“He was on his way t’rest a lotta folks, an’ the lightnin’ struck him blind, an’ the soldiers he had with him didn’t see no one, jest heard a voice, an’ they didn’t know whatta think, an’ Saul—no, Paul—”
“He wasn’t Paul yet—”
“Well, he was right away then ’cause when he heard God he got borned again.”
“What is ‘born again’?” came from the lips of the unwilling teacher, almost without his own consent. He had no idea that these children could explain, and yet he somehow had to ask that question. He wanted to see what they would say.
“It’s givin’ yerself up to God!” said Skid cheerfully.
“It’s quit doin’ whatcher doin’ an’ doin’ the other thing. Sayin’ yer sorry an’ all that. Only Saul he said he didn’t know. He thought he was doin’ good—” said another boy.
“Ya can’t born yerself,” broke in young Gideon, “the teacher said so last Sunday. He said God had to do it. God borned Saul all over, and made him a new heart inside him when he said he wouldn’t do them things any more.”
“Aw, well, what’s that? I didn’t say ya could, did I?” broke in Skid. “Saul, he was blind when he got up, an’ he had to go on crutches to the city—”
“Aw, git out! Whatcher givin’ us? They don’t havta go on crutches when they’re blind. The soldiers helped him on his horse—”
“They went on camels then, I guess,” said Skid, taking the front of the stage again. “Anyhow, when he got to the city he was blind, and God sent a man to pray about him, and then he said ‘Brother Saul, receive thy sight,’ an’ after that he wasn’t blind any more, an’ he was born again. He was a new man then, ya know, an’ he didn’t kill folks any more, an’ he went and got to be a preacher.”