The Brinkley argus., 1916-11-17
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 1e
FROM MELITA TO ROME.

! GOLDEN TEXT-I am not ashamed of the gospel; for it is the power of God un- ! to salvation to everyone that believeth.- Rom. 1:16
 1 In this lesson we see somewhat of the human side of Pauls character. No man appreciated fellowship more than he. Look up Acts :15; 1855; I 1 Cor. 7:6; Thess 3:1, 2; II Tim. 4 :21. 1 l. The Sea Journey (vv. 11-14). !. Paul left Melita (Malta) probably Feb ruary, A. D. 60 From there to Syra- cuse was distance of between 80 and 1 100 miles, From the island of Syra- cuse (now part of Italy) to Rhegium was one days sail. From Rhegium to Puteoli was 1SO miles. Puteoli (mod- ern Pozzuoli) is in the Bay of Naples, eight miles from the modern city of Naples. Paul and his band who had done so much for the Maltese were specially honored with many honors. l (v. 1O.)
 In these verses we have picture of Paul seeking out his brethren wherever he went, thanking God and taking courage as they came to meet with him and converse with him. It is a picture upon which we ought to ponder deeply and be grateful that it reveals 1 to us side of Paul little known and appreciated.
 II. The Land Journey (vv. IA, 15). At Puteoli, Paul and his companions began their march to 140 miles to the city of Rome. After a march of 60 miles they reached the famous Appii l Forum, i. e., "The market of Appius." Here Paul is met by the first dele gation from the church at Rome, who were waiting to welcome him and Luke and escort them to the capital city. A second delegation met them at the Three Taverns, or "The Three Shops" as we would call stores in the modern sense. These Christians had \ come at no small cost, as they had to walk 46 miles to the Appii Forum and B to the Three Taverns, and then walk the same distance back to the city. Thus it was that the sight of these friends cheered Paul and he thanked God. We can we'll imagine the joy of those souls, the communion enjoyed by those pilgrims as they journeyed toward the imperial city.
 We can see in the letters which Paul wrote from Rome plain signs of his longing for sympathetic friends and can imagine how he must have felt upon being thus greeted on his journey. We can also imagine something of the blessing and inspiration which must have come to those Christians who met this famous soldier of the cross and had the privilege of escorting him to the city,
 III. In Rome (vv. 16-29). Having entered into the city the centurion Ju- Illus, who had become friend of Paul, delivered the prisoners to the captain of the guard. This officer we are told was a liberal-minded man, one of the few good people in the corrupt life of the city. Paul was probably first taken to the forum. which was the center of imperial power and magnificence and near which was the "house of Caesar" (Phil. 4:22.) Paul was not sent to I prison for 1t was against the law to put a Roman into prison without trial, but he was permitted to dwell by himself in "his own hired house." Of course, there was a soldier who guarded him. This was the city where Paul had so long desired to preach the Gospel. (Rom. l :14-16.) As in other places he first turned to the Jews for he loved his own people no matter how much he had suffered at their hands. He got them together that he might preach unto them Jesus and sought to conciliate them.
 In Paul's preaching he always em- i phasized that a Messiah was risen l from the dead as a guaranty of all other resurrections. In his day, as in this present one, there were those who spoke against this, and yet that resurrection was to conquer the world and to save it from moral ruin. Those present had had no word out of Judea. 1 (v. 21) At later and public meet ing (v. 23) there came unto him, that Is, into his lodgings, great numbers to whom Paul sounded the Gospel of the Kingdom and gave his personal testi- mony. He proved out of the law of Moses and out of the prophets, com mon ground for them all, that the Mes siah had truly come, the prophecies of the kingdom of God had been fulfilled, and that Jesus by his life and death and teaching had shown the Jews how perfectly the latter were fulfilled. This Paul did from morning till evening, following the same line as in his speech before Agrippa and in other places where he had been testifying. All of his explanations and testimon- ials centered in Jesus. It was no ab- stract mental theory for an improved order of society but definite reign of definite person, Jesus of Nazareth. Paul is a great example for any Bible student to follow.
 f As on so many other occasions, 1 Paul's preaching caused a division. (v. l 26.)
 And again he turns to the Gentiles. 1