Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-11-23
ATHENS TWO HILLS.
Dr.. Talmage Talks of the Acropolis
and Mars Far-Famed Mount
PAUL'S TRIUMPH OVER IDOLATRY.
The Glory of One Hill in the Brilliant Pa
gan Past of Greece.
The OTHER TO SHINE IN-THE FUTURE
PAUL'S TRIUMPH OVER IDOLATRY.
THE OTHER TO SHINE IN'THE FUTURE
rsrr7AI TELEGRAM TO TIE DISPATCH

rsPr7Ar TELEGRAM TO TIE DTspArcHI
BROOKLYN, Nov 22-Dr Talmage's
sermon to-day was the sixth of the series he
is preaching on the subjects suggested by
his tour in Bibie lands His text was
taken from Acts xvii, 10: while Paul
waited for them at Athens his spirit v as
stirred in him when he saw the city wholly
given TO idoiatry."
u seemed as if morning would never
come We had arrived after dark in Athens,
and the night was sleepless with eSpecta-
tioD, and my watch slowly announced to
me and and and o'clock; and at the
first ray OF dawn l called our party to look
nut Of the window upon that city to which
Paul said he debtor, and to which
The whole earth is debtor for Greek srchi.
lecture, Greek sculpture, Greek poetry,
Greek eloqaence, Greek prowess and Greek
history.
That morning in Athens we sauntered
forth armed with most generous and lovely
letters from the President of the United
States, and his Secretary of State, and
during all OUT stay in that city those letters
caused er-ery door and every gate and every
templs and every palace to swing open
before US. The mightiest geographical
name on earth to-day is America. The sig
nature of an American President and Secre-
tary OF State will take mau where an army
oould not.
In the Presence of Greek Royalty.
Those names brought US into the presence
OF most gracious and beautiful Sovereign,
the Queen of Greece, and her cordiality was
more like that OF a sister than the occupant of
throneroom No formal bow as when mon
srchs are approached, but a cordial shake of
the hand. and earnest questions about our
personal welfare and our beloved country
far away.
But this morning we pass through where
stood the -Ngora, the ancient market place,
tie locality where philosophers used to
meet their disciples walking while they
talked, and where Paul, the Christian
logician, fang nany proud Stoic and got
Curean.
The market place was the center of social
and political life and it was the place where
people went TO tell and hear the news
Booths and bazaars were set for merchan-
disc of all kinds, except meat, but every
ching must be sold for cash, and there must
he no lying about the value of commodities,
and the Agoranoni who ruled the place
could lnillct severe punishment upon offend
ers. The different schools of thinkers had
distinct places set apart for convocation.
he Platdans must meet at the cheese
market the Deceilans at the barber shop,
the sellers of perfumes atthe frankincense
headquarters. The market place was given
1p TO gossip and merchandise, and loung-
luC. and philoSophizing. All this you need
% know in order TO understand the Bible
when it says orPaul: Therefore disputed he
IN tic market daily wiGh them that met
bi;n."
Where the Foot Races Were Run.
Eut before we make our chief visits of to-
Gay re must take turn at the Stadium. It
IS little way out but go we must The
Stadium was the place where the foot races
occurred.
Paul had been out there no doubt for he
frequently uses the scenes OF that place as
figures when he tells US: Let US run the
race that is set before u.s. and again, "They
DO It 20 obtain . corruptible garland but we
are lncorruptible." The Stadium held 40 COO
spectators There is to-day the very tunnel
through which the defeated racer departed
from :he stadium end from the hisses of the
people. and there the stairs up which
rHe victor won't to the top OF the hill to be
crowned with the laurel
IN this plsce contests with wild beasts
sometimes tcClz place, and while HaGrian
tie Emperor, sat on yonoer height 600
leasts were slain in one celebration, but
Il was chiefly for foot racing.
We come now to the Acropoi:s 1t is
rock about two miles in circumference at
the base and 1000 feet in circumference at
tire top, ard 3G0 feet high. On it has been
crowded more elaborate architecture and
sculpture than in any other place under the
whole heavens Originally fortress, after
ward a congregation OF temples and statues
and pillars, their ruins an enchantment
from which 10 observer ever breaks away
No wonder that Aristides thought it the
the world: Attica. the centre OF Greece;
Athens. the centre of Attica, and the Aero
polls the centre OF Athens.
No Ruins Like Those of the AcropoIis.
But after ail that time and storm and war
md icoaociasm have effected, the Acropolis
x the monach OF all ruins, and before it bow
lie learning, the genius, the poetry, the art
5ne history OF the ages. Its gates, which were
carefully guarded by the ancients open to
ct you iu, and YOU ascend by GO marble
steps 10 the propylRa. In the days when 10
cents would 90 more than q s. now the
gGsiulDC cost s. coo 600.
sec it fV. oTnamented gates, the KEYS
.urrltSteC to az diccr for only one day lest
fte temptation to go in and misappropriate
The treasures be too great for him: its ceiling
sI.tEciin- of blue and scarlet and green,
SRI the walls abloum with pictures utmost
,H thought and culcring.
londer is a temple to. goddess called
~ ic;o-y Without Wings So many of the
- IurpGs NJ the world had been followed by
s!e,.at that the Greeks wished in marble to
Indicate that victory for Athens had come
never again TO fly away, and hence this
temple toy lcto1y " ithout W Wings'-a temple
- marble. snow-white and glittering
lond@r behold the pedestal of Agrippa 81
feet high and II feet square. But, the over
-'Rdosirg wonder OF all the hill is the Par
tHano!l. In days when money was ten times
Hrc-e valuable than now. it cost 81 500 600 1t |
- Doric grandeur having IS columns each
column u feet high aud feet . inches in |
diameter. WoIdrous intercoumniations.
'.rH-e. ei!ieidS OF god hung up lines of most
Seli irafs curve. figures OF horses and men
s-.a women ana gods oxen on the way to
sacrifice. statues IF the deities, etc.
More Renowned Spot Still.
But wc cannot stop longer here, for there
j. a h.i nearby % more interest. though it
has .u5 U,.e chip of marble to suggest a
Etarrc or q temple We hasten down the
Acropolis to ascend the Arecpagus, or
Mars Hill as it Is called. Ittook only about
three minutes 10 walk the distance, and the
.vu Iii, tops are so near that what said in
religious discourse on Mars Hill was heard |
distinctly by eUme English gentlemen on |
tie ACrupOlis.
Tii, Mars fili is 3 rough pie of rocks 30 |
feet high. II Was famous long before New |
J"-taE'eIt tiIacs. The Persians easily and |
terribly a-s2GitcG the Scropolis from this |
lifi frp. Here assembled the court to try |
criminals. II was hcid in the night time, so |
fnaf tlIe faces Cf the Jiages could not be |
H'el., nor the faces OF the lawyers vino made |
tlc nica. aud 50, instead of Il TRIAL being one !
of emotion, 1t must have been one OF cool |
justice.
Bus, there WAS one occasion on this hill |
memorable above all Others 4 little man, |
ph-sIca:ly l0eak. and his rhetoric described |
rl n5l.s9sf aS coEtenlptiD!e, had by his ser |
mos rocked Athens With cofnmotfo.l. and /
he w:.s ,uhlu1C,cd either oy writ CT law or /
hearty i2vi'ItiUn to come upon that pulpit |
,t TcCs- and give a specimen OF his theology.
All the wlscaCres OF Athens turned out and |
rsJtr ej up 10 hear him. The more venerable |
,tf flen n { il An ampEithcater, the granite !
Seats OF en- are still visible, DCt tic other |
s.aopic s,a rIncG ca all sices of the hill AID |
~ shc base of it to hear this man, whom |
some called "A fanatic, and others called u |
1na,t-cap and others "A blasphcmer, and |
others st-lej contcmptuously this fellow"