The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-12-11
Sunday School Lesson for December II.
PAUL'S LAST WORDS.
BY j. e, GILBERT, D. D., IL. D.,
Secretary Of American Society of Religious Education

churchs interests are Linked. q John
iii, 81.
MISUNDERSTANDING from the lesson,
seven verses that deal with some of
Pauls fellow-WOrkcrs, the International
committee has brought the sixteenth
verse Immediately after the eighth. es-
tabliShing a relation Of thought not alto
gether Improbable. When, during MS
second imprisonment the apostle was
first called to answer before the project
of the city, none of the Christians stood
with him, he was left alone as Jesus was.
Matt xvi, so. Yet re prayed for them.
(ActS vii, COZ. But while fOrsdken of men
he realized the presence of the Lord who
stood by him, as on other occasions (Acts
xiii, IL, ana strengthened him. So sup
ported, he was able to preach to the Gen
tiles Iut him Verse ~. a sermon which
was reported, ana Of whose substance
We ar not Informed. Thus, he was de-
lverca out OF the mouth of the lion, es-
capped the temptation which Satan might
have offered Il Peter V, -, which he in
Variably does present when people are in
amy trouble. Ul Peter il, %. This is
PIul's last record of victory through the
grace Of Jesus Christ.
CONFIDENCE.-E favor which the
Lord shows TO His people in their dis
tress, increases their faith in Him. psalm
NXXii, %, 1t was, therefore, fortunate
that Paul'5 friends left him, and that Di-
Inc support came 10 him BY that eX-
percnce he not only triumpheu over
Satan, but acquired new confidence which
he expresses 10 Timothy verse lO, fun
of comfort 10 both. "TLe LORD shall de-
liver me from every evil work" he says,
with firm reliance OF His keeping power,
Ike that felt by The saints in olden times
psalm cNXi, =, only made more personal.
His fears Were all dismissed. Thereafter
no one could harm him. q Peter iii, 49,.
The Lord "will preserve me unto His
heavenly kingdom" ne adds looking for
ward over the brief space of mortal life
TO the fruitiOn Of his hopes, the Consum-
nation Of his work. Here the epistle vir-
tually ends, What follows pertains to
some dear friends. But the climax OF
Pauls life was reached when with utter
dependence on the Lord. he waited with
compoaure for his transfer home.
CONCLUSION.-We are now to take
leave of this man OF God. For nine
months we have followed his history or
studied his writings. Beginning with his
conversion we have travelled with him
from city to city from country to cOun-
try, never wearied, but often refreshed
and stimulated by his heroic deeds and
masterful words. Always and every
where he proved TO be a sincere faithful
diligent self-sacrihcing steward of the
gifts of God true to the vision by whicn
he was called to be an apostle. Thirty
years have passed away, and ne Is be
come Paul the aged" CPhlem. 81. Far
from his native land, in a Roman prison.
abandoned by timid friends, his heart
yearns for the companionship of one who
had been with him in mis- earlier tolls Il
Tim. iv, 81, whom he eXhOrts to come TO
him, to whom he writes not knowing that
they shall meet again. That letter Is his
dying Gift to the universal church. II
tells OF faith, and hope, and love. 1t shows
how a soul may triumph IN the nour Of
death and how the religion Of Jesus sup
ports even unto the uttermost.