Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-07-30
Fitted for Tire Finest

Fitted for the Finest
Somehow. this appearance of the
brilliant young Jew of Tarsus upon
the page of history links up in our
thought with the multitude of grad
yates whom the schools have in the
past month sent out into the
world" The demagogue may dispar-
age training, and extol the merits of
the unskilled; but thoughtful persons
know that the best work in the world
is done by those best prepared.
Saul was a product of both home
and school. He had mastered a
trade. like the other Jewish young
men of his day, but he had also re-
ceived the best preparation that his
would could givs. Tarsus and Jeru.
salem had schooied him. and his
cosmopolitan experiences as a trav-
eied Roman citizen had polished
him. He did not enter upon his If,
work unfi. or handicapped. He took
to the struggle personality. plus p~e.
~paration. lie haj been made readF.
in the province of God, for the fin
est work ever done by mortal.
1t is not more than a coincidence
that Just now. with countless prob
lens facing us, like grinnire
sphinxes. whichever way we turn.
h institutions of higher learning
are being crowded beyond capacity
with young men and women prepar-
ing for this unprecedented emer-
gency? Is there some new Saul of
Tarsus in training for the great
tasks of tomorrow, which call for all
the skill that education can pro-
duce? Certainly there Is an unwont-
ed. responsibility attached to the
privilege of being a student today.
Saul from the first stood for some
thing. He was no neutral: no COL
orless. characterless book in
breeches." He had learned. added TO
individuality. From his first ap-
pearance. we find him ever himself.
virile, unafraid. outstanding. What
ever he was. he always was, with
his whole might. He was either out
and-out against Christ and His fol-
lowers. or else he was out-and-out
for them.
The Waxcn Majority
A few evenings ago l heard a pro-
lessor. who vas for the last time
addressing the graduating class of
his college, liken them to three OBJ
Jects which he produced-a white
rose. a miracle of fragrance and
beauty and ministry; a jack-knife
cutting and hacking it's way through
life in ruthless selfishness; and a
lump of wax, taking the impression
of the last hand that touched It.
With startling candor he added,
Most of you, / fear, are like the
wax: you will not mould conditions,
but conditions will mould you"
Saul was no bit of wax: he was
a force. an instrument. an individ-
II 1jfv In narfonfJu tI1y,ct $40 "a A.
often forgotten truth that before we
can give anything else to God or the
world. we must first of all give it
u personality. If we are not our
selves we are nothing. All who
look squarely at life know that exis-
tence is an endless struggle to save
our own souls-our true selves
from the social tendency to conform
us to the m and conventional
mould.
A Strip Stick
Complacency is one of the worst
ills that can beset a church. If the
group of disciples left by Jesus had
been allowed to %"settle down. in
quiet and comfort, where would the
world have been? The wonderful
fire might have warmed those near
est to 1t, but it would soon have
uiCu out. po ny persecution Tile
embers were sen flying. and new
Tres started all over the known
world. There is no denying, for
example. that Bolshevism has had
its greatest power because 1t was so
violently and nightly opposed: it's
misguided enemies are really re-
'nonsible for much of the mischief
it has caused.
Saul was a stick to stir up the
early church. What a boon it would
be If real persecution could come to
our own SNUG and prosperous and
complacent congregations! AS Kan
.tippe, according to an ingenious mod
ern theory. simulated shrewishness
in order to incite Socrates into ac-
tivity. so it would be well If all our
preachers had more real critics and
fewer empty compliments; and if
organized Christianity had to face
persistent. penetrating judgment by
a censorious world. which is doing
real hurt by it's Indifference. Saul
served the church even as a perse-
cutor: and, equally unrealized at the
time the church served Saul: for