Evening star., 1921-12-17
PAULS LAST WORDS.
Second Timothy, 4.61S.
Golden Text: l have fought the
good fight. l have finished the
course. I have kept the faith
Second Timothy, At.
BY REV. HUGH t. STEVENSON.

BY REV. HUGH T. STEVENSON.
propriate lesson with which to con-
clude our six months course of study
in the life and labors of the great
apostle. In our lessons we have
traced the career and sought to un-
derstand the secret of his personality.
power and persistent energy. enthusi-
asm and earnestness. We have OBJ
served his devotion to Jehovah and
his loyalty to Christ Jesus in respond
ing to the high calling of God. re-
vealed to the prosecutor OF the church
on the Damascus road, in the vision
and voice of the risen Lord. From
| that moment he was obedlent to the
Master, and lived and labored to ad-
vance his kingdom of God among men
until he finished his course. He found
Christianity a national faith confined
by the bonds of a narrow Judaism.
He liberated it by his Interpretation
of the religion of Jesus and by his
missionary endeavor until he made II
as Christ had planned his gospel
. worldwide faith and the cradle OF
modern civilization. The world has
long since recognized its Indebted,
, ness to Paurs culture, capacity and
courage. so that his statue was placed
in the Congressional Library building
among the notable few whose labors
: had signally contributed to the ad
vancement Of knowledge and ciVili-
cation.
Several years have passed since the
letter to Philemon was written n.,a whlGn
we studied last week, and this epistie
to Timothy. which contains Paul
farewell message to the followers OF
Christ. written to his dearly loved
son in the gospel, pupil. friend ano
companion in missionary endeavor.
Scholars are divided in their opinions
as to what took place in Paufs life
during that period. Some hold that
he was never discharged from prison
by the Roman authorities. Most
scholars believe that they are war
ranted to infer from historical reier-
ences that they find in the apostle
latest epistles that he was given MS
freedom when tried before caesar
travelled into Spain and revisited some
of the earlier fields Of his missionary
work. 1t was probably during this
period that Paul penned his first let
ter to Timothy that outlined the
function of the local church and IN.
structed him concerning the duties OF
a minister of Christ. While there
exists no scriptural foundation for
the position, yet it was probably due
to the effort of Nero to avert sus,
nicion from himself of having caused
the burning Of Rome that Paul found
himself in prison the second time,
Tacitus. in his Annals. tells now
Nero in his efforts to suppress ene
rumor that he had ordered the con-
fagration. falsely charged with the
guilt and punished with the most
exquisite tortures the persons VINO
were commonly called Christians.
, This evidently placed the foremoSt
Christian in the world in grave peru.
The unrest in Judea, which finally re,
suited in the seige and capture OF
Jerusalem by Titus. made Jews un.
! popular. AS result of the Hesh OF
hatred against Christians and Jews
that Nero threw over the empire. faui
was arrested. and. accordlng 10 ,faut
ton, was placed within the walls OF
the Mamertine prison to aWai, ms ne
sentence of death. 1t was Whiie ne
! was in the dungeon, Exposed to the
chill aeues of its damp wallis reek ing
with pestilence and recalling the
memory of generations OF condemned
criminals" that Paul penned TINS sec
ond letter to Timothy; urging ..,o nlm !o
come quickly to comfort the apostie
in the last hours of his life.
The underground cell OF the prison
where the apostle was imprisoned Is
still shown tourists. and is as wei,
identified as any of the antiquitles on
Rome. A door has been cut IN tne
massive stone walls. so that visitors
NAV conveniently enter withln the
famous cell. Paul was propanlS Ie'
down through the circular opening
which still can be seen in the celiIne
~ the dark and damp dungeon. Inc
e,,;de assures you that the rusted ring
nnon the wall was used to fasten
paul when he was imprisoned in that
cell. The chill that one feels on
+, summer day within the dark aanL
dungeon helps one to understand tne
, anostIe's request that Timothy prlns
with him the cloak which the aposus
left at Troas with Carpus. Althouen
there is only a dim light that enters
the room from the roof, faui ioIs
for the books. and especially me
narchments, for the scholarly soul rs
not imprisoned by the walls OF nus
coll He is thinking how he can nelp
tha churches of Christ Jesus by De
yeloping Timothy into true n'iiiis'e'
! of the risen Lord. a.,th u.s
Although the menace OF oea.n
hanging over him, and at any M ~
ment he might expect the foottaii ol
The executioner to bring to an emo nls
career. Paul never showed any slshs
of weakening. Many persons wno
have studied the prison lie OF the
! anostle's day are surprised mat ne
lived for more than a week OF tMo
within the Mamertine prison wans
His friends had to large extent peer
scattered from Rome by the persecu-