Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883) — PDF Scan 295

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288 LIFE OF PAUL . soughtPhilemon that ashe had by hisliberalitiesrefreshed the saints, so he would refresh the spiritof the apostleby grantinghim thiscause of rejoicing. "Having confidenceinthyobedience , he added, " I wrote unto thee, knowing thatthou wiltalsodo more thanI say." This epistleisof great value as a practical illustrationof the influenceof the gospelupon the relation of master and servant . Slave -holding was an establishedinstitutionthroughout the Roman empire,and both masters and slaves were found in most of the churches for which Paul labored. In the cities,where slavesmany timesoutnumbered the freepopulation, laws of themost terribleseveritywere considerednecessary to keep them in subjection. A wealthy Roman owned hundreds of slaves, of every rank, of everynation,and of everyaccomplishment . The master had full control of the souls and bodiesof thesehelplessbeings. He could inflictupon them any sufferinghe chose; but if one of them in retaliation or self-defense ventured to raisea hand againsthis owner, the whole family of the offender would be inhumanly sacrificed, however innocentthey mightbe. Even the slightestmistake, accident, or carelessnesswas punished without mercy .Some masters, more humane than others, were more indulgenttoward theirservants;but the vast majorityof the wealthy and noblegave themselvesup withoutrestraint,totheindulgence of lust, passion, and appetite, and they made theirslavesthewretchedvictimsof capriceand tyranny. The tendency of the whole system was hopelesslydegrading. It was not the apostle'swork to violently