The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-19
DR.. OMAN CITES
LIVING EXAMPLES
Tells the Story of Onesimus
at Pisgah Home
PAUL'S BIG TRIUMPH
Hot Dinner Served at the Home Yes
terday to Twenty-Five Men and
Women Gathered from
the Streets

| Notwithstanding the heat a large audi
ence assembled at Pisgah home yesterday
afternoon to hear DR.. C. o. Oman.
! Plsgah feast" had been given at
noon and among those present were %
poor men and women gathered from the
streets and given hot dinner.
| DIR. cxnam spoke 'on "A mans value
multiplied by conversion" and taking his
text from Philemon 10-11, said: This Is
one of the sweetest love letters In the
| Bible, or, indeed In all literature. In
some places possibly at Ephesns. Paul had
run across Philemon. and with his accus-
toned fidelity had brought about his
conversion.
| They had become very warm personal
| friends. Slavery was in that day almost
universal. Nearly all the heavy work OF
| the world was done by slavvs. Philemon
| had in his house a slave named Onesimus
| He was bad fellow. and finally ended a
| most Improbable career, so far as his
master was concerned, by running away.
1t was in the time when Rome was the
got to drifting around; always having a
hunted feeling he drifted down TO Rome.
There some divine providence brought
him to Pauls attention.
| Perhaps his homesickness and loneI-
ness, or, more likely yet, his own hunger
and poverty drove him to Paul for help.
Heart Filled With Pity
| Now Paul was one of the greatest soul
winners that has ever blessed this world.
/ ffs.f1 .nFaG Inn aH
there was so much cheerfulness and
Astounding joy about 1t, that 1t charmed
| nearly everybody who came into touch
with him and as Paul looked on this poor,
/ hungry runaway slave, about as hopeless
| and xretched a creature as any man ever
| looked on anywhere, his heart was filled
with pity for him, and he longed to win
| to Christ and bring to light the buried
manhood that was in him. As the miner
rejoices to bring to the surface rhe hid
den goid; as the searcher after diamonds
delights to find the shining gems in the
| blue clay, SO Christ and men who like
| Paul are possessed by the spirit of Christ
| delight in nothing much as In seizing
| upon man a woman who has been
| trodden down in the mire and muck of
| sin until there is left no visible trace of
| the image of God. and through their love
| to cleanse and purify that lost jewel until,
| redeemed and glorified, 1t shines In the
| crown of God.
Paul wanted all the more to save
| Onesimus because he was probably about
| the worst case he ever saw. I can hear
the old white haired hero as he chuckles
to himself with holy glee, what a victory
| hat will be over the devil. What a
| triumph for my divine Lord II can take
| this poor fellow, this runaway slave. who
| has never been any good to anybody since
| he was born, and save him from his sins.
| l will build fire of unselfisn love In
| his soul and make a man OF him. All,
| that will be glorious,
Paul Went to Work
! 80 Paul set to work to win Onesimus to
| Christ and he did it, The Christ in Paul
was so apparent that as Paul talked with
| him and prayed with him and loved him,
this poor despairing man whom nobody
| had ever loved found q great hunger In
| his sou, to know the Saviour who had
given to Paul such glorious charm.
Wren he is converted Paul sends hi.n
| all about it, He tells Philemon how glad
| he is that he has been able to bring about
the conversion of Onesimus and that he
| new loves him so much that he thinks
| about him as his own SON and he begs
| Philemon to receive him with all the love
and consideration he would if Paul had
a sor to send to him. He tells Philemon
that he is well aware how good for moth
| ing ard Improbable the fellow was in
| the past; but all that Is changed now,
for he has become a man. man of honor
and Integrity, man who IS willing to