Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-04-01

these different stories had upon his
mind We do not know, but during the
lonely hours as he crossed the heated
plain SauTs mind must have spent
many hours in meditation His sensi-
tive soul quickened by the evidences
that he had received while he passed
through communities that had been in
fiuenced by the ministry OF Chr1st'
would recall the calmness and conf
dence of Stephen, as well as many
other heroes Of the faith that had per-
ished in his sight. Psychologically 1t
is quite possible that train OF reason
ing may have gradually during those
hours filled him with the conviction
that the spiritual Messiahship of
Jesus was the only rational explana-
ton of what he had seen and that
Stephens Interpretation of the Scrip
lures was correct, but the radical
victions. conduct and career was due to
the vision of glory that transformed
Saul the prosecutor into Paul the
champion of Christianity.
*x
Conversion Changes Saul.
|. Without question Saul attributes his
dramatic change of heart to the vision
that appeared to him and the voice that
revealed to him the truth that he was
prosecuting not only Christians, but the
risen Christ, who was one with his fol-
lowers. Others may hint as to how he
was converted, but Saul knew that at
that hour he had seen the Lord Jesus.
Upon that vision he staked all his life.
He had been overwhelmed by it's reve-
lations of his iniquity He had fallen a
proud Pharisee, an intolerant perse-
cutor, but he rose blinded by the vision
of glory poor penitent, who had to be
guided into the great city. Crushed in
spirit by the convictions of his sin.
Saul had to wait through the three
days of darkness and fasting for the
message of salvation from the Lord,
who had stopped the prosecutor.
changed his plans and filed hts soul
with bitter remorse just as he caught
sight of the city.
While the process by which Saul was
converted is exceptional it contains GER
tain universal elements that every con-
vert experiences in their conversion
There is no justification in the attitude OF
men who wait for some supernatural
manifestation of divine power to over
wheim them, as the Master did Saul. be-
cause the divine methods used in winning
men for Christ and His church are ad-
justed to meet the various temperanents
and conditions of every soul. No two are
ever converted in exactly the same man
ner. because no two individuals are alike
The foundation Of SauHs conversion. as
well as that of every soul. born into the
kingdom, was crystallzed about the con-
viction that Jesus is the Christ, the Son
of God and the Savior of men.
Whether repentance followed or pre-
coded his vision of the glory is not left
open for theological debate in Saurs case
The appalling discovery that the extensive
which he had considered a basis for his
standing with God and men was not suf-
ficient filled him with repentance All who
have ever beheld the glory of the Lord
| have had a similar revelation os their sin
The same loyalty to his convictions tina,
caused Saul to zealously persecute Chris
tians was revealed in his attitude toward
the truth when Ananias. the fearful dis
ciple. who had hesitated about respond
| ing to his vision that called him to visit
| the humble penitent and show Saul, whose
| coming had filed the church at Damascus
with terror lest there should be a repeu
| ton of the havoc among them as there
| had been in Jerusalem, that it was his
| duty to follow his repentance and faitf
| with public confession of Christ.
| Saul immediately publicly professed his
| faith and commenced to champion the
| cause that a little over week before he
! had set out from Jerusalem determined
| TO destroy. The days OF darkness were
| ended. Saul had restored to him his eve
sight and above all had been given 3
| spiritual vision that Influenced his life
work in carrying the gospel to the gen
| tiles Paul was to lay the foundation o
| modern Christianity.
| The hour for expansion had dawn aut
the Lord had selected from 'ne ranks o
the bitterest opponent of the apostoIi,
church the leader that would make cIeal
! TO all men the world policy OF Jesus who
I seeks today without changing alleejarc.
| to any government Or destroying any rae,
/ or nation to unite them in the spirit1a
bonds of love for God and man. through
| their personal faith in Christ Jesus a.
| their Savior
While IL is not true, as some ha ~,
claimed, that except for Saul the religio,
| OF Jesus would have remained n division
OF Judaism, yet 1T is true in his brillian,
brain and great personality the genius O
Christianity found its best exponent an,
by his herculean efforts the faith of IN
Lord Jesus was to be emancipated from
| the restra ints of Judaism: and become tn.
worldwide religion Of humanity II re
CURED some time for Saul to be prepar.,
for the undertaking of the great mission
airy journeys and in subsequent studio
we shall see how door after door wa
closed and he was forced into the wori
for which he was cminently prepared
The same voice that arrested Saul an,
made him Paul frequently speaks to men
! In the secret hours of meditation, some
times in the rush Of ones daily toll, me,
are surprised by the same still smal
voice that calls them to follow the exam
pie Of Saul and henceforth not to be dis
obedient to the heavenly vision that de
mands OF all to repent, believe that Jesu
Is Lord and be loyal to His commands, b,
help winning the world for Him