The Washington herald., 1921-12-10
Persuasion r eplacesForce
in World, Declares Bryan
Paul's Plea for Runaway Slave illustrates
New Phase of Apostles Character
Diplomacy Shown in Arms Conference.

an important side of many-sided
Paul. 1t gives US an inner view
us to estimate the height. the
depth and the breadth of the
man. And II holds a mighty
lesson for every man and woman
and every nation today.
II Your Poeketbook Baptizeds
of Asia Minor, but he conse-
Grated his means to the service
Of God and to the advancement
of Christianity. A story is told
OF a Baptist preacher who was
about to immense an applicant
for membership when the latter
stopped the ceremony in order to
take his pocketbook out Of his
pocket. Don't do that" said
the preacher. II want to baptizc
your pocketbook with you"
Philemon evidently had his
pocketbook with him when he
was baptized for his money
seems TO have been baptized
also.
The question is sometimes
asked: How much money can
a man have and be n Christian"
ANY amount. provided he earns
It honestly. so long as he is the
master of his money. Whenever
he gets so much that his money
controls him II Is time for him
to read about the camel and the
difficulty IL had with the eye OF
a needle.
Puts Masters Claim First.
Philemon was one OF the COM
pany of Christians of Asia Minor
and Paul had stopped at his
house. In this very epistle he
asks Philemon to prepare a
lodging for him against his day
OF release from his chains in
Rome.
1t seems that Onesimus was
slave of Philemon's and had run
away from home and taken re-
fuge IN Rome. He came under
the influence of Paurs preach
ing and was converted and be-
came a servant OF Pauls.
The relationship between Paul
and Onesimus was so intimate
that Paul says that he is mot
now as servant but above a
servant. a brother beloved" He
would like to keep him, but as
the slave had run away from his
master. Paul felt that the mas
tees claim came first and that II
was the slaves duty to return
and fulfill the requirements OF
the law.
Tie That Binds Mnndkia.
1t is significant that the att
tude of Onesimus was changed.
Before he was converted he ran
away, seeking his own pleasure.
contrary to the law as il then
existed. When he became a fol-
lower Of Christ and a compa Mon
OF Paul his viewpoint was
changed and he went willingly
back to his master. They could
talk together now and work to-
Eether, because the tie that
bound them together as Chris
tians was stronger than tn"
masters sense OF ownership and
stronger than the slaves desire
for liberty. 1t makes all the DIFF
ference in the world what pur-
pose is dominant. because the
dominant controls that which is
subordinate.
Paul. who sends Onesimus
back to servitude. pleads for
him. saying to Philemon. If
thou count me therefore a part
ner. receive him as myself"
That was asking a good deal
of a friend. to receive rum
away slave as If the slave were
Paul himself. But Paul went
even further. IF he hath
wrongeth thee, or oweth thee
ought. put that on mine ac-
count"
Paul Offers Himself.
This was the very spirit of the
Christ to whom Paul had given
his life. As Christ had taken the
sins of man upon Himself and
died, that man. through Him,
might be saved. so Paul steps
forward and offers himself in
the place of the slave. asking
that Philemon should charge up