The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1921-12-01
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prepared Especially for The Republi-
can by DIR. U. S. Wright.
PAUL IN MELITA AND ROME
Acts 2S:1-31.

am not ashamed of he gospel; for
it is the power of God unto saliva
ton to every one that believeth.-
Romans :15, 16.
RISK AND REWARD
Dragged, weak with the battle IN
the surge, bitten by the wind and
battered by the rain, it was a sorry
company that stood on the bleak
shore. They had lost all in the wreck
and yet joy was everywhere because
life was theirs. Immediately they
were beset by the "barbarians," as
even courteous Luke calls them, who
kindled a fire for the shivering visi-
tors. High caste Jerusalem had
builded a hotter fire for Paul; cult
waited Greece had laughed him out of
court and imperial Rome had kept
his innocent limbs in letters, yet
Jew, Greek and Roman alike dub
these kindly souls ''barbarians." We
say "yap,' "Hunky," "Chink," mig
GER" and the like, and warm our
selves by the fires their service has
kindled-how far have we Travelled
across the centuries? But to Paul
am sure it must have been Brother
Publius." Paul was as wet as the
rest, but not bit better than the
''barbarians," for he hurried with
them to hunt wood for the succoring
fire. Poor weak-eyed Apostle, he
snake, but he was gathering wood
just the same, for he would help in
any way he could. 'Meet Sir Bartle
Frere," was the command to the SER
want on the day he was to arrive.
GLOW shall | know him ?" Look
for a tall man who is helping some
body" was the reply. And when he
saw tall figure carrying a char-wo-
mans basket from the train he knew
him for the noble that he was. Paul
belonged to the same brand of nobil-
ity whose badge is the basin and
towel of the Upper Room. Doubt
less the snake was too stiffened to in
ject any poison before the swift mo-
ton flung it into the fire and the
steady-nerved Paul may have held
his hand there until he cauterized
whatever wound had been made if
there was scratch, for he took no
hurt He took the risk that he might
help. And he who would serve must
always take risks. There is no blood
less surgery for souls, only it is the
surgeon that spills it. Witness the
Master and Model of us all. Yet
there is always return for self-giv-
ing. Paul was quickly asked into a
house, as he would not have been eX-
cept for the advertisement of the
fire. And the kindly barbarian who
received him into the home where
sickness might have easily been made
an excuse for refusal, found that
health walked across the threshold
with the reception. After that the
days sped swiftly as they ministered
to all the needy within reach, and
when the time for departure came
they were loaded with gifts from
these same good people.
LETTERS AND GOALS.
February or March, 60, saw the
journey resumed in another grain
sb;o With +bo Ty,;,, pro+bo re &c 4,
figurehead Eighty miles sailing
brought them to historic Syracuse
where they tarried for favoring winds
and then away for eighty miles more.
The Bay of Naples, 1870 miles farther
on, was their port of debarking, as
the grain was unloaded at Puteoli on
It's shore. From here there would be
a wearisome walk of 140 miles to
Rome and the Centurion tarried to
rest the travellers and make the ar
rangements for the trip. Christians
greeted them and evidently hurried
a messenger to Rome telling of the
safe arrival. Forty-six miles from
the gates a delegation of eager
brethren peered through the dust to
catch a glimpse of the worn prisoner.
There were strangers, or Luke would
have called the roll of familiar
names. Thirteen miles farther they
found larger company who had
been outwalked by the others, and
the remainder of the journey was
made in the quickened hours of re-
cital of the common love for their
Lord. Small wonder that Paul was
cheered. No Indifferent soul would
walk 92 miles for the mere fun of
saying, II am glad to see you" And
the Apostle needed cheering. He had
dreamed of the conquest of the Cap
ital by his Christ, but how different
was his coming from his dream. He
was fettered prisoner whose fate
lay in the caprice of the cruelest ty-
rant that ever disgraced a state. The
early promise which probably infu-
enced Paul in the appeal of his case
had passed to the full knowledge
now that the murderer of mother, a