The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1909-04-14

House to house. Mrs. Helen Cassaday. Denisen.
Primary. Mrs. c. L. Voss, Denison Temperance,
Lyon. of Denison.
April IS. The Conversion of Saul.
Acts 9:l-30.
Our lesson today relates Of one of
the most important events in the New
Testament. A great man was "born
again The lesson brings to view
the greatest preacher and thinker on
the Christian religion. the world has
produced. The lessons in the Sunday
Schools will treat of what he did and
taught during the rest of this year.
Saul was one of the brilliant men of
his times. He was very we'll educat-
ed in the learning of the day. He
had for his teacher the best scholar of
his nation Gamaliel. He is first
brought to notice. when he witnessed
the stoning Of Stephen and the mar
tyr's cloths were laid at his feet.
We next find him the leader in perse-
cutting the early Christians IN and
about Jerusalem. His zeal was such
chat he decided to go to other cities
to try to stamp out the believers in
the risen Jesus. He decided to go to
the great cit: of Damascus which was
one hundred miles away. Such was
his standing with the leaders that he
was given letters to the Jewish au-
thorities at Damascus which allowed
him to make prisoners of Christians
there, and bring them to Jerusalem.
Such man as Saul in this part of
Iowa SO earnest against the churches
and the Sunday Schools and the bible
would noted person. His whole life
would be given over to combating
what the pastors and Sunday School
teachers are doing. He was some
thing like the noted Ingersoll who had
such career as writer and orator
against christianity. It was thus a
man of this character, who urged on
himself and band of friends over the
road between the two great cities.
He was a believer in the God of
Moses and Abraham. but did not be-
lieve in thu divinity of Jesus the
Christ.
Paul and his company came neal
Damascus and without doubt he wa,
planning his first moves against tn,
followers of Jesus, when for him ,
wonderful thing took place. There
appeared bright. binding light be.
fore him and voice was heard by
him. The speaker said that he wa
the Jesus whom Paul was prosecuting
Paul asked what Jesus wanted him t.
do, and was told to arise and 60 int
the city and it would be told him
On attempting to rise and 70 forwar
Paul found he was blind and was lie
to the city by his companions. Afte
three days a Christian named Anania
was sent to bring back his sight an
tell him that Jesus had called him to
preach the gospel particularly to tn
|, Gentiles.
Saul was not bad or immoral mar
, He was misguided. however. as to tt
truths of the Christian religion.
he had been wicked this would hay
weighed on his mind and made hi
more liable to seek forgiveness. H
very self righteousness before the la
was the most dangerous thing abo
his case. In this day the man
woman who is seemingly good is lie
liable to become christian than OF
who lives in out breaking sins. VIII
Paul was converted he saw things
new light. He was the same M
in INTELLECT and learning. but his il
pulses were changed. The ener'
with which he prosecuted the Chri
tians was now used to make peol
believe that way. We shall he
much about Saul in the weeks to CON
d and will learn to see that he was o
of the most wonderful men in the h
tory of the world.