Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1918-12-04

with Paul, WHO
was imprisoned, and was led to faith
in Christ He endeared himself to the
apostle by ministering to him in his
bonds, a service for which his training
as q slave peculiarly fitted him. Yet
the time came when Paul felt he
should send him back to his owner, the
Christian Philemon. But lie places IN
his hands the letter with which all the
world has become familiar, in order to
insure him kindly reception as
Christian brother, in spite Of his past
defections. Erasmus said Of this let
ter, "Cicero never wrote with greater
eloquence," and Renan declared that it
- "a small but true masterpiece of the
agt of letter writing"
We will not deal at this time with
the marvellous tact exhibited by Paul
N appealing to Philemon on behalf Of
Onesimus, but confine ourselves TO the
terms used by the apostle in speaking
OF the slave whom he is sending home.
It will help us to appreciate these
terms If we remind ourselves that, in
PaulS day, slaves were looked on as
things rather than men. Wealthy
men sometimes owned as many as TO-
600 or 10000, and couple Of hundred
in a family was common. In the time
Of Augustus 400 slaves were put to
1eath because their master had been
mSrdered, presumably by one Of them.
How remarkable, then. the express
sion Paul uses, MY son Onesimus
whom ] have begotten in my bonds"
He calls the thief his son. Again he
refers to him as "my very heart ".
12 r. W and says, "If thou count me
therefore a partner receive him as my
self" (v. ~. Anything which could
make Pharisee talk so about slave
is certainly worthy Of consideration
and the wonder Of it is increased as
we recall that Paul was Roman citi-
zen also.
Again. as if punning on On2sir1us'
name. he says that he was i'll time
past "to thee improbable, but now
profitable to thee ana 10 me. Nillt
was this power that had taken Onesi-
mus out of the refuse heap OF society
and made him useful to all tc whom
he was related? Noltairc said, phil
oSophy does not concern itself with
commsn minds. We have never under
II
'"Neii |" eili!S',''ii ''''''''i> '''''' .,'''D
'e' ''''''9' '''', '''''' ~ 'i''''''0'''
Turninu Point for John g. Couch.
WI c.u...,.. .,,oa..,,- ,.no,,.
.'' ~. -, ,',, .,,I 1T, ,,.,:,,, :; ,,o,,
,'o,'e-' 'N'' .,,1 -,
1"'' 30. "''''' ~ NV ''o ,',I -
we ""''"l' wa. '''''''l I'',' i''', :,
,,., uUa4, .., Lo' r, T,n " =, ~ Ca",g rmno
-,,ao 49,. >, ,,,o ,,',to, d,.,'I. ,.;,, ,hn
noonj;,r s,,, noTr;r., dow, nm hi. r,ra
a good woman passed by ana III COM
p"S>ioH YIN Ae' ii'iV'>V' ti'''i w -
his p1oaIeo Iace 10 protect II. mn
he aWoke he lound the DAINTY manu-
kerchicf and was greatly moved. SAID
he, Il am deep enough down. Goa
KNOWS nut some one mas 'h"uSht ne
worth plying ana / aiH worm pity
ing AN "o'ti' SaNills' IL vas ',''
turning point III MS me, """ 'ii'' i'c
became 'pfontanle he@uS ho ue'iioh-
Stratlon.
Finally Paul bids Philemon receive
this man, mot now as Il servant, but
above q servant, brother beloved,
specially to me, but how much more
unto thee, both in the flesh and in the
Lord" AS one has lalt it, 'Tn the flesh
Philemon had the brother for his
slave: in the Lord Philemon had the
slove for his brother" We need not
urge that y gospel which made master
and slave brethren sounded the death