Evening star., 1921-12-10
PAUL WRITES TO A FRIEND.
Philemon.
Golden Text Whosoever
would be first among you shall
be your servant. - Matthew,
20.27.
BY REV. HUGH r. STEVENSON.

Imprisonment at Rome did not pre-
vent Paurs activity as an ambassador
of the Lord Jesus. Bonds could not
chain his SOULS communion with the
Master. The silence and solitude of
his prison days were epoch-making
in their influence upon the history of
Christianity. 1t was during the pc
riod of the apostles first imprison-
ment in Rome that his matchless eX-
position Of the doctrines of Christ
TOOK permanent form in his epistles
tnat nave survived centuries after the
churches to whom the letters were
sent have vanished. proclaiming with
increasing power the gospel Of the
Lord Jesus. Paul's activity as an
aggressive preacher won many re-
cruits for the Master. who shared in
Pauis mind and heart the apostles
Imprisonment, for he was "a prisoner
OF Christ Jesus" He had been cap
tured by our Risen Lord when he was
on the way to Damascus. and from
that moment unto his end the apostle
found in his fellowship with the Mas
ter strength and satisfaction so that
ne was hlled with peace and joy in
the darkest hours. He impaired this
gospel to those who were attracted to
his hired house. where he preached
the sutficiency of His saving grace.
Among others attracted to the pris-
onerS home was slave of Philemon,
whose position as leader in the
Colossian Church would appear from
the letter which is the subject of our
study this week. and which gives US
all the facts that we know about this
friend Of Paul. Onesimus, the slave,
evidently knew the apostle. He may
have heard him preach the gospel
when his master was won for Christ
by the preaching of the apostle. He
Philemon and Apphia, who was prob
ably his wife, and their son, Archip-
pus, who had taken up active Chris
tian work. At that time his heart
was embittered by the bondage which
had carried him away from his home
and loved ones as a result Of some
Roman raid. One day Onesimus saw
an opportunity to run away from the
master. whose kindness and care he
had not appreciated So he sought
the principal city of the empire. He
enjoyed for season the gay life
which the funds that he had stolen
provided for him. When the last of
the results of his stealing was gone
he found that his friends were gone.
He found himself reduced to want
His conscience warned him that he
was in danger of being captured and
taken back to Philemon. We do not
know how this wretched man in rags
and tatters came to visit the apostles
hired house, where he heard from
Paul of the gospels power to save
unto the uttermost. 1t is evident that
he not only accepted Christ, but at
once entered the home Of the prisoner
Of the Lord Jesus to minister unto
the apostle, whose heart he won and
under whose instruction he grew in
grace and knowledge of his Lord and
Savior
Onesimus confessed his transgres-
sion to Paul. He proved by his life
that his repentance was genuine. He
Philemon, who was a personal friend
Of the apostle. The apostle had
larned to love Onesimus and appre-
ciated his services. He had rejoiced
at the transforming power of the
gospel that changed the converted
slaves character into the likeness of
the Master. The unprofitable slave
had robbed Philemon and fled TO
Rome. where he had fallen into the
sin Of the city's slums until he had
Lord. The slave and his former owner
were then one in Christ and both
were recognized by Paul as friends
and brothers in the Lord Jesus. He
recognized that Onesimus must be re-
stored to Philemon. II he did this in
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slavery, then Onesimus would be
punished as his actions warranted
other slave owners probably would
insist that he receive the full punish
ment of the law. This Paul recog-
nized would be contrary to the prin-
cfples Of the Lord Jesus that call for
forgiveness.
The apostle, was called upon to
harmonic his teachings Of brother
hood with the system of human slav-
cry. It was a real problem tha'
tested the application of the religion
of Christ to the social affairs OF life
"Ie could not plead for human free
dom without the danger of precipitat-
ing revolution on the part Of the
slaves who made up half of the popu-
lation of the Roman empire and
without bringing down upon the
Christian Church the heavy hand of
the Roman government" His letter
to Philemon, which is the only per-
sonal one that has been handed down
to us, reveals the psychology of
Pauls mind as he wrestled with the
problem. that tested his views OF
Christianity. The letter was the
product of the scholarship and tact OF
Paul. 1t proves that he solved It
upon principles that are eternal. but