St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-03-19
ST. PAUL'S INFLUENCE.
SingIeness Of Purpose the Secret
OfEiS Power.

Oh Il Is OWCI.
Rev. D. J. Burrill at Westminster
church preached from the following
text:
And when they heard some Knocked; others
said, I'VE will hear thee again concerning this
matter" Howbeit, certain ones believed
Acts, xvii, 1874.
st. Paul was in Athens, a stranger in
a "city wholly given to id0latry." His
heart being moved within him, he
preached the gospel to the people in the
public square. For better hearing he
was conducted to the amphitheater on
Mars hill.
First, the Man-Renan calls him ''that
ugly little Jew" He speaks of himself
as man of ''mean presence and con-
temptible Speech BE was weak-eyed,
stoop-Shouldered, probably STAN
mcrer. Yet there was no person of that
day who welded a broader influence
than st. Paul. The secret of his power
lay in the singleneSS of his purpose. He
had been literally educated, but at his
conversion he dedicated all his powers,
gifts and accomplishments to the serv
ice of Christ. He determined that
thcnceforth he would know nothing but
always makes q strong and generally a
successful man.
Second, the Pulpit-On this spot
Socrates had been tried, 800 years be-
fore. and sentenced to drink the cup of
hemlock. Here most of the iliuStrious
men of Greece had stood to answer for
their lives. 1t was an ominOus place for
an assiZe. Overhead lowered a statue
of Mars, the god of blood, and just be-
meath, in crevce Of the rocks, was the
temple of the FurieS. Here Paul was
challenged to put his religion on trial.
Let him do his best, for souls are in the
balance, and may the power of God rest
upon him!
Third, the Audience-It was strange
company that sat on the stone steps be-
low him. No doubt there were idol
priests, leaders of the people i'll the Wor
ship of Athens, wearing the symbols of
their holy Office. We know there were
philosophers of the Stole school of
pantheists, and Of the Epicurean school
of materialistS. There must have been
Academicians also who dreamed of the
great veritieS, but were unable to say 81
know" Besides these there were many
newSmongers and busybodies who had
come hither to hear some new thing. a
great deal depended on what Paul would
say to these people. They were all i'm
mortal souls travelling on to the jUdg-
ment bar OF God.
Fourth, the Sermor-It was top
zeal sermon. II s theme was taken
from the inscription on an altar which
he had observed, and the agora below:
"To the Unknown God" BE began by
feicitous reference to the piety Of the
Athenians, led OH to condemnation of
their idol worship; an admonition of
Judgment; a call to repentance, and a
ringing statement Of the resurrection
of that Nah" At this point he was
interrupted. Had he been permitted to
continue it is safe to say that he would
have told the marvellous story Of his con-
version and would have named more
clearly the master whom he served, for
Paul was prc-cminently a preacher OF
Christ.
Fifth, the Results-The gospel is
never preached in vain. q "Solne
Knocked" The story of the cross and
the resurrection seemed foolishnesS to
them and they Gerided It. Let any who
are disl csed TO deaf thus with the great