THE Epistle to the Romans (like all the rest, inspired by God) was composed by Paul,

and conveyed to its destination by Phœbe; but there was yet another concerned in it, the person who wrote it, and that person was Tertius. When we speak of any one writing a letter, we generally mean that he both composed and penned it; but it is believed that St. Paul did not write many of his letters with his own hand-some of them we know he did not-but dictated most of them to another, who wrote them from his lips.

In the case of the other Epistles we do not know who was employed to write, but in this case we do know. Tertius was the person who wrote the Epistle to the Romans, as St. Paul's amanuensis. He says so himself. Towards the end of the letter, in the midst of the messages which he is writing down from the Apostle's lips, he puts in these words, "I, Tertius, who wrote this Epistle, salute you in the Lord." Paul doubtless not only knew

that he put in the words, but gave him leave to do so. It was Tertius' greeting, sanctioned by the Apostle.

But who was Tertius?

We do not know. It is a Latin word, meaning "The third," and it was not an uncommon name with the Romans; but it is only this once that this man is mentioned in Scripture. Silas was with Paul at the time the Epistle was written; and some have supposed that Silas and Tertius were the same person, because in Hebrew a word very much like the word Silas means three: but this is a fanciful idea, without any foundation. We do not know who Tertius was, except that he was a Christian of Gentile origin, at Corinth with Paul, and helping him there.

He acted on this occasion as his amanuensis, and we may believe therefore that he was skilled in writing. Paul himself was a man of education, but not, as it seems, a good writer. "Observe," he says to the Galatians, "with what large-sized letters I have written to you with my own hand”1 -with what great, awkward letters-as if almost ashamed of his handwriting. Most likely it was only the last few sentences of that Epistle that he wrote himself; the rest had been written for him by another hand. This was not because he did not know how to write, but either because his sight was bad, or because hardship and suffering

1 Gal. vi. 11: not "how large a letter."

had cramped his hand. Some one else therefore, at his dictation, wrote the chief part of the letter to the Galatians, and Tertius wrote all, or almost all, of that to the Romans. He was probably a younger man than the Apostle, with good sight and flexible fingers. Paul's thoughts flowed freely, and to have a rapid writer to set down his words was a great help.

How many ways there are of helping in the work of God! There is not one of the powers of body or mind which He has bestowed on us, that may not be used in His service. A thoughtful mind, a clear head, a fluent tongue, a strong constitution, a swift foot, and nimble fingers-these are all so many instruments, that may be turned to the Master's use. They are by no means always found in the same person; much oftener not. It is happy, when two or more of the servants of Christ, gifted in different ways but of one mind, are engaged together in the same work. Here Paul and Tertius worked together. While Paul, taught by the Spirit, spoke the words, Tertius held the pen; and as fast as the words of truth and wisdom fell from Paul's lips, the active fingers of Tertius wrote them down. And here we have them. Truly, we are debtors to both. Other transcribers have worked for us since, and the printingpress has been busy too, and we should be thankful for all the means by which such words have reached but the first hand that wrote them was that of

us; Tertius.

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Let none think lightly of the lower parts of the work for God. To copy is not in itself so high a work as to compose, and the printer comes behind the author of a book; yet both copiers and printers may do their work with an eye to the glory of God, and may be as true helpers as Tertius was. God gave us our hands, and no sort of handiwork that is for Him, or for others for His sake, is to be thought little of. Many employ their fingers in making up nosegays for the hospital; and some make copy after copy of a kind letter to be sent to soldiers and sailors abroad-and a letter in writing they think twice as much of as of one in print; and those who can draw or paint often add a little picture, to make the letter more attractive. I once went to visit a good old lady-nearer ninety than eighty-quite blind, and almost entirely disabled in her limbs; I found her lying on a couch, with a basket close to her, into which she was tearing up paper to make pillows for the sick: "It's all I can do now," she said. And so it was: but let us remember the words of our Lord, "She hath done what she could." 2 Let none think slightingly of any work done for God. Let all do what they can; according to their means and opportunities, and the calls made upon them. And let none call it drudgery, to do such work as copying, or writing from another's dictation. A high motive will dignify a humble work. It was writing

2 Mark xiv. 8.

from dictation that gave us the greater part of St. Paul's Epistles.

Yet let not Tertius be thought of as a mere scribe, a man with glib fingers only. St. Paul, always full of sympathy for others, and feeling the need of it himself, would never have chosen for the work of writing from his lips a man who did not care for what he wrote. We all know the power of fellow-feeling; and, Paul being a man of like passions with us and one of deeper feelings than most, it would have chilled his affections, and checked the flow of his thoughts, to dictate words warm with spiritual life to one who was no better than a writing machine. Not such was Tertius.

So we should have judged from what was likely : but his character is plain from his words, "I, Tertius, who wrote this Epistle, salute you in the Lord."

Up to this point he has held the pen for Paul; now he writes for himself. Did the brethren at Rome then know him? Probably not. But he felt towards them as brethren in the Lord, and was unwilling that, when they came to read his handwriting, they should not even know whose writing it was. So, while Paul perhaps pauses for a moment to think who besides has begged to send a message of love, Tertius, with his consent, puts in his name, and in his own person introduces himself to those at Rome. "I, Tertius, salute you: you do not know me, but it is I who have written