he spent three months. From here he wrote his letter to the Romans. The character of this letter is determined by the fact that neither Paul nor any of his immediate helpers had been in Rome. He was not acquainted with them and hence could not write a personal letter. It lacks the warm personal coloring of his other letters, for this can come only from intimate acquaintance. The letter is the ripest expression of Paul's views about the relation of the gospel to the law. In the struggle against the Judaizers he had developed his arguments and become perfectly clear about his doctrine. The letter is an attempt to outgeneral the Judaizers, and win the Roman church to his views before the Judaizers should enter the field. He determined to lay his gospel before them by letter, since he could not go in person. He first shows that the Jew through the teaching of the law, and the Gentile through the teaching of his conscience, must feel that they are sinners before God. It is impossible to earn salvation. The only way to obtain it is to believe God's word, and accept it as his free gift through Jesus Christ.

He excuses himself for not having come to them; it has ever been his desire to visit them, but thus far it has been impossible. For the present he must go to Jerusalem, but he expects then to go to Spain and will stop in Rome on his way.

After spending three months in Corinth he set out for Jerusalem in company with the various representatives of the churches in charge of the

contribution. Because of the plot of the Jews he could not go by sea, but returned through Macedonia, and sailed from there just after the Passover. The account of the journey is exact and detailed, for it is taken from the diary of one of the company. The movements of the various members of the company are described as only an eyewitness could describe them.

ness.

The journey was a rapid one, for Paul wished to be in Jerusalem by Pentecost. On this account he could not visit Ephesus, but sent for the principal members of the church to meet him at Miletus, a port lying some miles to the southwest. After comforting and warning them, he continued his journey. The two chapters in which this is described are full of the most interesting details, which could have been given only by an eye-witThe journey was in many respects a sad one for Paul. "Coming events cast their shadow before," and everywhere Paul was warned that dangers awaited him at Jerusalem. Even before he left Corinth he had been conscious that the Jews and Jewish Christians in Palestine would do all in their power to destroy him. All along the way prophets raised warning voices, forbidding him "through the Spirit" to enter Jerusalem. In every city the Holy Spirit testified that bonds and afflictions were in store for him there. But he was not to be disturbed by these things. Nothing can more clearly show how bitter was the hatred of the Jews and Jewish Christians to Paul, than the

fact that everywhere the opinion prevailed that he could not safely venture into Jerusalem. At Cæsarea they were the guests of Philip the Evangelist, also one of the seven, whose four daughters were prophetesses.

From here they took up their luggage and went up to Jerusalem in company with some of the Christians from Cæsarea, and one of the early converts, Mnason of Cyprus, with whom they were to lodge in Jerusalem.

The very next day Paul with his companions visited James and the principal members of the church, and told of his labors among the Gentiles. With this they were well pleased, but they could not assure Paul that it would be so acceptable to all as it was to them. They called his attention to the fact that there were many thousands of believing Jews, but they were still zealous for the law. And these were informed that Paul had been teaching the Jews to disregard the law, and were consequently very angry at him. In other words, Paul was in danger from the Christians in Jerusalem as well as from the unbelieving Jews. It was impossible that they should not learn of Paul's arrival; it was necessary, therefore, to take such measures as would prevent their doing any violence to him. There were four men at hand who had a vow upon them, and Paul was asked to join them in this and show his fidelity to the law by paying the costs which attended the completion of the vow. It seems strange that a man who had writ

ten the letters to the Galatians, the Corinthians, and the Romans could have seen his way clear to take part in this matter, but the author of the Acts tells us that he did. It looks to us very much like deception on his part, but undoubtedly he felt that it was entirely in accordance with his principle, to become all things to all men that he might win some to Christ. Or shall we say that it is impossible that Paul should have engaged in such questionable conduct, and therefore the author of the Acts has not given us a correct account of this occurrence? It must be noted that the Christians here appear in the temple, which is still the centre of their religious life. They are still Jews, and have not separated themselves from those who refuse to accept Jesus as the Messiah.

CHAPTER VIII.

THE LAST YEARS OF PAUL.

WHILE in Ephesus the plots of the Jews had caused him much trouble and suffering, and although he had left that city he could not escape their hostility. It was some Jews from Ephesus that caused his arrest. When they saw him in the temple they gathered a mob, seized Paul, and were about to make an end of him, when the captain of the Roman troops, stationed at Jerusalem, rescued him. He was taking him into the castle as a prisoner, to find out what the charges against him were, when, to his surprise, Paul spoke to him in Greek. He had thought that he was a certain Egyptian who not long before this had gathered together a band of four thousand Sicarii, or daggermen. These were most bitter opponents of everything that was Roman. They carried short daggers concealed under their robes, and managed to stab their enemies while they were surrounded by crowds, so that they could not be detected. Four thousand of these were brought together, and with them the Egyptian leader attempted to overthrow the Roman government. In the battle which followed they were nearly all slain, but the leader es