Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-03-31
Sunday School Lesson
Bu Dr.. Marion McH. Hull

| from Jerusalem to Damascus. Accom-
panying him were members of the temple
guard no doubt, but no men who would
be intimate associates. For nearly five
days, therefore, Saul had time to think.
In the intensity of his activity he had
been able to put away thoughts that
might otherwise have come to him be-
fore now, but the enforced fdleness of
this Journey made serious reflection a
necessity. One of the great needs of
today is for men to be still enough to
hear God speak to them. The very null
duplication of activities tends to crowd
out the quiet time for reflection which
is necessary for the highest development
or mans moral nature. 1t is told of
man whose son was very wild that his
| last request of his son was that every
day at a certain time he should sit down
for a half hour and think. The result
was the sons conversion and complete
change of life in few days. There
are many who have been brought into
a higher plane of blessed spiritual ex-
perience by some severe trial which has
made them stop and think. Give God
time to speak to you before He has to
bring some great crisis in your life
which will make you stop and listen to
him.
During these days Saul's mind was
active. He remembered his arguments
with stephen. He could not get away
from the sight of Stephens angelic face
and there was ringing in his ears still
Stephens prayer for forgiveness. AS
day by day this went on through his
| mind he became more and more irritated,
for he remembered also that in spite
| Of all his cruel efforts he had not been
able to get anyone of these followers
of the Nazarene to blaspheme, and that
the terrific torture he had inflicted upon
them did not effect their peace of mind.
This plea he coveted and this he had
failed to secure from his Jealous ac-
| tivity
about 10 miles south of Damascus a
| beautiful view stretched before him.
| The fields around Damascus were filled
with verdure made possible by the
rivers ALBANIA and Pharpar which stretch
| ed out on either side of him. The city
itself was like a handful of pearls
! In a goblet of emerald" He was near
! ing the object of his journey. But
suddenly, brighter than the monday
sun, there lightened around him light
which no man can approach unto.
God had drawn back the veil and re-
tvealed to him the brightness of the Son
| of God who is the Light of the world
| lie had given him the Light of the
knowledge of the glory of God in the
face of Jesus Christ. That 1t was no
mere illusion is shown by the circum-
stances. When the Light broke all of
the men who were with him fell down.
| All of them heard of a voice. but the
others rose to their feet without seeing
the Speaker or hearing Him. To Saul,
however, came the words, "Shaul, Shaul,
why persecutest thou me?' Every
where else a different word is used for
! Sauls name. Here the speaker ad-
dresses him in the Hebrew tongue.) The
purport of the conversation which fol-
| lowed which is very familiar to us all.
was this: saul, you are pursuing me,
but you do not know that I have been
all the time pursuing you. You have
oeen resisting me; you have been feel
| ing, without admitting it, that you may
have been wrong, and all the time l
have been following you in love. 1 am
Jesus of Nazareth. You knew of me
as hanging on the cross. / have given
| YOU vision of myself as seated at
! he right hand of God. the Father"
= PLANNED, BUT IGNORANT OF 1T.
/ Saul was convinced at once. In thor
ugh submission, absolutely surrendered,
ne said, Lord, what wilt thou have me
20 do? What is your plan for me? am
your willing slave, command me-" All
| this time God had had plan for Pauls
| life; it was much larger than PauPs
| I'lan for his own life, and the first step
| in the plan was that he be led into the
! city in an entirely different way from
| that which he had expected TO enter.
| instead of entering at the head of a
retlnue to prosecute the followers of
!csus, he was led by the hand, with
! ;ightless eyes, to the house of Judas
Then for three days he remained In
darkness waiting for God to reveal the
next step in His plan He spent the
| time in prayer. He longed for the fell
| lowship of some of those followers
whom he had come to prosecute: and
| finally in obedience to the Lords COM
mand, Ananias, one of these followers.
came into his room, put his arms around
him, "brothered" him, loved him into
he kingdom, and opened the door for
lim to receive the fuliness OF the spirit
| IF Cod Then his eyes were opened
| physically as well as spiritually. and
~ began the most remarkable career