Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1909-11-12

was enthroned.
he was lone man, a poor man. a
man in chains. and yet he was the
avant courier of rising power that
was to turn the tide of Roman history.
and revolutionize the world. Had
Nero on his throne been aware of the
dynamic force embodied in that little
travelstained prisoner he would have
been as profoundly moved and great
ly troubled as if some foreign foe were
laundering at his gates. But he knew
1t not, and he continued his drunken
revels while the city slept, uncon.
scious of the Transformation scene
which the entrance of that prisoner
assured.
Getting a Hearing.
1t is not hard to get hearing for
the gospel when the seeker. like Paul,
has the fire in his bones" He was a
prisoner after sort but was so well
reported of that he was allowed to
live "for two whole years in his own
hired house."
But "the Word of God was not
bound" and Paul felt that he could
not rest without delivering his mes
sage. He might have spent his time
amid the splendid architecture, world
famous sculpture and historical anti
quities, but nothing of that sort could
divert him from his work. And hence
within three days after his arrival at
hn s1f
of the Jews, the rulers and leading
men of the synagogues, that he might
disarm their prejudices. Without a
trace of bitterness he fGrgives and
forgets the evils that had been in
fiicted upon him. One thing must be
said to the credit of his prosecutors,
they had not sent on to Rome their
evil reports and base SANDERS, and
he is assured by his countrymen there
that they had heard nothing against
him.
Expository Preaching.
Paul was not like some modern
preachers who take text and preach
from it. He was a splendid type of
that very uncommon class of divines
who preach expository sermons-the
meatiest, juicyest. most interesting Of
all the styles of preaching. He took
his text from the Old Testament, the
only Bible there was in those days,
and appeared to have no difficulty in
finding Christ in the Gospel accord
ing to Moses. So captivating, evan
gelical, Scriptural was he in his ex-
position, and SO tremendously in earn
est, that he preached all day but held
his congregation to the end That
was the first Gospel sermon that his
listeners had ever heard and they
were so deeply stirred that they took
no note of time.
A Crisis of Destiny.
1t makes no difference who the
preacher is, or what or how long is
his sermon he cannot make his hear
ers believe. To present the message
is the duty of the man OF God, to ac-
cept or reject it is the hearers prero-
gative. 1t is some comfort to hard
working modern clergymen that even
Paul failed to convert he majority of
those to whom he preached. Some
churches seem to think that if they
could only get Brother Silvertongue
for their preacher their entire congre-
cation would be swept into the king
DOM But whoever occupies the pulpit
this will be the verdict of history
Some believed the things which
were spoken, and some believed not"
The same truth produces different eff
fects even as the shining of the sun
softens ice and hardens clay.
Promoted.
With this lesson the story of the
life of Paul abruptly closes. Luke the
amenuensis, very likely took the time
to write it during the two years in
which they dwelt at Rome. And Paul
wrote many Of the epistles, which are
incorporated in the sacred canon dur
ing that time. Tradition says some
thing about release, te-arrest and
execution after FIVE years more Of toll.
But the book of The Acts is the only
certain historical guide in tracing his
life. Nevertheless, all critics agree
that the life of Paul did not extend
over more than five years from this
point.
One day small procession wendell
its way through the gates. and paul
the Aged" was again in the midst.
The mightiest mind in the Christian
church was on his way to promotion
and coronation. He had just penned
his last message and was, now ready
to be offered. He had fought the good
fight. He had kept the faith. He had
finished his course" Soon the SOL
diers halt. and the executioner steps
forward. For the last time those tot
tering limbs bend in prayer There
is flash in the sunlight as the heads
mans axe descends-and the worn
and weary pilgrim Is at sest