Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-11-08

not, like Paul, try to open the hearts
Of those whom we would lead to Christ
by sacrificing ourselves for them2 Can
not we make them learn to love our
Jesus by FIRST making them learn to
love Us? Carry your flowers to the sick
room. Carry your food to the hungry.
Sacrifice yourself for men, and then
you will teach men to do and to sacri-
fee themselves for Christ.
But this is not the end of Psul's sur
prises on the island Of Melta. These
barbarians welcomed him with kind
ness. After he had healed their sick
they opened the doors of their homes
in gladstone welcome. But they did
more than this. After three months
sojourn of preaching and caring for
their souls as well as for their bodies
they came down to the sea to bid him
goodby. They crowded his prison cabin
with many things. Some brought a
warm cloak, some heavy shawl; some
one thing, some another. "And when
we departed they loaded us with such
things as were necessary" Now, what
do you think these Melita friends talk
ed mostly about before that ship set
sail when they came down to the
beach to bid Paul GOODBYE
Parting Gifts.
DO you suppose their conversations
were as silly as some l have heard
when the great transatlantic steamers
were about TO pull out of their docks in
New York harbor? Do you suppose
Publlus came to him and said, Now,
Paul, eat some peppermints and you
won't get seasick!'' Do you suppose
some one else said: "Now, Paul, when
you get to Rome | want you TO hunt
up my sister. She Is an antiquarian,
and she will tell you all the interesting
facts about the ruins of ancient
Rome" No. no. No such farewells as
that were said. We know that during
all his three months sojourn in Melita
Paul was preaching the gospel. lie
may have visited the sick and help
ed the barlarians here and there and
everywhere. But Paul did all this for
the great purpose Of preaching the Cos
pei of Jesus Christ. SO as Paul starts
out for Rome and the people come
down TO bid him goodby l think and
know it was about his gospel message
and his gospel teaching that they con-
versed and it would be with prayer
and apostolic benediction that Paul
would utter his farewell
Then think l see young girl come
to him and put her hand lovingly and
gently upon his shoulder as she says:
Paul. my brother is in Rome. Oh,
how I love him. Will you hunt him
up and tell him about Christi" Thus
think the different Melita friends
we'll messages. Nearly all OF them
must have had friends in Caesars cap
ital. Nearly all OF them, after they
had found Jesus as their Saviour, must
have wanted Paul to tell their loved
ones about the same Jesus 1t is sur
prising to me how little some people
get out Of the Bible. Cannot you find
the words, And they loaded us with
such things rs We're necessary" to
mean something more than few pills
to ward off seasickneSs. and a few gar
ments to keep Paul warm, and few
delcacies to WOO his failing appetite
Now, as Paul's NIelita friends start
ed him forth to try to win their loved
ones in Rome to Christ, so when we
enter gospel work the men and women
we bring to Christ will always help us
on to Rome. They will always help
us to bring their loved ones to Christ
Christian worker Of Melita. YOU are
going TO have many happy surprises"
in heaven. You will have many happy
surprises in your Christian work on
earth. But think the happiest one is
to be in heaven. You think that young
man and that young woman will new
er be won for Christ. They have re-
fused your gospel invitations again
and again. But keep on pleading
Keep on working. They will yet give
their hearts to God. They will do it
as surely as did some who heard Paul
preach in Malta and rejected him then.
but afterward repented. And after
earth they shall greet you in heaven
Oh, could any surprise give the Chris
tan worker as he enters heaven a
sweeter joy?
2CopvriCht Iona nv louis L<ionsch,