Northern tribune. [volume] (Cheboygan, Mich.) 1875-1885, 1877-12-15
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
The International sunday school Les.
son forsDecember 16th-Acts IS: IS
-31-Paul at Rome.
BY REV. e. p. RODGERS, ID. d.
From New York Observer.

the 60 pei to you that are at Rene also;
for am not a hamed of the gospel of
Christ. from. L: 15-l6.
Central Truth :-Christ's servants
preach him, wherever they are.
The Apostle has at last arrived at the
Eternal City, that city destined to play
such an important part i'm the religious
history of the world. Upon his arrival
he was delivered ITO the captain of the
guard" This was the usual course with
prisoners from the provinces. As the
papers i'm his case did not accuse him of
any specific crime, and as his department
during the entire journey must have inn
pressed the officer who had him i'm charge
very favorably, he was not put into close
confinement, but was permitted TO live
by himself under the special charge of a
single soldier.
Alter three days, Paul calls together the
chief men of his nation, residing in the
city, and gives them history of his case.
They replied that they had no prejudice
against him, knowing 10 harm of him,
and that they desired to know something
about Christianity, which, they added,
was everywhere spoken against. We
must not forget that there had been for
some years flourishing Christian church
at Rome, of which even some of the En-
peror's household were members, and
that Paul had written a letter to them.
So that these Jews were not utterly ig-
norant of the new religion. The Apostle
gladly accedes to their request, and OH ii
given day he discussed with them the
whole subject of Christianity, proving
from the Old Testament Scriptures the
Messiahship of Jesus.
Paul's preaching resulted in the usual
way. "Some believed the things which
were spoken, and some believed not" So
the Apostle closed his labors with them
by quoting very solemn prophecy from
Isaiah, and tells his unbelieving, country
men i'm Rome, what he had before de
clared i'm Antiech of Pisida, that the
salvation of Cod was sent to the Geptiles,
and they would hear it.
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
/ l. Every Christian is under the
special care of Gods Providence until
his work is done.
1t was the purpose of God that after
a quarter of century of toll and trial,
as preacher of the faith which he once
destroyed, Paul should complete his min
istry in the great capital of the world.
AT the time when he was struck down
on his way TO Damascus. and was blind
for three days, God revealed to Ananias.
that even the prosecuting, Saul of
Tarsus. was to be "a chosen vessel to
bear my name before the Gentiles and
kings" And when after twenty-five
years of constant labor anu suffering i'm
the cause of Christ, the devoted Apostle
was prisoner i'm the dungeons of the
Castle Antonia at Jerusalem, while the
outside crowd were clamoring for his
blood, the same message came to him in
the darkness of the night: BE Of good
cheer, Paul, for as thou has testified OF
me in Jerusalem, so must thou bear wit
ness also AT Rome"
Through all those years the Apostle
was exposed to all form Of persecution,
and was constantly in danger of his life.
Read his own graphic account of his eX-
posures and dangers, as it is recorded e
Cor. 11:23-27) and see what he endured.
But the good Providence of God attend
ed HIM, tor his work was not finished
until liz the imperial city. and under the
shadow of the palace OF the Caesars, he
had testified OF the Gospel, and advocated
the claims of Prince who was greater
than they.
'.Man is immortal till his work is done."
Let us not be afraid of aught that may
befall us in the path of duty. Gods
people are always safe. He will take
care of them so long as tie has anything
tor them to do or to suffer. And when
He has nothing more for them OH earth,
then they are ready for Heaven and
Heaven is ready for them.
2. The testimony of Christians life
is better than that OF his death.
Some have wondered that more is not
told us of the closing scenes of the great
Apostles life. The record closes very
abruptly and leaves us in the dark. We
know that he reached Rome III the spring
A. D.6l, ,and ''dwelt two whole years in his
own hired house, Here the inspired
account suddenly closes. The testimony
of reliable tradition, however, i'm cOnnec-
ton with his later Epistles, throws some
light on Paul's last days. He was first
arraigned before Nero in 63 and released;
Then he spen. five years Of active and
successful Christian work. until his final
trial and execution by decapitation in 6S.
But of the circumstances of his death
and his dying testimony we have no ac-
count. 1t is not needed. We know that
such life as his leads to but one death,
the death of the righteous. And living
is better than dying testimony for any
Christian.
Some Christians are afraid that they