Classic Poem

His B LINDNESS . — A CTS IX . 4-9

Saul journeyed to Damascus: sudden round
His pathway streamed a blaze of glorious light,
Brighter than brightest northern fires at night;
And from above there came a thrilling sound,
Distinct as music from a timbrel near,
And a voice said — " Why persecutest thou? "
Then lowly in the dust Saul veiled his brow,
And said, in accents tremulous with fear,
" Who art thou, Lord? " And the same voice replied —
" Jesus I am, whom thou hast crucified.
Rise! go into the city, there to hear
What thou must do! " And Saul from earth arose;
But all was darkness, though the heavens were clear;
And he was guided till his journey's close.

II

His C ONVERSION . — A CTS IX . 17-31

And Ananias put his hands on Saul,
And lo! his eyes received the radiance lost,
And to his spirit came the Holy Ghost;
And soon the Son of God he preached to all.
And they that heard were in amaze that he,
Who in Jerusalem destroyed the men
Which called the name of Christ, and even then
Came to bring bound — should now a convert be
To what so late he deemed idolatry!
But Saul increased in strength, and boldly taught
The very Christ; and — though Jews sought to slay,
And the disciples, doubting, turned away —
His fervid words, with inspiration fraught,
A mighty change throughout the churches wrought.

III

His P REACHING . — A CTS XVII . 22-30

Upon the Hill of Mars Paul stood, and said —
" Ye men of Athens! wherefore from the sod
Erect ye altars to the U NKNOWN G OD ?
To whom your vows are ignorantly paid,
Him I declare. The world, all things he made,
And dwelleth not in temples built with hands.
One blood he made all nations in all lands;
And he determined times, and boundaries laid.
In him we live, and move, and have our being;
We are " his offspring," as your poets told;
His Godhead is not plain to human seeing,
Nor is it like to silver, stone or gold.
Seek ye this Lord! — though over sun and star,
From every one of us he is not far! "

IV

T HE V IPER . — A CTS XXVII . 1-6

From death escaped, the shipwrecked sailors came
Unto an island where barbarians dwelt,
But who a hospitable kindness felt,
And kindled, out of rain and cold, a flame,
Which to increase, Paul threw some gathered wood;
When swiftly from the heat a viper sprung,
And to his hand with fangs of poison clung.
Then cried the people, as around they stood —
" He dies! — the man a murderer must be! "
But he shook off the beast into the fire;
And when they looked to see him suddenly
In swollen anguish on the ground expire,
And saw no harm — deep wonder fell on all,
And as a god they would have worshiped Paul!