The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1847-05-10
Foreign Evangelical Society.

meeting OF tnS society last evening, ut the
Rev. Dr. Mason's church in Blocker street. large
audience had assembled at the hour of o'clock and
half past seven the Rev DR.. Mason Rev. Mr. Kirk and
Rev. Mr.. Cheever, of Boston, entered the pulpit
The choir sang anthem with admirable effect, and
u prayer made by Mr. Cheever. Mr. Kirk read the
542d hymn, which having been sung by the choir, Dr.
Mason and stated to the audience that it had
been announced in the public prints that the Rev. DR.
Adams would deliver discourse this OCCASION he
felt called upon say that the reverend gentleman
providentiay detained at home by sickness that
the Rev. DR.. Kirk had kindly consented to take his
place.
Mr.. KIRK then rose and opened his discourse His
and 34th of the 18th chapter of Acts the subject
of which was Paul in Athens"
quent exordum. Now Christianity buckles on her
NOR to contend ia-theehigh places of the field. Her
ablest champris now in Athenspthe intellectual cita
del of Paganism the Acropolisef Heather philosophy
His were the most cultivated minds of the
Gives Of the subtle metaphysics, and Of the be-
wilderng dalectics Of the great thinkers, Socrates
Plato, ARISTOTLE Ieno and Epiemus Such men had not
crossed his path before He not before the Sy
nagogue where he could from the Scriptures the
Jesus the Christ. He not addressing Agrp
pa to whomh could say believest thou the prophets
The very sentiment of religion arrayed against
him. Mr.. X. then recounted the circumstances under
which Paul visited Athens. He driven by the Jews
from Thesaonica and went to this celebrated city
nowned for its military glory its philosophers its poets
renown He entered it as visiter but as an ambassa-
dor from the Lord whose orders he when
in place, to fly to another In view of this subject
haverst opportunity to look at Plagiarism
religion at its best estate and contemplate it from Pau
point of vision. Mr. K then went on to show what
know how Paul affected He deeply affected by
it. What class Of emotions excited we are not
matured on the subject He had had the wisdom
of the Egyptians Chaldeans and philosophers. He
prepared to judge. Paul believed that man was
TALLY injured by of God and it is the very
Of selshnes to consult rather
help our neighbor to discover the truth No greater
abuse can be found, than to call this charity
Paul had it not Second, he endeavored to
instruct the heather in the truth He did
mercy when they living inhe service of Satan He
aimed to correct their natural theology their
false conceptions Of God and man. Mr. X descanted in
glowing language upon the opinions that Paul preached
and regret that limited space will permit
extended report Of his Unexplained the state
at the time of Paus visit The Athenians just
all should be without the Bible 1t not strange
ly into the form of debate Much of the early preach
ing was debating He went to the synagogue first to
proclaim Christ to the Jews and proseytes then went
to the forum and declared and the
ton He hcstated not to condemn their idoitry He
took no middle ground He proposed the gospel as the
only hope Of salvation He appeared among them
former Thirdly, Mr.. X. took view of the text 1t fur
nished example of profound wisdoma fidelity to the
revealed religion 1t Is easy he said to be found in
good cause but it required to be faithful to God
to be regardless Of any risk that might be
| CURED. Paul combined the soundest judgment with
dscretion he went among the people daily he did not
accuse them OF being too superstousthis would have
been indiscreet; he exposed their image worship and
even wound up his dscourses by procaiming the udg
ment seat of Christ Paul introduction beautiful
his text was not taken from the Jewish scriptures Mr.
then spoke of the wisdom Of Paul and contrased his
heism with the philosophy Of the epicurans and stocs
he blythe of this the infinite value ofthe Bible
the claims of the Bible on mankind. Man must be
religousit is law of his being He may try to live
without it, but he will find in the end that he has vio
lated law of his being He must have priesthood,
and priesthood will have The question then is
what priesthood will he have He returned again to
Athens. They had gods of all kinds, but God We
ought to bless God that we have Bible The learned
gentleman concluded his able and eloquent discourse
follows We have now before the estimate whci
Paul formed of the theology and worship There
can be no doubt that this estimate formed under
the infaibe guidance of inspiration 1t therefore fur
nshcs to sure and unchanging Standard by which
correctness ofour feelings towardst But where
the true limits of pagan doctrine pagan character and
and charity not confined within the borders Of
DOM shut out Of the limits of christendom. Were
Paul to visit the Rome of our day. he would find pro-
portion ignorant of God the population Of Athens
we're in his day In Paris Vienna Madrid, he would
many profess that the upper classes arc atheists
the middle GLASS; to great extent sensuasts and the
lower class gross idolaters do not mean to deny
disguise the TACT that there heathensm In protestant
countries and much there that would move the indg.
nation and compassion of the holy Apostle but mean
TO affirm general important facts In these Statements
LIST Many portions of the world now belonging to Papal
countries, have been Christanized un-
derstand by Christianity, the system Of doc
rine worship and ethics revealed in the scriptures
Ihere was early departure In the unrlstan Cnurcn
from the doctrines worship and morality of the gospel
The missionaries Of the church became more and more
corrupt Zeal for proseyting became worldly and po-
Htcal France was extensively converted by a military
king instead of praying preacher When the invading
Goths received Christianity from their conquered sub
jects, they receiving a pagauzed Christianity
When Augustine went to Great Britain he was already
tainted with many superstitious notions There are
entire populations In Europe and America, who
have heard the pure simple gospel of Christ
They totally ignorant of the character of Oodof
The nature Of spiritual worship their pagan ancestors
three thousand years ago The places Chris
tianixed have been corrupted false doctrines have
been introduced. He then exhortcd his audience to
search the scriptures for their faith. sa ntali-