T H E K I N G ’S B U S I N E S S ments of those who did the work and doubtless urged them on and saw it through. There is an ancient proverb that the partaker' in a theft is as bad as the thief. The law holds a person guilty who is accessory either before or after the fact of the crime. The blood of the first martyr was on Paul’s conscience. Acts 22:20. SUNDAY, July 10. 1 Tim. 1:12-17. Paul’s Confession of Guilt. In his letters and addresses Paul re fers to his persecution of Christians with regret and shame. It was his nature to be intense and to throw his whole heart into whatever he undertook, Acts 26:10- 11. Moreover he was conscientious and sincere, Acts 26:9. Nevertheless he act ed in ignorance and unbelief. The Mas ter had foretold such happenings, John 16:2. Paul’s persecution of the church has been called the last stage of his unconscious preparation for his apostolic career. His fidelity to his Jewish religion reduced it to an absurdity. Out of his subsequent repentance there came a deep humility and a desire to serve the least of those whom he had so misunderstood and mistreated. These became powerful incentives in his devoted career. To this was added a zeal to redeem the time that he had lost, by the wisest improvement of what was left. MONDAY, July 11. Acts 9:1-9. The Conviction of Saul. Conviction precedes conversion and may be' gradual, progressive and pro tracted. It is possible that the convic tion of Saul dated from Stephen’s mar tyrdom. The Shekinah glory in Stephen’s face and his prayer for his murderers must have made a deep impression upon Saul. He may have tried to obliterate this impression and stifle his feelings by redoubled activity and increased vio lence. Men frequently act in this way when under deep conviction. They plunge more deeply into sin than ever to deaden the sense of guilt and drown the voice of conscience. Sometimes, no doubt, this result follows. Man has the power to resist conviction and to say “No” to the Holy Spirit until he ceases to strive. Then conviction grows less and finally passes away. “Ephraim is joined to his idols; let him alone,” Hosea 4:17. TUESDAY, July 12. Acts 9:10-19. The Conversion of Saul. Saul was so enraged that his efforts to destroy the new belief had only tend-
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ed to spread it farther, that he secured - letters from the high priest and set out \ Damascus to arrest all the Christians in that city. As he drew near to the city, the glorified Saviour met him, a voice from Heaven spoke to him. He fell to the ground and was smitten with blindness. His companions led him into the city. During his three days of blind ness, his whole life fell in fragments around him. It has been consistent and conscientious but mis-directed. He had soughf to win Divine favor by scrupulous obedience to the law of Moses. “Kick ing against the goad” was a proverbial expression meaning “to offer vain resist ance.” Conversion is always instantan eous. His reply “Lord, what will thou have, me to do?” shows that a great change had taken place. It is impossible to secure- the favor of God'or peace of mind by rules and laws of one’s own making. The one and only way is to accept Christ by faith as a Saviour. WEDNESDAY, July 13. Acts 22:6-11. Paul’s Own Testimony. There are three accounts of Paul’s conversion in the book of Acts. 1. By Luke, Acts 9:3-9. 2. By Paul on the temple steps, Acts 22:6-11. By Paul be fore Agrippa, Acts 26:12-18. Many years ago in England, Lord Lyttleton and Gil bert West, avowed infidels, agreed to examine the conversion of Paul and the Resurrection of Christ respectively for the purpose of disproving and overthrow ing Christianity. As a result of their independent study each was converted to the Christian faith and the published essfiy of each has been -extensively used and greatly blessed in the realm of Christian Apologetics. While there are many things in the Word of God that are above reason, there is nothing Grat is against reason. Christianity itself is inherently and preeminently reasonable. THURSDAY, July 14. Acts 26:12-18. The Damascus Journey. No journey was ever taken on which so much depended and in which such in terest centres as that of Paul from Jeru salem to Damascus. It was a Critical moment in the history of human redemp tion and so closely related to our well being in this life and our hopes for the World to come that the mind never tires of dwelling on it and we are eager to imagine its every detail. The apparent contradiction between Acts 9:7 and Act's 22:9 is reconciled by the fact that, in the former passage the voice was an inarti-
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