the dying hours of the greatest man whose form ever bowed beneath the world's burdens, whose heart ever broke for the world's sins and ingratitude. His visit to Paul in his last hours, in his extremity of anguish, was for Paul what Mary's anointing of Christ was for him, a touch of human tenderness and devotion that gave strength for sacrifice,— Paul's giving his life for his mission, Christ's giving his life for the world. These gifts, these supreme sacrifices of Paul and Christ, were not wholly vain, at least one heart was loyal to the last, at least one soul understood.

And Onesiphorus's reward? Ah, he was not thinking of that. One glance into Paul's seamednay, transfigured face, that was enough for him, and will be through the ages to come. But another has said, one greater than Onesiphorus, yea, greater than Onesiphorus's beloved friend himself—"Verily I say unto you, inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me." And so this man from far-off Ephesus who in Imperial Rome itself would not let a dungeon's walls nor Nero's murderous frown keep him from Paul's death watch, shall in eternity be linked in companionship and reward with him who was the greatest of the Apostles-so saith he whose throne is in the heavens, the King of kings, and Lord of lords.

And so human friendship wears the seal and sanction of the Infinite, and eternity is made tributary to its fruition and joy.

CHAPTER XVII

Postscript-A Last Glance at Christianity's Imperial

Friend and Empire Builder

individual

E have completed our
studies of Paul's friends,-sixteen
in all. There are some others who

W®

deserve a place in this splendid galaxy, but they must be passed by. Before closing the record for good, however, let us take a last rapid survey of the career of St. Paul, Christianity's mightiest Empire Builder, and note once more the imperial sweep of his achievements and the part played therein by his friends and his genius for friendship.

Paul received his great commission while praying in the temple at Jerusalem not long after his conversion. In that solemn hour the Lord said unto him "Depart: for I will send thee far hence unto the Gentiles." His ambition thenceforward was to be the first to preach the Gospel in every part of the known world where it had not already been heard. Hence years afterwards, when at Corinth he was planning a journey into Spain, he could write to the church at Rome "Yea, so have I striven to preach the Gospel, not where Christ was named, lest I should build upon another man's foundation."

To achieve his stupendous purposes Paul always made a dash for the great cities believing, like

Napoleon eighteen centuries later, that if he once gained possession of the enemy's Capitol he could easily win and hold all the surrounding territory. So he began his career preaching at Damascus and Jerusalem, and later on seized for Christ such strongholds as Antioch, Ephesus, Philippi, Corinth, and Rome.

Of these many cities in which he preached, three were, for some years in succession, his headquarters in which, like a conquering General, he formulated his vast plans, and from which he went forth on his victorious campaigns. And ever he moved steadily westward, as he completed the conquest of the territory in the vicinity of his headquarters.

The first Capitol of that ultimately enormous empire which he was to claim and win for Christ, was Antioch in Syria. From Antioch he marched forth with Barnabas and Mark for the conquest of Cyprus and Asia Minor, and to Antioch he returned at the conclusion of the campaign. Again he went forth from this Capitol with Silas expecting to complete the subjugation of the territory already overrun; but strengthening his forces by the addition of Timothy, he felt emboldened to push on for the conquest of central and western Asia Minor. While pausing at Troas he formed a junction with Luke and, having been diverted from his original designs, crossed over into Europe and gained a foothold in Macedonia and Greece.

Now again he turned back to Antioch, but on the way thither stopped a few days at Ephesus. Seeing

at a glance the strategic importance of this location, he promised as speedy a return as possible; and after having reported at headquarters, he made his way back to Ephesus as rapidly as he could consistently with the necessity of strengthening his long line of garrisons between the two cities. Arrived at last at Ephesus he immediately made that city the new Capitol of the large empire he had won for Christ, which now extended hundreds of miles west of his original headquarters; that is, from Antioch in Syria to the heart of Macedonia and Greece.

Here Paul settled down for three years, making Ephesus the hub in the wheel of his extensive operations, while his many friends as Generals and Field Marshals in command of various armies and citadels perfected the conquest of western Asia Minor, Macedonia, and Greece. Here there labored with him Aquila and Priscilla, Onesiphorus and Apollos, Gaius and Aristarchus, Trophimus and Titus. From here he sent forth Timothy and Erastus to maintain his grip upon Macedonia, and again Titus and Timothy to hold in check the insurrectionary Corinthians. From here it is believed he directed the work of Epaphras and Philemon in the conquest of Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea. From here, too, he himself set out on his last victorious march through Macedonia and Greece.

But Paul's ambition was as boundless as that of any Napoleon of Empire or of Industry. Like them his restless spirit found no ease as long as there were other realms to conquer. No past achieve

ments could still his ever ringing cry-"Forward, march!" And so at length this warrior-preacher and Christian statesman stood on the eastern shore of the Adriatic sea.

Watch him as he stands there. He boldly declares in the very language of victory that he has fully preached the Gospel of Christ from Jerusalem and round about, up through Syria, across Asia Minor, over the Hellespont, throughout Macedonia and Greece unto Illyricum, the very foothills of the northern Alps. His language has the martial thrill of one of Napoleon's bulletins to his soldiers after some Austerlitz. But watch the man, notice his position, look into his eyes, study their fixed and enraptured gaze, lift up your own eyes and with the vision of the soul and imagination see what this ever victorious soldier of the Cross sees. He is not counting the battles already won nor is he athrill with the memory of the echoing plaudits of his triumphs. He is like Alexander at the Indus, his face is forward. He is like Napoleon at Warsaw, unconquered Russia is beyond-of what satisfaction are past achievements, the lands and cities already conquered.

But what does the Apostle see? Not conquered Antioch and Ephesus and Corinth, but unconquered Rome and Spain and "the regions beyond. The sun sinks low over the Adriatic's gently heaving waters. Its last rays transfigure with celestial beauty the rugged, glowing features of the man whose feet, pointing westward, are already dipped