South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1916-03-20
WITH THE LOCAL PASTORS

trated his point by relating the ex-
/ perience Of Apostle Paul while in
I the Roman prison and the manner
In which ne used his time instead
I of idling away his two years as
7 many prisoners Of today do IN
speaking Of the example ne set
/ forth ne said
"Pauls long cherished desire 20
see Rome. the capital city Of the
i empire. was at last grained; but
I how very different was IL brought
about from what ne had dreamed.
/ As the far famed glory Of the
'seven-hilled city dawned' upon his
/ vision il served only 10 emphasize
/ the disappointing fact that ne was
"a prisoner. facing the judgment bar
Of the inhuman matricide. Emperor
Nero
Paul Grasps Opportunity.
God moves in a mysterious way,
Ills wonders to perform. 10y a
gracious providence Paul was per-
mitted 20 live i'm a hired house. un-
der the constant surveillance OF a
Roman soldier What will ne do
/ with his time as ne waits the call
I Of the emperor? viii ne NOPE and
+ curse the fate which bound him
B with changing chains 20 a Roman
( soldier? VIII be murmur against
I the seeming injustice of God. or Will
he become pessimistic. irritable and
unbelieving? Indeed not Paul sees
/ iu this enforced inactivity in a pTis-
on house an opportunity and a priv
ilege to advance the cause of his
blessed Lord and Savior.
/ Many people try 10 excuse them
/ selves from Christian faith and obli-
( cation ON account Of their circum-
+ stances. Paul rebukes all such peo-
T pie. All things work together for
good TO them that love God. Pow
erty, misfortune, sickness, failure.
/ bereavement are among the all
things which many treat as hind
RANGES. while others consider them
as helps to a fuller and richer fell
+ loWship with God. Great men mas
+ ter their circumstances. weak men
+ let their circumstances master them.
I Paul proved his greatness by trans
( forming his prison chamber into a
pulpit, and changing his disadvant-
age into coign of vantage
blessing in Disguise.
! "PauPs imprisonment was a bless
/ ing in disguise. 1t carried him To
( the hub OF the empire. It is the
I genius of Christianity that il seeks
/ 10 capture the most strategic centers
/ of the world and make them it's base
! of operations; and these are usually
/ the large cities. No more likely
/ place for a mighty ministry like
PauFs could be imagined than the
city Of Rome. with its radiating
/ highways 10 all parts of the world.
Prison life reacted on PauTs
/ character He had been used to a
/ hard. hustling. matter f-fact char
acter, as is evident by the tone OF
| his later epistles. Persecution and
J pain are often Gods best angels, for
whom the Lord loveth He chasten-
eth. Again. PauIs imprisonment re-
suited in the building up of a strong
! Christian community in Rome.
There WAS even a church in Caesars
/ household Many came out of curl
I tSAAEs anu inc NnuA-lu always ndQ
a message for them which would
| glorify his Master. The world does
{ not know what il owes to that Ro-
man prison for it's literature. Those
1 matchless letters TO the Ephesians.
/ Philippians, COlossians and Phile-
mon were written during that time.
| Who can measure the spiritual inn
pact upon the world Of those two
years. Ebert Hubbard well says.
! Lovers of truth must thank exile
! for some OF our richest and ripest
| literature If we have the living
Christ dwelling in our hearts, our
/ spirits and minds will live above any
/ earthly prison house. and we shall
J find in every circumstance an op-
, portunity 20 glorify God. preach the
/ gospel Of Jesus Christ. and bring
/ blessing TO our followmen"