"
 4 Young Mans Career.
 nf
 world is merely misdirected energy. This cannot be altered by prohibitions. any more than chilli can be well trained by ceaseless "don't" The forceful life must find expression: we create moral vacuums by our mega tions. Young persons of the Saul type are bound to be and do something: the only question is the character of their career Shrewdly. the Jewish leaders took up the promising young teacher. They gave him. avenues for the outgos of his energies.
 These very mem often set adrIft as f'black sheep" are the very ones that the Church and the State need most The new body of Christian believers especially needed such. Jesus himself covets this strong. brave spirit. ! Though he had passed from earth. Christ still yearned for the disciple Stup o1 sucn vigorous Chardcter as this well-equipped young persecutor. who fairly breathed forth threatenings and slaughter against the new sect. Heaven is more interested in earth than earth ever suspects God cares for individuals with a personal, watch ful concern that smortals cannot realize. Looking from his throne in heaven Christ saw Saul hastening toward his cruel Damascus goal, and, as in the case of the goodly young man of an early day "beholding him. loved him..F
 The Lord himself thought the con- version of this choice spirit of inpor- tanee enough to warrant another earthly reappearance, He could ~not trust any messenger with this momen- tous message, SO he went himself
 Vision-A Transformaffon.
 Behold. the wonder-a master logician and philosopher is converted. not by overwhelming argument but by a vision. The psychologist is won through his emotions. The disciplined nationalist is conquered by a spiritual