The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1928-06-30
BY WIN. e. GILROY, DID.

BY VIM. e. GILROY, DID.
Editor Of The COngregatiOnalist
TINE early life Of Paul reminds
i us that it was lived under an
other name. Paul the apostle was
formerly Saul of Tarsus, devout,
intense in his faith as a Pharisee,
and passionate in his opposition to
those of this new Christian way
whom he regarded as dangerous
heretics and whom he prosecuted.
The story of Pauls change of
heart and mind is not exceptional
in the history of religious expert
ence. Again and again in great reli-
gious movements those who have
at first fought against the light
have come to see it and have be-
come the foremost opponents of
truths and principles which former
ly they opposed.
1t is important to see that despite
the change in his name and the
crucial change in his attitude and
convictions the spiritual life of
Paul is one. He referred to this
at one time when before the high
priest he said, IT have lived in good
conscience until this day"
Always Sincere
All through his life he had been
sincere and honest, faithful to the
early teaching of the strict sect in
which he was brought up, and pas
sionate in his purpose to make his
life effective for God.
Paul, however, illustrates the great
truth that a man may be honest
and sincere and yet be not only ig-
norant and unenlightened but ut
terly wong in his conceptions both
of God and Of his fellowmen.
Earnestness without knowledge may
very easily become bigotry, and
honesty without love and kindness
may become both tyrannous and
dangerous.
A fanatic is L ne the less a
fanatic because h may be sincere
in what he is doing, and the havoc
and wrong that he does will be none
the less havoc and wrong If in his
prosecuting zeal he destroys the
structure of truth and inflicts dis
aster upon those who have sought to
build it.
From every standpoint the life Of
Paul is profoundly important for
consideration. Especially today
when in the completely of the mod
ern world narrowness and the per-
scouting spirit so easily become en-
phasized and take to themselves the
defense that they are the expression
of strength and sincerity, it is i'm
portant that all jealous men should
earnestly study the life of Paul and
see whether there be in them only
the emulation of the example of the
Christian apostle, the man of love
and gentleness, and not the per-
So .dting zeal of Saul the Pharisee.
Educated in Jerusalem
Paul, as the records Of the lesson
show, though proud of his Hebrew
lineage, was not born in Palestine.
His parents we're among those Jews
who had become dispersed in the
Roman empire, and he was born in
Tarsus, city of Cilicia. The de-
vout Hebrew, however, wherever he
was found, looked to Jerusalem as
his spiritual capital. Pauls people
we're probably fairly well-to-do
Jews: otherwise it would hardly
have been possible to have sent him
to Jerusalem for his education. Paul
was also a Roman citizen, which in
itself implied a certain prestige.
We are apt to forget in these
days when both men and women
have full citizenship and the power
of participation in the affairs of
the Nation that until relatively re-
cent times the great mass Of men
and women were slaves and serfs,
that only the few were free-born
citizens.
Paul was always dazzled by the
greatness of Rome. One can note,
however, a change in his attitude
late in life when he had gone TO
Rome seeking vindication through
his appeal to Caesar and founG
that Roman justice was by no
means as sure as he supposed. He
was not now sure that powers that
be are ordained by God as he was
when he wrote his epistle to the
Romans at an earlier point in his
career.
He speaks Of spiritual wicked
ness in high places and of wres-
thing not against flesh and blood
but against principalities, against
powers, etc.
But here in this lesson dealing
with the early phases of Pauis
life we must not anticipate the
end from the beginning. 1t is
well. however, that we should get
as many details Of the picture as
possible, and that we should dis
criminate between the narrow and
Intellectual aspects of Judaism in
Pauls early life and the real basis
of truth and the lofty spiritual
purpose that we're the beginning
of the larger and richer expert.
ence Of the Christian way.
service at the Second Reformed
Church Sunday morning.