The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1921-03-17
GOOD MUSIC AT
FIRST CHRISTIAN
"Christianity's Greatest Convert
Subject of Excellent Sermon.

At the First Christian church last
night the service was introduced with
number of sentence prayers and
scripture quotations following a Sea-
son Of chorus singing. Mr.. Garfield,
said to be Pensacola's best tenor
singer, sang for the audience a very
beautiful number entitled Come Unto
Me-" This number was beautifully
rendered and was much appreciated
by the audience. Mr.. Pollock also sang
another of the beautiful solos which
have been sd helpful during this Sc
ries Of meetings.
The subject of the sermon last
night was "Christdanity's Greatest
Convert" and was based upon the
scripture found in I. Tim. 1:12-17.
The greatest convert to Christian
ity as well as the greatest foe
Christianity ever had was Saul Of
Tarsus, who is later known as Paul
the apostle. He lived at the same
time that Jesus lived, but his home at
Tarsus was on the opposite side of
the Lebanon mountains from that on
which Nazareth, the early home OF
Jesus, was located.
The speaker said that men may,
and often do, make mistakes in
choosing leaders. but it was not so
with God. One need only study the
lives of Moses, Elijah and John the
Baptist, to Sc how God chooses pre-
pared men to do especial tasks, and
so inchoosing Saul Of Tarsus God
chose a man who had been splend1dly
trained, both in the learning OF the
schools and in the environment of his
early life, for Saul was Hebrew Of
Hebrews, of the tribe Of Benjamin, q
pharisee Of pharisees, and trained at
the feet Of Gamalie1, one Of the
greatest teachers of the time. Paul,
which is the name by which we after
wards know this great man, was a
clear, accurate thinker. the greatest
In mentality of the entire apostolic
college. He was a man of strong WILL
Of conviction, and Of courage: man
guided by conscience.
Such was the great man whom the
Jews tried to silence by persecution
a proceeding which never stops the
truth.
AS the young man, Saul Of Tarsus
Paul saw the stoning Of stephen, and
must have heard the great address
of that first martyr to Christianity,
for later Paul in his own addresses
frequently follows the same line Of
argument that Stephen followed on
that memorable day.
After the great light shown round
about Saul and he had heard the
voice speaking, had answered and had
been led, a temporarily blind man.
into Damascus, what momentous
thoughts must have been his, what
ages he must have lived during
those days of blindness! For those
few days became the very hinge on
which his life turned.
There are some helpful lessons to
be learned from this experience of
Paul's. We learn of Gods care for
His people in that he saved from the
prosecutor those Christians who were
taking refuge at Damascus. The call
Of Saul was a call from God to man,
not the reverse.
The purpose of the miracle was
to clear SauTs mind and make him
ready for the great work which God
had for him to do, rather than to
convert him.
Gods nearness to man and sympa-
thy for him in trial is also taught by
this occurrence. The steps that led
to Paurs conversion were the same
steps that every man must take,
faith, repentance and obedience by
baptism. That Paul makes baptism
burial is eveident for he later speaks
of being buried in the likeness Of
Christ's DEATH"
Tomorrow night, Mr.. J. NJ. Fleming
and Mr.. Pollock will sing a duet.
The subject of the sermon tonight
will be 1.-THE Sin and Repentance of
David" A large audience should be
present to hear this address.