First Christian Martyr
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the minds of the beholders, and testified to the truth of that which he
had proclaimed. His death was a sore trial to the church, but it resulted
in the conviction of Saul, who could not efface from his memory the
faith and constancy of the martyr, and the glory that had rested on his
countenance.
At the scene of Stephen’s trial and death, Saul had seemed to be
imbued with a frenzied zeal. Afterward he was angered by his own
secret conviction that Stephen had been honored by God at the very
time when he was dishonored by men. Saul continued to persecute
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the church of God, hunting them down, seizing them in their houses,
and delivering them up to the priests and rulers for imprisonment and
death. His zeal in carrying forward this persecution brought terror to
the Christians at Jerusalem. The Roman authorities made no special
effort to stay the cruel work and secretly aided the Jews in order to
conciliate them and to secure their favor.
After the death of Stephen, Saul was elected a member of the
Sanhedrin council in consideration of the part he had acted on that
occasion. For a time he was a mighty instrument in the hands of
Satan to carry out his rebellion against the Son of God. But soon this
relentless persecutor was to be employed in building up the church
that he was now tearing down. A Mightier than Satan had chosen Saul
to take the place of the martyred Stephen, to preach and suffer for His
name, and to spread far and wide the tidings of salvation through His
blood.
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