Pueblo chieftain., 1921-12-04
BY WILLIAM t ELLIS


BY WILLIAM T ELLIS
Like long arm reached out to all
the world, thrusting vast problems
under the eyes of every nation, the
Washington Conference on Limitation
of Armament and problems OF the
Pacific has aroused peoples every
where to the gravity and the acute
ness of certain great issues. The vast
concerns of peace and right and fra
ternity have had first-page position
in the press of the whole earth. The
educational value OF this widespread
p sentation, and consequent discuss
sion of vital themes is one of the ways
in which democracy works out its
will
Now into the thick of this interest,
with that timeliness which seems
nothing less than providental, is pro-
jected this Sunday School Lesson
which many millions will study. The
text is one of the shortest books of
the Bible. the letter to Philemon. a
by Paul, from his prison in Rome. and
sent by the hand of Onesimus, run
away slave belonging to Philemon,
who had become a Christian under
the apostles teaching.
In this brief personal epistle of six
hundred words, SO tender and inti-
mate, that it has ofen been called
Paurs one love-letter, we find com
bined an Industrial problem, a social
problem, criminal problem, an
ethical problem and a religious prob
lem-and a solution for them all.
THE RUNAWAY'S ROMANCE
No cold-blooded. impersonal. theo-
logian was this veteran preacher,
traveller, statesman, the apostle Paul,
whom we here find a prisoner in
Rome. AS an oriental wine-skin drips
good wine wherever 1t is pricked, so
the life of Paul, wherever touched,
bleeds rich, red. human interest. How
full of personal greetings are even
his most philosophical writings. We
know that nothing could ever keep
him from his life work of presenting
Jesus Christ to people. So we are
scarcely surprised to learn, that along
with the soldiers and other persons
who found their way to the prisoner
presence to talk over the new faith,
there was a runaway slave from
Colossae named Onesimus-a word
that means helpful or profitable
and one upon which a pun is made In
the letter before us.
Rome, with it sunspeakable s1ume.
was the haven of the runaway slaves
of an empire. The larger part of tho
citys population was made up or
these miserable creatures. Young and
adventurous Onesimus got to Rome.
and probably encountered hard times.
In some way he learned of the FAM
GUS Christian preacher. Paul. as
prisoner in the city. lie recalled him
as beloved and honored guest in the
home of his master. Philemon, the
Christian, of Colossae. Any face as
sociated with him would be dear to
the suffering exile. and SO the run
away sought for Paul, and found him
a friend and a father. and under his
gentle guidance became himself
Christian, member OF tho same
household of faith as his master.
That big fact settled several prob
lens: indeed, conversion to Chris
tianity is the great settler of all prob-
lens. Now that he had become
Christian, Onesimus was obliged to
do what was right. BY the laws OF
the time, and by the prevailing ethics,
he belonged to Philemon. and must
return. Righteousness is always re-
troactive, and calls for restitution.
True the slave was useful to Paul and
he belonged to the new brotherhood :
out still. right was right, and he
could never have peace or joy in his
religion until he had returned to his
legal master.
BACK TO BONDAGE
Like a faded letter found in an
attic trunk, that CLEANS and glows
| so this little epistle of Paul to PhiIc-
| mon seems still to throb with the pull
| sation of warm blood from a beating
heart. He loved Onesimus. for the
young man. In gratitude and affec-
ton, lavished service and loyalty up
on the lonely old prisoner. He also
| loved Philemon, the splendid Chris
| tian gentleman, memory of whose
| hospitality frightened the darkness
of the Roman imprisonment He also
loved Christ supremely. and he want
ed to heed the claims OF all three
| loves.
So. in phrases that still repeat
themselves. In the letters of friends tc
| friends. Paul sent Onesimus back tc
| Philemon-''No longer as a slave. but
moro than a slave, brother beloved
He did not deny the masters righ
to own the slave; but like his Master
| who put himself in tho sinners place
Paul could write. IF then thou count
est me a partner. receive him as my
self. But il he hath wronged thee n
| all. or owest thee aught, put that Il
| mine account
| 1t would be less fair to forget that
even in the days of American slavery
masters and slaves were often both
| Christians. dwelling together in mu
| tual affection. Onesimus was goint
back to bondagc-though the system