The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-05-20
ST. PAUL AND NERO
DIR. SIMS sTRIkINGLY COMPARES
THE TWO MEMS LIVES.
st. Paurs Work for Christianity and
His Peaceful End. and NerO's
Death by His own Hand.

Rev. DR.. Sims. pastor of the Meridian
street NJ. r. Church, last night preached the
first of a series of dscourses which he. ex-
poets TO deliver upon the great characters
in the Christian world. Last night he took
the life OF the apostle Paul as his topic,
following closely the religious existence of
this man and in the end comparing his life
to that of Nero, the Roman Emperor. Paul
wrote TO his brethren at the close of his
career:
II have fought a good fight; 1 have
finished my course and L have kept the
faith These were wonderful sayings,
thought the pastor Christianity did not
get its first hold in Judea. God commits
stoned the great apostle of the gentiles for
his work as a missionary. Paul was prov
identially prepared for his work. God in
all the ages prepares men for the duties they
are TO undertake. Saul was Jew and was
proud of his Jewish origin. He was also
a Greek scholar, which was the polite
language of his day. But he was more
than that; he was educated in the Jewish
Scriptures. Besides, he was a Roman citi
zen and went about sheltered by his Roman
citizenship. The time of his birth is OBJ
scure. but he was of about the age of
Jesus of Nazareth, perhaps little older.
in the faith of his fathers and was pre-
pared TO strike down everything that inter-
fered. When conversion came to Saul of
Tarsus the same intensity that sent him
out TO prosecute Christians caused him to
preach the gospel. Paul went into his work
as missionary when he was forty years
of age. With Barnabas he started out for
a tour of Asia Minor and then back to the
starting point. The trip was full of hard
ship but he did not fail and came back
home TO tell the story of sending Christian
ity to the end of the world. Paul went
out without treasury behind him; he sus-
tanned himself and did the grandest work
that the world ever knew. He came home
and q council of the apostles was called.
He was given a letter of recommendation
to the world and started out second time.
For four long years he Travelled without
reporting to headquarters, but came home
and again the same restless spirit sent HIM
out again.
The third time he came back. only to be
arrested. The world had little sympathy for
him. For two whole years he waited in the
old city of Rome for trial. He was made
a soldier, and wherever he went he was
de- b to MS D w ot his esa3s Then
he was brought TO trial before Nero, the
young, Emperor, and twenty-five judges
ment and melting the people. His position
was one TO drive his friends away, and
Paul afterward said:
with me. and He delivered me from the
lions mouth" Finally ne was acquitted
by Nero. For five years there followed
chapter of unwritten history, then Paul
is brought back again for trial. But the
spirit of the Emperor is changed; Rome is
changed everything is different. Neros
ambition had been to make new city where
old Rome stood, and he laid his plans. SO
complete were his arrangements that in
the burning of Rome not soul of the
changed the whole plan, and splendid
city arose. Into the new city Paul came.
1t was age of wonderful luxury and
magnificent architecture. The great golden
and into that palace st. Paul came for
his second trial. This time he was con-
demned and sent to the old prison built
of great volvanic rock. In his letter to
Timothy Paul said:
II am lonely here; come TO me speedily.
My friends have left me; Mark is gone,
and only Luke is with me. The end is near;
my departure is at hand. and ! am ready
TO give IL up. So Paul went to his exc
pronouncing the sentence OF death upon
DR.. Sims followed the sinful life of the
Emperor until he died by his own hand
to save himself from public execution. In
conclusion. he drew comparisons between
the lives OF the two men. One chung TO
the teachings OF Jesus of Nazareth and
was scourged and put to death. What
of him to-day? The earth makes its pill
grimage to the very spot where he suf-
sacred ground. The golden house of Nero
is in ruins because il was built in sin.
Nothing stands to-day that is built on in
iuuity That is the record of the world.
Paul in prison than TO be Nero on his
throne