The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-03-09
CHRIST AND THE GREEKS.
Rev. ID. C. Garrett Tella Whore Pagan
Civilization Fell Short.

At st. Marks church, Rev. d. C. Garrett
preached last night the fourth and last
sermon in the course on "Christ and the
Outsiders. The subject, "Christ and the
Greeks" was illustrated by the the text:
And there were certain Greeks among them
that came up to worship at the feast: the same
came therefore to Philip, which was of Beth
saba Of Galilee and desired him. saying, "Sir,
We would see Jesus."--John xii :202l.
Mr.. Garrett said in substance:
We have come now to the fourth and last
marked incident in Christs personal interviews
with those outside of the pale of Judaism. We
have studied the contact OF Jesus with the
Samaritan, the cananite and the Roman; and
now, just before the feast of the Passover, when
the hour was almost come when Christ should
depart out of the world unto the Father, we
find the Saviour In conference with representa-
tives OF the great nation OF the Greeks. Among
the thousands of pilgrims Waiting jerusalem at
the time Of the great festival were numbers OF
foreigners-rroselytes, no doubt, who had been
of their own religions to the higher spiritual
faith Of the Jews. Among these foreigners were
certain Greeks who perhaps had heard much OF
sonally. Too timid 1t may be to address Christ
openly they speak first to Philip, and then
Philip confers with Andrew, and then the tive
apostles together tell Christ The desire Of
these Greeks to see Jesus. and the way
Christ answered that desire, beautifully
illustrates how Christianity. iulfiils the
was lacking in the religion and philosophy OF
that people. II illustrates also how the Christ
life and Christ power can alone satsiy and
correct whatever there Is OF the Greek spirit in
modern thought aud practice. Let rs look at
some of the leading traits in that people, whose
representatives soughtsto see Jesus.
Greek race was the alteration OF humanity. In
both philosophy and religion the Greeks were
very human. The ideal they longed for was the
realization of perfect human being The glory
OF Greek art was the result of this endeavor. To
bring to perfection the body of man was the
object of all art, as II was the end OF the Greek
Il he said to the credit of Greek life, was not
confined merely to the material form. At the
period when the study OF the fine arts
had transcribed any thing the world had ever
sren before or after il was moral as well as ma
tcrial beauty that the Greek endeavored TO ex-
press. The favorite motto. "a fair soul IN
tween the sentient and the rational. With the
decline of Greek art is witnessed the loss OIL tbs
Spiritual ideal The strain OF pathos running
rousn the s the Of
perfect man. The question put by the Greeks
4 the feast, ave would see Jesus, seems to ex-
the longing OF sne Sreer m,nu 9ives
seems to supply exactly what the Greeks had
been continually striving after and always los
Ing Says Jesus ssoy,a ~ Slo rSns 's A ~
Trniy that wss what the Greeks had always
wanted-humanity glorified. They creved
Con of Nan. No Worus coulu Oufist Hss
s SoL an thar would have responded perfectly
~ the Utmost needs of the Greek soul The
Greeks had always depicted their gods IN some e,
thing Of a human form, and in the writings OF
.hair host saees had almost grasped the idea oil
an incsrnation-a Christ, the head of the human
race. and the embodiment OF the divine hie IN
r,odern Thought we something OF the 1reek
s,e;rit in the belief that the only religion is the
worship OF humanity. The failure TO see nu.
mainly glored in Christ to believe IN sssn s. r.
,, re Of old The Greeks, however, failed uneon-
sciously. No definite. personal manifestation
of the divine life was given them ~ msr nj IF
I mesal hV and spiritual perfection. they do II
deSersey the geS Of rb this soan
tAisc sss,s1 their eyes Notice, too, that the
M uas OF the beautiful, which was part OF
the Greeks exatation Of humanity, Sou, , n no.
1872 ~; relirious feeling, even such as ~ wss
The trouble was that the Greeks had moi noIy sns
corrses idea Of ain. To them san ~ oan