The Alaska citizen., 1915-09-13
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I'RNED
THE PERSECUTOR T
 PREACHER.


 The Rocky mountain range is not a monotonous level of elevation ex- tending from Mexico northward for thousand miles; there are great peaks in it that rise thousands of feet toward the skies. The travel CT climbs the steep sides of Pike's peak to find it's summit looking out, as d mighty sentinel. over the city of Colorado Springs. Should he journey northward other peaks would stand in equal importance guarding city or plain as they nestled or stretched away into the distance. Should he press on farther north he would find the prince of them all-Mt okinley-telling of the gardens of summer and the frozen wastes of winter. It is true that the mountain ranges of events that rise from the planes of history are not great in monotony; but varying attitudes are noticeable all along the stretches of time. The Exodus of Israel is a lofty summit; the giving of the Law from the top of Mt Senai is an event of the heights; but the Incarnation of Christ His death His resurrection, are as Me Kinley peaks that tower sublimely summit-eyents in the mountain chain of history which run through all the ages of the revelation of God to his people. And next to those of our Lords life, there is not one more lofty, or of more importance to the peoples than the conversion of Saul of Tarsus. It was a Pike s Peak event, lifting it's head above the tall summit that rises front the plain of the ages. Look to this event mountain high with its corresponding conspicuousness and importance
 It was great work of Divine grace. Saul was a persecutor of the followers of Jesus. Having tasted human blood he was eager for more and so persecuted those of that day" even unto death. Like Achilles, who slew Hector. and then, riding in his chariot, dragged his body three times around the walls of Troy, so would Saul of Tarsus, so bitter was his hate for the cause of Christ have gloried in the de structon of Christ's cause, and have heaped all the contempt of his in furiated soul upon it and it's es- pOusers. A tyrant, he would letter creed and slay any who would dare antagoniZe it. He was so held by his faith that he was a slave to it's bigotry. He was so enslaved to the teachings of his religion that he thought all others false. He sought not renown for himself but extirpa- ton for the name of Jesus He would have llotted every character of that name from the walls of the world, and have allowed no other thereon than those of his same spirit as the butchers of the Christians in after ages, and how deep were the rivers of blood that flowed from the pierced hearts of millions of the followers of Christ,
 We are told, especially by those who wish to play into the lap of their selfish interests, that we should let peoples religion alone, whatever it may be. This is the most fool ish of recommendations If the apostles had followed this principle, Christianity would have been doom. ed long since. If Martin Luther had been influenced by such a notion, where would evangelical religion be today? We would be slaves of the most terrible despots the world has ever known. Men need truth, es- pecially the truth that is vital to the soul. and men should proclaim it to the world. It is the part of oIl ISlldi lO CledI away the obstacles for the proclamation of Christian truth, as it is fofund in the Sun of Righteousness, and let nothing stay such a purpose for the good of the race.
 Would it be possible to turn this persecutor of Christians into a Chris tian? What dreamer could have though of such thing? Who could draw the fires of the belching volcano, so that quiet and peace could settle along it's sides? Who could sweep the snows and melt the ice to reveal the body of Scott in the frozen south? Only the Divine could do such wonders, and he alone could draw the fires of hate that burned fiercely in the breast of Saul of Tarsus. And the Divine did work just this change. Saul of Tarsus, the fierce prosecutor was converted into Christian man God did not cast into the dust the arch enemy of His Son and Hi: cause. He rather had mercy or him and saved him
 But how was this done? What