The Indianapolis sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1880-1904, 1885-04-26
THE SUNDAY.SCHOOL.

International LessOns-By Henry NJ. OrOut,
ID. D.-Aprii &c Paul at HOme-Acts 70:
IG 81.
GOLDEN TEXT salvation of God is sent
unto the Gentiies-Acts %: %.
Paul is now st last at Rome. His long.
cherished desire end oft-repeated prayer
that he might be permitted to see the bre b.
rem there is accomplished from. 1919
Hitherto he has bsen hindeled. The ais.
lance was great and the expense of the
journey beyond his means. But the Master
be serves has found a way to bring him
hithsr without cost to himself. Moreover
the circumstances under which he comes, as
distinguished prisoasr without any de-
fined accusation aud in the friendly keeping
OF julius secured to him both better protsc-
ton and larger liberty of preaching than ne
c. uld otherwise have en- Dyed.
Rome was now an immense city and the
centre OF vast empire. The city itself con -.
tanned not lees than two millions of inhabi.
tants, aud the empire extended through Eu
rope to he Atlantic on the west, to the Eu-
pirates in Asia on the east, to the Rhine
and Danube Oh the north. AID to the Afri-
can desert of Sahara on the south. There
was no other such centre of pow r and in
huenoe in the world; no other 80 important
q field for Christian work. And the fruit Of
PsuTs two years labor proved the wisdom Of
that Providence which, having brought
him here, dsts ned him for tee space of two
years
AT once on his entering the city an uaus-
ual measure OF freedom vas accorded to the
Apostle With the soldier to whom he il
chained he is suffered 20 abide by himself"
A, we soon md him sin MS own hired
house" the expense of which was
DOUBTLESS borne by his fellow Chris.
tisns. Here ne can receive such as desire TO
come TO him. And, through his frequently
C angling guard, he can convey his message
10 the Roman soldiers I'd the servants OF
Oessar. Tnus he has his hearts chisf desire
ID tbe liberty be enjoys TO preach Christ,
Eotgitl anding the chain which biHds hun.
]. One OF The things which came strik-
ingiy TO view IN these verses is PANS 40
ceeslDg hunger for souls. He has had not
three entire Gays fer rest and intercOur5e
nvil the disciples who welcomed HIN Whs4
VEe again find him engaged Ia D AIS and sf
forts for the unconvertsd about MIN. That
De IS prisoner, chained TO q soldier does
lot lessen his courage. Nothing can dGunt
or divert him. Truly he can say CHRIST
hveth IN NE.
, A second thing which stands out in
the narrative IS his wisdom aud tact in seek
irg souls 17~20l This marked him wsyS
Bare he still stands by his rule to preach TO
the Jew first aud then 10 the Gentile. So he
begiI bis work with the Jews. And how
considerably, as well as earnestly ne goes
sD0ut it. How carefully does he set hi Msslf
TO remove every misaDprehensi On which
light hinder the message ne would convey.
HIS whole aim at this first interview is in
this direction SO he calls them "bIethren'';
speaks of the Jewish fathers as our fathers:
snd explains his case in s way that his con-
duct had teen that OF friend of HIS people
and their people Nor did ne altogether fail.
be at least excitsd their curiosity to hear
him again, and 80 know from his own lips
concerning the sect" OF which he was
distip guished leader. By like wi,dom and
tsct should we approach men. Few things
are more important than this. IL we woalu
conviccs and persuade men we must first of
sl get into friendly relations with them.
B. A third thing TO be no iced is the sub :
stance OF the message he would convey (23).
Every where, at DAmascus, Jerusalem A 1Ii-
och, EDbtsUs. COrinth snd Ath sns, that u as.
sage was one and the same: Jesus and the
new kingdom he came 70 set up; that new
society Of redeemed souls of which Jesus
vas once Saviour and Lord. This was and is
s message for ell suited TO ali, the need of all.
The true preacher does net have one message
for one people and another for another. The
high ard low rich and poor. learned and tx
norant, need to be told the sans story of
Christ, and won oy repentance and faith to
the same DeEness OF ia.
The fourth thing TO be observed is mis-
solemn sdnoniIion TO INDECENT aud dishon-
est hs arts "a 2Sl The substance OF his mes.
ssss vss drssn by PaaI froW their oEn