The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-12
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.

st. Paul and the Old Philosophers-Al
Systems Dead but OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
by tho Rev. George H. Henworth.
Unpromising as was the weather there was the
usual large and fashionable attendance at the
vices yesterday morning at t8e Church Of the
Disciples corner OF Nadiseh avente and Forty
nth street. The. &ev. George =. Hepworth, the
PASTOR preached another In his series OF able and
lnstructng discourses on 1.-THE Foundations OF
Christian Faith" His text was Acts xviii, 1s-
Then certain philosophers Of the Epicureans and
OF the stoics encountered him." The word en-
countered, he began, has meaning In our dlction
OF simply to meet; but in the oiden language OF
feudal times 1t meant not only to meet, but, with
hostile intent, a'-.'rs a.
RUN TIT WITH, -
and 1t was in this sense that Paul met them as In
tournament. Think first OF the place in which
Paul stood-classic Athens. AL around him are
the symbols of Pagan worship, In front OF him the
Acropols, on whose summit stood an immense
statue OF Minerva, with o shield and spear. The
first thing the returning warrior saw was the
shield and spear Of this goddess. st. Paul seems
to have first found bis way into the market place.
At the further end Plato preached his doc.
the words which ring IKE clarion notes today.
se & dsY o the dsSuss
questions OF politics ana finance, and poetry and
literature and the fine arts and what not. And st.
Paul, the man with the strong, rugged face and
broken speech, was to speak to this polished and
cultured multitude He spoke first to the Epicure-
ans, telling them that IT was his desire not to win
the vctors, but to teach them truths. After he had
spoken some OF them laughed. but some walked
backward ana forward with thoughtful brows ana
invited him to meet them further ur on Mars Hi,
met them there and told them the story NY text Is
peculiar as to time. While Rome held the body Of
Athens captive. Athens held intellectually, the
whole world captive, ask myself then, this ques-
tlon-What. in that encounter, was the peculiarly
Of that - 49,. Is. e r. a S:s;s,
7aaszcS. kEw SYSTEM or RRLfdfoRs
The Epicu.can said that man should follow hap
piness. And although the great Master Of the
philosophy may have had higher views His disciples
regarded only physical happiness. st. Paul looked
at them and said, preach new system that con-
tains all yours but yours is only small part OF
mine. You EPicureans are near-sighted You look
to the temporal; we look to the eternal. Then he
say nothing is grand But what philosophy Is
this to
THE COMMON RUNs
To endure Is good, but to do no more Is nothing
1t IS to grow into slaves It Is simply endurance
because must, and that terrible word ''nustn ID
the incarn alton or all despOtsm. To worship MI
nerva is to think that Ii do right she will help
US. My religion includes that 1t tells man that he
must do, for we give him an inspiration that en-
abes him TO bear gladly and gratefully not only TO
endure but to be thankful to Cod Did Epic1rus
ever dream dream like thatf Did Socrates or
Plato ever have such yisonY Never; 1t was only
sleeping in the grave My Master burst the grave,
and to-day their systems are dead. But Christian
ity Is an amaranthine hower. That Christianity,
which Is our delight, stands alone. 1t does not
HIDE BEHIND FENCE.
Search for yourselves Learn what is truth and
His birth was herald d, and over Him the angels
sang, 'Peace on earth, good will to men," Jesus
came to prove himself an exceptional character-a
character of self-forgetiulness BY His cross learn
the way 70 heaven.