LESSON LX.

CONVERSION OF ST. PAUL.

1. Among the witnesses of St. Stephen's martyrdom was a young man who not only sanctioned the wicked deed by his presence, but even kept at his feet the garments of the cruel men who stoned the saint.

Although destined to become, at a later period, the glorious apostle whom the Church venerates under the name of Paul, he was at that time the declared enemy of Christ, and of His disciples. He made fearful havoc in the Church, going from house to house, and dragging away men and women to the presence of the magistrates, by whom they were then committed to prison. The Christians, thus persecuted in Jerusalem, were obliged to disperse. They settled in different parts of Judea and Samaria, and by this means the word of God was disseminated in these places. The apostles, summoned by them, went through the towns and cities, baptizing those who had been converted, and praying for them that they might receive the Holy Ghost; and so the Gospel of Christ was every day more widely spread.

Meanwhile Saul, intent on destroying the disciples of the Lord, resolved to go to Damascus in pursuit of them, having first obtained

permission from the high-priest to bring bound to Jerusalem any whom he could discover.

2. As he was proceeding on his journey, a light from heaven suddenly shone about him, and he fell to the ground. Then he heard a voice saying, "Saul, Saul, why dost thou persecute Me ?" And he answered: "Who art Thou, Lord ?" And the unseen speaker answered again: "I am Jesus of Nazareth, whom thou persecutest. It is hard for thee to kick against the goad."

Saul, trembling, frightened, and still prostrate on the ground, exclaimed, "Lord, what wilt Thou have me to do ?" And the Lord said to him: "Arise, and go into the city, and there it shall be told thee what thou must do."

The companions of Saul stood still in amazement, for they heard the voice, but could not discover the speaker. Then Saul arose, and opened his eyes; but he saw nothing, for he had been struck blind. His companions took him by the hands, and led him to Damascus, where he remained three days without sight, neither eating nor drinking, but, as we may suppose, praying unceasingly.

At the end of the three days, a pious disciple named Ananias was directed in a vision to go to the house where Saul was residing; therefore, entering and laying hands on him, the holy man said, "Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to thee on thy way hither, hath sent me that thou mayest receive thy sight, and be filled with the Holy Ghost." Immediately, something like scales fell from

Saul's eyes, and he recovered his sight, after which, he arose and was baptized; and when he had taken food his strength returned.

3. From that time, he became as fervent a disciple as he had hitherto been a fierce persecutor of the Church of Christ. He changed his name to that of Paul; and having been admitted to the intimacy of the apostles and the faithful, he began boldly to preach Jesus Christ.

4. He entered the synagogues, and there loudly declared that Jesus was the Son of God.

5. The Jews sought to put him to death, but his life was several times miraculously preserved. He escaped their snares by the aid of the Almighty, who had chosen him, as He declared to Ananias, as an instrument to carry His name before the Gentiles or Pagans, and before kings, and the children of Israel.

These first persecutions did not discourage Paul. Not satisfied with preaching in Judea, he carried into distant countries the good tidings of the Gospel, and proclaimed to all nations the salvation offered to them. Burning with love for God, and charity for mankind, his zeal for the glory of Jesus inspired him with the wish to gain all hearts to Him. His great natural talents, which he devoted unreservedly to the interests of the faith, are manifest in the instructions which he gave to the different nations whom he visited, and which are preserved to us under the title of his Epistles. The Acts of the Apostles bear testimony to his

indefatigable activity; they trace his steps from city to city, and from one country to another.

6. He relates himself, in one of his Epistles, a portion of what he endured during his apostolic career, for the love of Christ. "I have been many times," he says, "in danger of death thrice was I beaten with rods; five times I received from the Jews forty stripes; once I was stoned; three times I suffered shipwreck; I spent a night and a day in the depth of the sea. I have been in danger of waters; in danger of robbers; in danger in the city; in danger in the wilderness. I have suffered in Jabour; in watchings; in hunger; in thirst; in fasting; in cold; in nakedness." But the hand of the Lord was with him, and never failed to sustain and strengthen him. When his feet were secured with chains, when his body was torn with scourges, and even when the sea swallowed him up, he never lost courage or strength, for his soul was constantly animated by strong faith and joyful hope.

7. At last, he sealed with his blood the truth of the doctrines he had preached, and was beheaded at Rome on the day that St. Peter was crucified. May his memory be ever revered!

QUESTIONS.

1. How did St. Paul treat the Christians before his conversion?

2. By what miracle was he converted?

3. How was he called before he became a Christian ?

4. What did he do after his baptism? 5. For what purpose did God call him? 6. What were his sufferings?

7. What was the manner of his death?

"Be converted to Me, and you shall be saved, all ye ends of the earth; for I am God, and there is no other.

"I have sworn by Myself the word of justice shall go out of my mouth, and shall not

return.

"For every knee shall be bowed to Me, and every tongue shall swear.

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Therefore shall he say: In the Lord are my justice and empire: they shall come to Him, and all that resist Him shall be confounded. Isaiah xlv. 22, 25.

LESSON LXI.

MARTYRDOM OF ST. JAMES-ST. PETER IN PRISON.

1. Like St. Paul, the greater number of the apostles offered their lives in testimony of the truth of the Gospel, but in the case of some the sacrifice was not called for by the Lord, who delivered them suddenly and miraculously from the hands of their enemies. Thus St. John was plunged into a vessel filled with boiling oil, from which he came forth safe and uninjured. Thus also, the prison gates were opened several times for St. Peter and others of