Evening journal., 1914-04-30

George X. Vending last night de-
liyered another lecture in his series
in Grace NJ. E. Church, his subject
being Saul of Tarsus." The Wend-
ling lectures are being heard by
large audiences. They are general
and educational in style, rather than
doctrinal, and are interesting to all
denominations. In his lecture last
night Mr.. Vending said in part:
"Ien miles from the Mediterranean,
in the midst OF "a fertile plain, ON the
banks of o swift river fed by the snow
covered mountains nearby stands the
city Of Tarsus. IN the days of st. Paul
il was the rival in poetry, eloquence and
philosophy OF Athens and Alexandria.
in this city Paul was born and lived
until he went as a student TO the fa-
NOUS teacher Camaliel, at Jerusalem,
Tor training as a rabbi And then Paul
became a pharisee of the straightest
sect Active, intense, energetic, he was
the chosen agent OF the authorities to
persecute and arrest the followers of
that new movement which the world
today calls Christianity, and which then
furnished that brave martyr, Stephen.
Saul heard Stephens defense. He heard
the frightful charge which stephen
hurled ut his Judges, ana though Saufs
conscience stmg him sorely, he goes 20
win new laurels as a prosecutor IN Da-
inascus. the Oldest city in the world.
On that Journey something marvellous
occurred, and Saul of Iarsus became
Paul the apostle. Then he retires into
Arabia. On his return he boldly breaches
his new faith that the Nazarene was in
truth the Son of jehovah. Ho Is COM
PEELED TO flee from assassination and es-
capes across tine country to Jerusalem.
There q conspiracy TO murder him drives
him forth aud by way OF Caesarea he
goes TO larsus.
"What shall we say of Paul's per-
sonal appearancef Reuan thinks he
was ugly and little; and even. many
Christian writer's speak of him as un-
attractive in countenancc and form. We
do not for one moment believe this. He
was strong man physically, so strong
that not one man in a thousand could
bear his hardships and live as he did
beyond three score years. There VAS
nobility and fineness in his face. and an
expression of tenderness in his large
ewes.
"lt was not an insignificant looking
man who could command hearing
among the fastidious Athenians. He
was above medium height, and his com
plexion was fair when not Drowned by
sun and tempest. Was Saul a married
nang Undoubtedly he voted for
Stephens death, and therefore he be-
longed to the Sanhedrin, 60 which no
one could ever belong unless he be a
married man. But his wife died before
his conversion. and thereafter he lived
a wifeless, childless, homeless man.
what an eNquisitely modest man
Paul is. With what unsullied delicacy
he touches questions which as a moral
teacher he must discuss. How tender,
even womanly is this seemingly rugged
apostle. Observe also his disinterest-
edness. And what a friend he is to the
young and how deep is his fatherly So
licitude for his young friends, Titus
and Timothy. Above all, what wonder
ful physical and moral courage is shown
all through his career.
Lot us turn from these eXtraOrdi-
nary moral traits of Paul and form
strength. He was familiar with the
Ereeh language and also with the
Hebrew aud the Latin. The amplitude
such that tine best minds have beeu
sounding the heights and depths OF his
itterances for eighteen hundred years
His logic is remOrseless. At first ON,
R0uld say he is not imaginative enough
b be poet and too logical 70 be a
psalmist, yet there is spirit Of d
David and a Shakespeare combined IN
ONE of his flights One would also say
mt he is too impassioned to be a phi
osopher, and ycd lne reasoning OF
Plato and Aristotle is not so profound
md comprehensive. As for his oratory
Paul is probably the greatest religious
rator that the world has seen. The
reatest themes that ever engaged NOR.
al lips were Paul's themes, the Infinite
he Incarnation, the Resurrection, Eter-
lity and his soul absorbing earnestness
cached the sublime.
paul had in the highest perfection
he almost impossible art of using in.
ective without loss Of personal dignity
Under every provocation he is always
ignifed in language and demeanor