Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1916-05-07
Text: Acts, ix.. 1871.

We have here one OF the greatest
tories Of the New Testament, and il
- difficult to treat II in Il short lcsson.
saul was one called. as he himself
aye, out OF due time That is, he
was miraculousiy called. God had Il
special work for him TO do, and 80 He
took him forcibly, and opened his eyes
- the truth. and set him to work.
God will always find agents to carry
ON His work, and the agents viii be
greatly blessed if they arc loyal. what
a privilege to be permitted 10 do work
in tho Masters Kingdom. And this
privilege may he won by any man, or
woman who gives his heart aud life
TO the Master.
Notice first that ST raul himself felt
the Importance of his conversion. for
We have several accounts of II and
references to it from his hand. Doubt
less he loved to look back To that
dag when the LORD lifted hinn out OF
darkness into light and called him 10
be a friend rath" than a rebel II is
natural for a man to look back to the
days when he gave his heart To God.
Many OF the rich experiences Of our
human lives will be the theme OF
heavenly anthems We viii sing
throughout eternity the song Of
Moses and the Lamb that is. the song
of our own life redeemed BY Jesus
christ. We are quite right. too, TO
attach grave Importance to the time
and incident Of our conservation to
, God Our Lord calls 1t the new birth.
] W. realize at that time the Importance
81 life, and we gave ourselves, body.
soul and spirit. into the keeping OF
our Savior. oh. the JOY Of knowing
that we arc His, and oh, the blessed
ness Of having hecn called by Him,
For we arc all called az was saul. al
though in most cases the touch which
bids us follow is a gentle ono.
CONSCIENCE TROJBLED
SINCE STEPHENS M~ARTNRDOM
We must notice, too. that Sauls con-
science evidently began 20 trouble him
al tho time Of Stephens martyrdom.
lie Was ono OF the witnesses. and his
reference 10 il shows that he never
could forget the experience. Two les
song come TO US here: one, tho good
which may result even from evil
through the mercy "f God, and this
does not mean that We Should do evil
that good may come. hut that God
can cause the wrath Of man to praise
Him. And. too. We thus learn the
spiritual meaning Of many terrible
things which Cod wishes us to learn
in order that our lives may nc strong.
Tho tragedies Of lie all have "a mes
sage for US II We will bat look FOR it
! There are three special incidents
standing out in this conversion 81 Saul
which We may take a. Ccntcrs for our
study The Nrst is The glorious a;,-
pearanCc OF Jesus Christ Himself 10 the
man who was prosecuting His church
and putting His children 20 death ~
am Jesus whom thou prosccutcst"
when mon suffer for tho cause Of
christ, tho Master suffers wi,h them.
He is wondcrfully near TO His children
as they struggle ON their Way from
earth TO heaven lie seeks them. and
calls them. and blesScs them. aud lin
all their amiction n" is afflicted. and
the angel OF His presence saves them"
NEVER GRACIOUS
APPEARANCE: or HRS
saul never forgot this gracious ap-
pearance of tho Christ on the Damas-
Gus way. and il formed the basis OF
his glorious assurance that Christ was
In him the hope Of glory. Let Us rc-
member that when our sins arc re-
huked, or when we are called L" a.
special active service. or when we are
hidden to some suffering, it is the dear
Master Himself whose hand is stretched
out and whose voice speaks.
II. The second important incident
was tho cry Of Saul: Lord. what
wouldst Thou have me To do" Con-
vcrted. he realized the necessity Of
service. not only that he might prove
the sincerity of his conversion. but
that his conversion itself might be
strengthened and anchored. We AN
not study the Bible. and particularly
the New Testament. without seeing
how active service is a very part Of
The Christian life. IF any man Will
do His will he shall know Of tho doc
Urine said Christ. We can test our
christianity pretty we'll by the strength
~ our desire to do something for God.
and that something must he not Il
pleasing and easy task. bu, a work 20
which we arc sure God calls US. no
matter how difficult it may be. II
Saul had had a vision of the life which
was opening before him. with it's mann.
difficulties and trials. he would have
realized that his question was not a
light and easy Interrogation. do not
believe he would have hesitated. for he
was too hig for that; but he would
have known the full force Of his oues-
ton and the significance Of a life Of
obedience, There is a splendid free
dom which comes to us when we M,
ourselves In Gods hands. His service
is perfect freedom" NO matter uh,t
may come" the Christian SAYS. the
Lord is giving me my work to do. and
therein 7 am content"
GOD HAS SOMETHING o
EACH ONE TO DO
ILL., The third incident is that con-
nected with Ananias, and it is SO close
~ associated with Saul that we cannot
separate 1t from the story. Here was
a quiet Christian man trying ia do his
duty where God had placed him, and
rejoicing in his Christianity, but
trembling also in the face of the dan
gers associated with a confession of
Christ. suddenly to him comes the
to go and meet the greatest
enemy that the Christians knew ius,
then. What a startling proposition
No wonder he hesitated a little. 81 am
only a quiet. humble Christian, dear
Lord: what can I do to teach this man
who has such great influence and who
is so cruel to men, women and chill
dren' But the Lord said. Go thy
way God calls us oftentimcs, even
although we feel ourselves to he in
significant and weak Christians, to go
out and attack some tremendous evil.
pnec He NOT Snnoatip,oc htl -. 49,.