Evening star., 1921-07-16
BY REV. HUGH r. STEVENSON.

that transformed the leading perse-
cutor Of the early church into the
foremost preacher of the gospel. pos
unique and unparalleled turning
changed the character of his life,
troadened the work of Christianity
and transformed civilization. His
conversion has been of great apollo
getic value. 1t has confirmed the
Christian faith throughout the GEN.
turtles.
salem Church resulted in his commits
sion as a special prosecutor to crush
the fanatical faith which was pos
sessed by the followers of Jesus. He
considered them heritics and apos-
tates from the religion Of the fathers
and disloyal to the nation. Saul won
his place in the front ranks as re-
suit of his clash with Stephen who
died as the first martyr Of the Chris
tion faith because of the bitter hos
tiiity that developed. in synagogue
discussion. The authorities of the
Jewish faith were not slow in recog-
niZing the ability and zeal of Saul
His personality and push made him a
leader in the persecution that broke
out in the holy city upon the death
part in trying to purge Jerusalem and
Palestine of the influence of Chris
tianity, creating havoc among the
followers of Jesus.
Saul's commission to continue the
persecution in Dana sous among the
thousands of Jews engaged in trade
and commerce in that city came from
the high priest and sanhedrin, whose
authority in religious affairs extend
ed to the ancient city. Damascus. the
1of nf he
desert" became one of the strong
est centers of Christianity as result
of the persecution which scattered
the disciples everywhere carrying the
gospel just as the seed is transplant
ed by the wind. for they formed new
centers of their faith wherever they
went. Pressing toward Damascus
Saul had opportunity to review and
reflect upon the character OF Jesus
and His religion. Passing through
Galilee he had doubtless been told OF
the Lords ministry Of healing and
teaching. The words and works OF
the Master only served to increase
the spiritual unrest of his soul that
he had tried to overcome by his
persecution of Christians. In all MS
efforts to crush the faith of the
Nazarene, Saul could not forget the
spirit Of Stephen, revealed in his
prayer for his enemies. or how his
face was Illuminated when he spoke
of seeing Jesus. just before MS
death.
The solitude and silence OF the des-
ert were favorable to reflection. Nat
urally Saul recalled the personal ex-
periences that he had in prosecuting
Christians. He had seen similar
poise and power to endure IN many
from whom he had hoped to secure
damaging testimony against the faith
that they had recently. 'pTofessed.
Coercion did not make them retract
or furnish him any new arguments
concerning the falseness of their re-
ligion. His information concerning
Jesus which he acquired in Galiiee
served only to make him question ms
actions, especially as he recalled the
areumens of Stephen. Instead of Sc
curing arguments that would be un-
answerable and confirm him in his
views of loyalty to JehoVah, Saul
found that he was questioning ms own
program as he drew near Damascus,
which recalled to him Naaman's boast
of its rivers. which transformed the
city into a garden of roses and howerS
at the edge of the desert. He could
see the white-haired mountain, as the
natives called Hermon with its top OF
suns, and the Anti-Lebanon mountain
range from the desert as he ap-
preached Damascus. From IT'S ROCKY
heights the Barada river with its sew
eral branches flowed down straight
toward the ancient city, where Saul
a prosecutor of the Way. which was the
name the Christians were then called.
II was at noon of the sixth day when
at Kochaba. ten miles southwest OF
Damascus Saul saw for the first time
the beautiful paradise of the desert,
Suddenly his march was arrested by
a supernatural experience that COM
pletely changed his purpose and ser
vice. His sound conversion arrests
attention by the vivid contrast or
Saul breathing out threatenings and
Saul knocked out Of breath by the
Saul had been kicking against the
roads of circumstances that filled his
soul with doubt. He had an inward
unrest because the law was powerless
to furnish real peace to his soul. He
had tried without success to destroy
which haunted him and compelled
him to jealousy undertake the de-
struction of Christianity. His faith
was slipping away from him and II
filled him with madness against the
followers of the Lord Jesus. His
dissatisfaction when the revelation
and demonstration of the .glorified
Christ changed the life and labor of
saul. Suddenly there came the daz-
zling flash of light and all fell TO the
ground. Tunderstorms break fire.
9uentiy in that section when the hot
winds of the desert ,smite snow cap
ned Hermon and the heights of the
Anti-Lebanon ridge. The companions
quickly recovered. but Saul was over
awed by the vision and the voice.
He saw in the brilliance Of the light
the glory of the Lord. but he did not
recognize the voice that in a point
ed and earnest personal appeal asked
him in his mothers tongue for an ex,
planation of his persecution. Saui
was the only member OF the party
that understood the vision and voice.
for it was a personal summons for him
to quit his activities against the
church. -
saints in Jerusalem Saul had been aole
drown the small mall voice OF cod ot
AGAINST his work. Twice he heard the
voice of Jesus identify himself with His
people. Saul had thought that he was
serving God. but there, on the Damascus
road, he found that he had sinned
q a~ainst Him. His experience was real
and radical, as well as spiritual and
aound. -. It convinced him that Chris
tianity was true. This called for his
acknowledging Jesus as the Christ. the
Son Of God and Savior OF the world. ne
recognized his sin and personal respon-
sibility. He was penitent when he turn
ed and asked. Lord: what wilt thou
have. me to do?" While he turned him
self personally to the Savior. 1t was
Gods grace that saved Saul and trans
formed his life and enabled him to be
used in the conversion OF other lives to
Christ.
When he arose to follow Jesus Saul
was blind. His companions took their
leader by the hand and guided him into
Damascus, where. after three days
waiting in darkness, God answered his
distressing cry for light by sending Ana
MAS to the pcnitent. pleading soul. He
had heard the Lord Jesus calling him on