Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1897-07-20

remain perfect Its area at the top
| measures sixty PAGES by twenty-iour'
within quadrangle sixteen PAGES square
is cxcavatcd and leveled for the court
The Judges seem to have sat on benches
tier above tier on the rising rock in the
north side of the quadrangle. Here the
most ancient and reycront court KNOWN
in Greece-tne court of the AreopaSites
held it's solemn sessions. Among other
objects of it's jurisdiction it had partlcu-
lar cosnizancc of all blasphemies against
| the heather gods. Four hundred and if-
| ty years before this Socrates was ar
raigned in this court for Introducing
strange and foreign gods. While the
Acropolis was the center of the religion
| of Athens. the Areopagus was the altar
| of justice. The court acted not only as
| a criminal court for capital cases, but as
| a guardian of the laws manners. and
| morals of the people. This Hill lies quite
out OF the modern city and has but one
| building on it-a little whitcwashed stone
church which bears the name OF 'Dio-
nysius the Areopagitc."
Connecting Links Intelligence of
Pauls success in Berea soon reached the
Jews in Thesssloniea, who, true to their
character. Immediately started thither to
| stir up commotiou. The brethren, I'M
willing TO expose Paul To further risks
sent him away in the direction Of the
sea. While Silas remained In Berea. n
three days sail from Dium. on the coast,
brought him TO Athens. In many ways
| this was the most notable place he had
yet visited. No city in the world could
| boast in such short space of time such
u number of truly illuatrious citizens;
| among warriors. Miltiades; statesmen.
Scion and Pericles: philosophers. Socrates
| and Plato: orators. Delnosthenes: writ
ers. Xenophon and EIirlpides; artists
Phidias. These were names enough to
crown any city with enduring fame. The
greatness and beauty could not blind
| Paul To the deadly cancer which was eat
| Ing out the spiritual life OF the people,
nor make him forget that he was a mis-
Slonary. On the Sabbath day he rea-
soned with the Jews. and on other days
III the market with merchants, states
men. orators. and philosophers. He en-
! countered the disciples of three schools
of thought-the Stoics. OF pantheists of
the ancient world. the Epicureans. it's
tnaterialists. and the Academicaus, its
agnostics. They had curiosity To know if
| Christianity could possibly he a new
| school of thought. In response to their
polite request Paul was induced TO go
| from the crowde,. market place To the
quiet Areopagus where he delivered his
celebrated address. II is one of the most
beautiful gems that have descended from
| ancient 10 modern times. Noting the
extreme religious ScrupulousnesS which
! had led the Athenians TO raise altar
TO an unknown god. the apostle declares
To them the God whom alone they ought
| TO worship. and whom as yet they did
| not know. This God was the Maker ana
| Preserver of all Things and the Father
! of all men, and he desired TO bring all to
| a knowledge of himself. Athenian poets
| mad spoken of this Fatherhood of God
| Such a God is not iltly REPRESENTED by
craven images: and Paul would have
men cease from such ignorant worship,
for he will be the Judge as well as Faith
er of men. and has given proof of the
| judgment and of the world to come by
The resurrecthiOn OF Jesus Christ.
Lesson Hymn
! Jesus. where'er thy people meet. there
! they behold thy mercy seat:
! Where'er they seek thee. thou art found
! and every place is hallowed ground
| For thou, within no walls confined, dost
| dwell with those OF humble mind:
Such ever bring thee where they come
and. going. take thee to their home
Here may we prove the power OF prayer
| to strengthen faith and sweeten
| care:
! To teach our faint desires 10 rise and
| brine all heaven brfor. an, .ve.