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I. HOW COMPASSIONATE THE GOSPEL MAKES A MAN TOWARD HIS SUFFERING FELLOW MEN. Though the greatest man then alive — far greater than the Emperor of Rome himself — Paul, illustrious in the estimation of all the angels, is trying to do good to a poor runaway slave, whom the pagan Romans looked upon as a mere dog, the like of whom many a Roman master had flogged to death, and then flung into the pond to feed the fish. He acts towards Onesimus as a father; calls him his "son converted in his bonds." Then notice the prudence and tact with which Paul writes. When a prudent person wishes to convey a piece of painful news to another, he tries to prepare the mind of the hearer for the tidings. For example, when the messenger conveyed to Achilles the news of the death of his beloved friend Patroelus, he used a word which means both to be dead and to be asleep. So if we wanted successfully to plead the cause of a son who had grievously offended his father, we should keep out of sight as long as we could the faults of the son, and mention all we could in his favour. So Paul acts in pleading the cause of Onesimus. In order to induce Philemon to take back Onesimus, he first calls him "his child"; and of course Philemon would respect any one Paul called by so tender a name. He then calls him "his convert"; and of course Philemon would treat with affection any convert of Paul. He then speaks of his conversion during his imprisonment; and then — last — comes his name, "Onesimus."

II. HOW MYSTERIOUSLY GOD OFTEN WORKS IN THE CONVERSION OF SINFUL MEN. Onesimus was probably born at Colosse, in Asia Minor. There he was in the service of Philemon, and, having robbed his master, he travelled hundreds of miles to Rome, to hide himself from pursuit. Yet there the Lord met him. Perhaps it was the result of the merest accident that he was induced to enter Paul's humble abode. Perhaps he was in the deepest poverty, and meditated drowning himself in the Tiber, when some Christian person saw him, pitied him, and induced him to listen to that gospel he had often heard and slighted at Colosse. We lately heard of a young man who robbed his master of £10, and from fear of detection escaped to India, The preaching of a missionary was the means of his conversion, and, as soon as possible, he sent to his master threefold the amount stolen, with a full and contrite confession of his guilt.

III. THE AFFLICTIONS OF GOD'S SERVANTS NEED BE NO BARRIER TO THEIR SPIRITUAL USEFULNESS. Paul was a prisoner in Rome when the conversion of Onesimus took place. Martin Luther was called to endure a long and dreary confinement, but during it he produced his marvellous translation of the Bible. Richard Baxter wrote some of his most beautiful works in prison, or at seasons of bodily affliction; and if John Bunyan had not been in Bedford jail, most likely the "Pilgrim's Progress" would never have been written. Persecutors have tried to trample under foot the piety of the people of God, but, like the aromatic herb, the more it was pressed, the more sweet odours it sent forth. If we have the will we have the power to serve God and benefit our fellow creatures. In health, in sickness, in death, we can alike glorify God and honour Christ.

IV. A FAINT EMBLEM OF THE COMPASSION OF CHRIST FOR HUMAN SOULS. Says Martin Luther, "To my way of thinking, we are all like poor Onesimus, and Christ has come down from heaven to restore us to our Divine Friend and Father."

(Homilist.)

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KJV: I beseech thee for my son Onesimus, whom I have begotten in my bonds:

WEB: I beg you for my child, whom I have become the father of in my chains, Onesimus,