A Companion To "The Epic Of Paul"

Saul of Tarsus, brought up at Jerusalem, a pupil of Gamaliel, the most celebrated Rabbi of his time, from setting out as eager but pacific controversialist in public dispute against the preachers of the Gospel, changes into a virulent, bloody persecutor of Christians, and ends by abruptly becoming himself a Christian and a teacher of Christianity. THE EPIC OF SAUL tells the story of this. "It is the great success of the poem," says Prof. John A. Paine, "to put the reader in the place of those who opposed the rising and rapidly spreading faith in Jesus, and to unfold a marvellous insight into the reasonings, motives, intrigues, and action of those actually engaged in trying to suppress the new movement; and thus, it helps to form a remarkably vivid conception of the crisis, and to gain a deeper understanding of the conflict."

"Saul in the Council Stephen's face saw shine As it had been an angel's, but his heart To the august theophany was blind-- Blinded by hatred of the fervent saint, And hatred of the Lord who in him shone, What blindfold hatred such could work of ill In nature meant for utter nobleness, Then how the hatred could to love be turned, The proud wrong will to lowly right be brought, And Paul the 'servant' spring from rebel Saul-- This, ye who love in man the good and fair, And joy to hail retrieved the good and fair-- From the unfair and evil, hearken all And speed me with your wishes while I sing."--

--From the Proem.