The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1893-07-06

IL. T. +" Samothracia, go
IL. N. Philippi, IL
Aggregate miles, 727.
In Is: s5 we found ST. Paul at Antioch. That
was the startpoint of the Second as it had been
of the First Tour.
All distances are given in straight lines, not
lines of travel
EXPLANATIONS
The last lesson was located at Philippi, in
Macedonia.
st. Paul founded church at Philippi. He
visited the city n second time. He seat to the
church there his Epistle about 10 years after
his first visit. Lydia and family and the jailer
and family were the principal and only known
original members of the said church. At
Philippi SITS. Paul and Silas were scourged and
imprisoned. We recall the miraculous deliver
ance from cells, and chains, and stocks, and
prison.
We find St. Paul and his three associates. sts
Silss. Timothy, ard Luke, continuing their
journey:
17:1. Philippi to Thessalonica, 100 miles.
10. T. to Berea, so
Is B. " Athens, 200
Thessaonica was a city of Macedonia.
Eschines Herodotus, scylax. Thucydides
knew il as Therme. Cassander married the
daughter of Philip, and changed the name
Therme TO Thessalonica in honor of his wife.
At the close of the battle of Pydns (B. c. 1861
the Romans became possessors of Thessalonica.
1t has splendid harbor and as q consequence
it became q commercial center and popuious
city. Though ST. Paul met opposition be sue
ceeded in establishing church there. to which
he sent two Epistles. The modern name is
Saloniki The Apostle found q synagog there.
The most notable event of Thessa1onica was
the terrible massacre of, say, 10000 people in
the circus. Theodosius III. was irritated at
sort of instruction OF the people. He had an
in yitation issued in his name to the inhabitants
of Thessalonica and when the multitude as
sembled, he ordered them butchered. He re-
pented of the rash act, and suffered excommu-
nication for eight months at the order of Am
brose. That was A. d. 395.
About 1900 people now occupy Thessaionica.
Berea was city of Macedonia 1t is also
spelled BerrGa and Berrhoea. 1t is identified
with the modern Kara Veria. 1t was once
large, p0pulous city. 1t is near Mt. Cithanes.
medal of Berea is extant. The city is about
five miles south of the Astreus or Haiiacruon
River. Mt. Olympus is oight miles southeast.
The account compliments the people of Berea,
declaring, "These were more noble than those
of Thessalonica." Why? SIN that they re-
ceived the word with all readiness of mind,
and searched the Scriptures daily" OF: H.
Athens. 1t was the Capital OF Attica, prac-
tically of Greece. Anciently it was the me-
tropolis of Art Eloquence, Literature. and
Philosophy. The history of Athens can be
traced back / 800 years B. C. 1t generally
joyed democratic government Its largest
population has been put at 10000. B. c. "a
it came under Roman jurisdiction. 1t is asso-
ciated with the names of Cecrops, Percles, De-
mosthenes, Socrates, Plato. Phidias, Ictinus,
Sophocles, Eschylns, Themistocles, Gdipus
Alcibiades, Scion, Cimon, Thucydides. 1t sug-
gests Mounts Penteicus, Hymettus, Lycabet-
tus. Anchesmus-the hill Coleneus-rvers Co
phssus and Ilissus-the Acropolis, Parthenon
(femple of Minerva), Areopagus MARS HID,
the Pnyx, Propylea Eleusis. Erechtheum,
Olympian Temple Agora-ports Munychis,
Phalerus and Pir9us-the Academy and Stos
Tor Portico). 1t was known as 1.-The Eye of
Greece" A good deal of very effective mis-
sionary work is being done in Athens. The
language still spoken by the natives is Greek,
though the pronunciation is different and very
many foreign words have been introduced.
The newspapers print in the regular classic
Greek letters
st. Paul was the first Christian minister 10
visit Athens.
We cannot understand this lesson without an
explanation of the philosophers of V. 49, There
were two schools of snch-Epcureans and
Stoics. Epicureans held, matter is eternal
there is no occasion for God men grew from
the ground originally; language developed;
the highest good is happiness. Epicur rus, the
founder was born about 34l B. G. Zeno was
founder of the Stole school of philosophy. The
Stoics were fatalists aud pantheists; gods are
not superior to men; with the Epicureans. they
denied the doctrine of the resurrection from the
dead; were quite akin in many respects to
Aristotle; God is the universal force; all came
from him and must return to him the soul is
an emanation of Deity; original matter was
FIRE: fire combining with air and water give
the world in general; at the ends of certain
back into Deity, all individuality of soul is
lost, and then begins revolution the high
est good is virtue, and virtue means conformity
to the necessary laws of Nature, the human
will coalescing with the divine; mans duty is
activity. Zeno was born about 308 B. c. The |
Stoics got their name from portico in Athens,
the Greek word stoa meaning porch.
1t is plain st. Paul could not agree with such
thinkers, and we do not wonder, there was |
room for discussion. The Hebrew philosophy, |
of which Christianity avaied itself, was not to |
be modified by Greek philosophy, but was to !
modify it, at the same time awaiting itself of
every principle which conceded with the re-
ligion of Christ. The one word which expresses !
Epicureanism is Pleasure; the one word which |
gives a summary of Stoicism is Pride. The
Apostle of Christianity was Obliged to face |
Pleasure and Pride by Sacrifice and Humility. |
One thing is certain, it would not be possible |
for q speaker to meet approval of both Stoics |
and EpIcuIeanS since the TWO systems were !
contrary in many respects to each other, and |
could not be made to harmonic with third.
A popularity of Athens was the abundance
of images, idols and various objects of worship.
1t was q sarcastic remark of a certain poet: I" 1t
is easier to find in Athens god than a man."
On every side one met statues of Apollo Ceres,
Jupiter, Mercury, Minerva, Neptune, the
MUSES., etc. Such must have been q strange
sight to st. Paul, who came from Jerusalem,
city in which could not be found single image
or idol, and from which all zsuch were religi-
ously excluded. 1t is said there were 10000
images in Athens, more than in all the rest of
Greece together. That was a grand city, full of
wonders in architecture and art, inviting
learned gentleman to pause for study and ad-
miration. But st. Paul stopped not a moment
for esthetic qualification, but proceeded at once
to his religious mission.
With all their gods. the Athenians yet had
no God. The true God was unknown to them.
Calling off attention from idols, ST. Paul began
to point the people to the actual God, whom
tho Greeks had failed to recognize. ". 20)
Aaalysis
l. Data. Acts, IT. 2-31.
g. Time. A. ID. 81.
g. Place. Athens Mars Hill.
L. Speaker. st. Paul. %. Babbler. 1a.
s. Hearers. Men of Athens. %.
g. characteristics of Hearers.
a. Very relgiously inclined. %.
b. Had 10000 images.
c. Had altar to unknown God. g.