Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1918-09-26

was imprisoned, and was led to faith
in Christ. He epdeared himself to the
apostle by ministering to him in his
bonds, service for which his training
as a slave peculiarly fitted him. Yet
the time came when Paul felt he
should send him back to his owner, the
Christian Philemon. But he places in
his hands the letter with which all the
world has become familiar, in order to
insure him a kindly reception as
Christian brother, in spite of his past
OBJECTIONS. Erasmus said of this let
ter, Cicero never wrote with greater
eloquence." and Renan declared that it
is "a small but true masterpiece of the
art of letter writing"
We will not deal at this time with
the marvellous tact exhibited by Paul
in 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.
1t will help us to appreciate these
terms if we remind ourselves that, in
Paul's day, slaves were looked on as
things" rather than men. Wealthy
men sometimes owned as many as TO-
900 or 10000. and couple of hundred
in a family was common. In the time
of Augustus 400 slaves were put to
death because their master had been
murdered. presumably by one of them.
How remarkable, then. the express
sion Paul uses, MY son Onesimus
whom 1 have begotten in my bonds"
He calls the thief his Soni Again he
refers to him as "my very heart" ".
II r. w and says, eff thou count me
therefore partner, receive him as my
self" ". I'D. Anything which could
make Pharisee talk so about a 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 Onesimus'
name. he says that he was in time
past Ito thee Improbable, but now
profitable to thee and to me-" What
was this power that had taken Onesi-
mus out of the refuse heap of society
and made him useful to all to whom
he was related? Voltaire said, "Phil-
osophy does not concern itself with
common minds. We have never under
taken to enlighten cobblers and maid
servants. We leave that to apostles"
Turning Point for John q. Cough.
Well. fortunately, the apostles knew
a power, even the gospel which is unto
salvation to every one who believes.
We wonder what Voltaire could have
done for Onesimus, or to come to mod
ern times, for John B. Cough? Cough
once lay in the gutter. drunk, with the
monday sun pouring down on his face.
A good woman passed by and in COM
passion threw her handkerchief over
tod TO
he awoke he found the dainty hand
kerchief and was greatly moved. Said
he, II am deep enough down, God
knows, but some one has thought me
worth plying, and if 1 am worth pity
ing. 1 am worth saving" 1t was the
turning point in his life, and that he
became profitable needs no demon
stration.
Finally Paul bids Philemon receive
this man, mot now as a servant, but
above a servant, a brother beloved.
specially to me, but how much more
unto thee, both in the flesh and in the
Lord" As one has put it. I'm the flesh
Philemon had the brother for his
slave; in the Lord Philemon had the
slave for his brother" We need not
urge that gospel which made master
and slave brethren sounded the death
knell of slavery.
First Christianixe-Then Civilize.
We hear much today of social re-
form, but forget sometimes that "the
soul of Improvement is the improve
ment of the soul" Would that we
might learn from the story of Onesi-
mus this truth, which all the Christian
centuries illustrate. The history of
missions in Greenland is a typical one.
Hans Egede went out first and lahored
faithfully on the theory that we should
first civilize, then Christianize. But he
finally gave up his task as hopeless He
was followed by John Back, who re-
versed the process and found the Sc
cret of success. From his lips saw
age named Kajarnak heard the story
of Christ's agony in the garden. 1t
melted his heart and he went out with
flowing eyes and Irresistible pathos to
tell his countrymen the story of the
Cross He does most for social reform
who plants most deeply the Spirit of
Christ.