The Bible Story Part 266

_Mark_.

_Timothy_.

_Silas_.

_Gallio, a Roman governor_.

_Priscilla and Aquila_.

_Demetrius, a silversmith_.

_Claudius Lysias, a Roman officer_.

_Felix, a Roman governor_.

_Drusilla, wife of Felix_.

_Festus, a Roman governor_.

_King Agrippa_.

_Queen Bernice_.

_Publius, a Roman officer_.

_The people of many towns and cities, Roman officials, soldiers, sailors, Christian disciples_.

PLACES OF THE STORY.

_The places which Paul visited are given elsewhere_.

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ST. PAUL By Raphael (1483-1520) [End ill.u.s.tration]

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THE SHIPWRECK--PAUL AND THE ROMAN CENTURION

"And now I exhort you to be of good cheer, for there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but of the ship."

And as the shipmen were about to flee out of the ship, when they had let the boat into the sea . . . Paul said to the centurion and to the soldiers, "Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved."

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PAUL THE APOSTLE

Now there enters into our story one whose life by any standard of measurement, in its boldness and audacity of plan, in its brilliancy of achievement, in its personal courage and daring, compares favorably with that of any of the heroes of history,--Paul the Apostle. In many respects he resembled the modern successful man of business, the captain of industry, except that his work was done with a purely unselfish motive, loyalty to Jesus Christ and love for his fellowmen.

Paul was born in the Roman city of Tarsus, which is beautifully situated at the mouth of the river Cydnus. It was a city full of delight for an adventurous boy. There was the river sweeping down cold and clear from its mountain snows, the harbor with its great basins and stone quays and the shipping from every land. How Paul must have loved to linger on those wharves, watching the ships and the merchandise and hearing the songs of the sailors. In later days he always loved the city and the sea. He was never far away from them; never far distant from the smell of the sea breeze and the blue waters of the Mediterranean; very often he sailed on those waters, and more than once suffered shipwreck. He was a freeborn Roman, that is, he was so {368} fortunate as to have been born in a free city. A free Roman city had all the political rights and privileges of the city of Rome itself. This distinction was eagerly sought after, and was often bought with a large price by men who did not possess it by birth. When Paul was a lad he was sent away to Jerusalem to school, where he was taught by one of the most famous teachers. But Paul was always more Roman than Jewish in the actual experiences of his life. When the first persecutions of the Christians began, Saul, for that was his name then, was chosen by the high priest for this work.

Everything he did, he did with his might. He gave the Christians no rest, he hunted them from village to village, from house to house, because he thought this was his duty. He was on one of these expeditions, riding hard to Damascus, when he had a vision of Jesus, who called to him and demanded the reason for the persecutions. Blinded by the vision he fell from his horse, and when he came to himself he was a changed man. Some time he spent in solitude, thinking the matter out and preparing for the new life. Then he came out ready to do anything and go anywhere for the Master. The time was ripe for a man of his ability, his boldnesss, and his knowledge of the world. A man was needed with those qualities which make a great general, to plan and execute the work. All the apostles were Jews, born in Palestine, men who had never traveled outside the narrow boundaries of their native land. They were naturally timid, and failed to realize at first the importance of the new faith as a {369} world power. Paul was the man for the crisis,--the hero who was destined to carry the new faith to the farther bounds of the empire. His great missionary journeys by land and sea are really campaigns. He had adventures without number, he was beaten and stoned, sometimes he was left on the ground for dead by those who thought they had at last put him out of the way. Often he went on his journey scarred and sore and bruised. The country over which he traveled is the most interesting and romantic in the world, the scene of the stories of mythology, the battle ground of armies. He sailed the seas which were furrowed by the keel of Homer's hero Ulysses. He visited the famous capitals of antiquity. He spoke in cultured Athens, the city of Socrates and Plato. He founded churches in Philippi, where Caesar won his great battle, and in Corinth, one of the richest and wickedest cities of all the Roman empire. He went to Rome, and there, even while in prison, he won for the new faith members of the royal household and officers of the imperial guard. We do not know certainly, but there are traditions to the effect that he visited Spain, and even found his way far beyond the "Pillars of Hercules" out upon the stormy Atlantic to Great Britain. It must not be supposed that he met with no opposition. Even among the members of the Christian church at Jerusalem he was bitterly opposed. There were many Jewish Christians who did not wish the new faith to spread beyond their own race, or if any so-called Gentiles became Christians they thought they should also become Jews. Paul believed that Jesus and his message {370} were for all alike, that it was a gospel of freedom, a new faith in truth, and his way prevailed. Paul at last, an old man, was beheaded, so it is believed, by the wicked Roman emperor Nero. Thus lived and died one of the greatest and most important characters in all history.

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HOW PAUL THE PERSECUTOR LAID ASIDE THE OLD LIFE AND TOOK UP THE NEW.

_The Vision on the Road to Damascus. The Beginnings of Faith. Service for the New Master_.

But Saul, yet breathing threatening and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, and asked of him letters to Damascus unto the synagogues, that if he found any that were of "the Way," whether men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, it came to pa.s.s that he drew nigh unto Damascus: and suddenly there shone round about him a light out of heaven: and he fell upon the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, "Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me?"

And he said, "Who art thou, Lord?"

And he said, "I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: but rise, and enter into the city, and it shall be told thee what thou must do."

And the men who journeyed with him stood speechless, hearing the voice, but beholding no man. And Saul arose from the earth; and when his eyes were opened, he saw nothing; and they led him by the hand, and brought him into Damascus. And he was three days without sight, and neither ate nor drank.

Now there was a certain disciple at Damascus, named Ananias; and the Lord said unto him in a vision, "Ananias."

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And he said, "Behold, I am here, Lord."

And the Lord said unto him, "Arise, and go to Straight street, and inquire in the house of Judas for one named Saul, a man of Tarsus: for behold, he prayeth; and he hath seen a man named Ananias coming in, and laying his hands on him, that he might receive his sight."

But Ananias answered, "Lord, I have heard from many of this man, how much evil he did to thy saints at Jerusalem: and here he hath authority from the chief priests to bind all that call upon thy name."

But the Lord said unto him, "Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will show him how many things he must suffer for my name's sake."

And Ananias departed, and entered into the house; and laying his hands on him said, "Brother Saul, the Lord, even Jesus, who appeared unto thee in the way which thou camest, hath sent me, that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Spirit."

And at once there fell from his eyes as it were scales, and he received his sight; and he arose and was baptized; and he took food and was strengthened.

And he was certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. And at once in the synagogues he proclaimed Jesus, that he is the Son of G.o.d. And all that heard him were amazed, and said, "Is not this that man who in Jerusalem made havoc of them who called on the name of Jesus? and he had come hither for this intent, that he might bring them bound before the chief priests." But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is the Christ.

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THE CITY OF TARSUS, LOOKING NORTHEAST TOWARD THE TAURUS MOUNTAINS. THE AMERICAN COLLEGE IS IN THE FOREGROUND.

Copyright by Underwood & Underwood and used by special permission.

Tarsus was a Roman metropolis with all the distinctions and privileges which the name implied. It was beautifully situated. The broad river Cydnus, breaking through a cleft in the Taurus Mountains, fell in a wide cascade to the plain, and flowed clear and cold from its mountain snows through the city. At evening the people used to gather in their roof gardens on the housetops to watch the setting sun as it turned the snowy summit of the mountain chain into rose and filled the valley with golden mist. But beauty of situation was not the only source of civic pride. Tarsus was a rich and influential center of trade, and it maintained its importance by the most lavish munic.i.p.al expenditure, by what we moderns call enterprise and push.

When Paul as a boy wandered down to the wharves to see the sights, to listen to the sounds of the sailors and the ships, and to breathe that indefinable atmosphere of the sea which is so fascinating to the growing lad, he could not fail to admire those great stone basins and quays which made Tarsus a seaport in spite of the treacherous sands of the rapid river.

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And after many days, the Jews took counsel together to kill him: but their plot became known to Saul. And they watched the gates also day and night that they might kill him: but his friends took him by night, and let him down through the wall, lowering him in a basket.

And when he was come to Jerusalem, he attempted to join himself to the disciples: and they were all afraid of him, not believing that he was a disciple. But Barnabas took him, and brought him to the apostles, and declared unto them how he had seen the Lord in the way, and that he had spoken to him, and how at Damascus he had preached boldly in the name of Jesus. And he was with them going in and going out at Jerusalem, preaching boldly in the name of the Lord: and he spoke and disputed against the Grecian Jews; but they went about to kill him. And when the brethren knew it they brought him down to Caesarea, and sent him forth to Tarsus.

So the church throughout all Judaea and Galilee and Samaria had peace, being built up; and, walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, was multiplied.

And some time after, Barnabas went forth to Tarsus to seek for Saul: and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came to pa.s.s, that for a whole year they were gathered together with the church, and taught much people; and that the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.