The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-02-16
The Argument of Force.

Thu small boy normal IepIS ny
defeated in argument III w orouSn
nen sometimes do not differ greatly
from their Younger selves. stephen
in debate with the synagogue experts
| utterly ~confounded them. Unable TO
stopped to bribe false witnesses, and
| soon had him in Jail. A great deal OF
talk is heard i ntheSe days ABOUT the
| big stick" as if it were a modern de-
| vice, or the possession Of some one
official; in truth, the big stick has
been welded by authority through all
the ages, in its contests with reason
and right.
Intimidation has always been a Ia
yorite weapon in the Church and IN
the State. / once knew q Young man
| who had withstood for principles sake
a of ecclesiastical polltlclans.
When the fight promised to become
| serious, one of the latter bluntly ad--
dressed the young man ana sald, IL
YOU persist in speaking, you will lose
your position, and then what Will
YOU do? You cannot get another k
if that will pay you so much money.
The Young mar continued, and OF
course lost his position. But that only
released him for a vastly larger ana
more remunerative service or the
truth.
This Stephen lesson will be taught
l aOaGJ y IL ItCOo VI bi'C N
unless the truth is brought home that
there is crying demand today for the
MARTYR spirit in every work OF lie.
"~Infuence," pressure" pull are
exerted in politics, society, BUSINESS,
and the professions, almost without
shame. The nations hope OF saliva
ton from this blighting evil resides
, only in the men and women MADE
in Stephens mold, who dare with
stand such arguments to the utter
most.
An Angels Face, a Lions Voice.
Put on trial, and given a chance
to make his defence, stephen
preached a ermon And what "a ser
mon! 1t rolls on, rich in its his
: torical allusion, full of information
and appeal, albeit a rather gentle
and conventional discourse such as
might be expected from the lips OF
the best preachers in any of the
: synagogues. That is, until it reached
5 the end. Then, With startling uneX-
/ p~ectedneSs, this gentle server OF
tables. whose face had reminded the
+ members of the council of the face
of an angel, suddenly is Transformed
1 into a veritable lion of courage and
e denunciatiOn.
His speech swiftly descends from
) the exposition of the Old Testament
: to the lightningS of present appli-
cation. Ablaze with fearleSSneSs and
fervor, stephen roars as he faces the
~affrighted council, You obstinate
race, heather in heart and ears, you
are always resisting the Holy Spirit;
your ancestors did it, and so do you
+ Which of the prophets escaped per-
SecutiOn from our ancestors? They
s actually killed those who told Ions
t before Of the coming of the Right
0 eous One, Of whom you. in your turn,
have now become betrayers and
~, nd nro rc. who raraiNp6 the
Law as transmitted by angels, and
yet failed to keep it."
That direct application turned the
dignified doctors Of the law into ray
u ing beasts of fury. Leaping toward
! the young man, the CRASHED or
him with their teeth" He saw no,
them. but looked up steadfastlS
> into heaven, AMI saw the glory OF
God, and Jesus standing on The
right hand of God" No heavenly
visions for his enemies. They saw
only their daring accuser, and with
d one accord, they rushed upon hin
e and cast him out Of the city ant
l. stoned him.
The First Martyr.
4 "A man must live" runs a com
mon saying, With which we paliat,
q or excuse all sorts of ignOble con
e duct. One cannot stand beside youns
IS Stephen and say that. 1t is not true
II a man must not I'VE. There is NJ
r law in heaven or earth thai require
tina he must live. A man must b,
k true, and must speak his message
/ and do his own work, and PLAY tn,
e man. Whether he live or die is tn,
y Lords affair. and not his.
- Life is not worth purchasing a
the price of honor. Stephen Shove
81 how sweet and glorious it is to die
le a martyr to truth. Ills end was tn
:, end Of a man and a hero. The
= stoned tephe calling upon the Lore
- and saying, Lord Jesus, receive m
~ spirit And he kneeled down an
~ cried Will a loud voice, Lord, lay nc
80 this sin to their charge And whe
- ne had said this, he fell asleep"
= robabl no one will speak or writ
upon this lesson without c,,o+;,o ..r,.