Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-07-22

This lesson is found in Acts IT: 22,34,
and has for it's subject Paul Preaching in
Athens. Followed to Berea by hostile
Jews from Thessalonica, bent on break
ing up his work, Paul determined to go
on to Athens. He left Silas and Timothy
at Berea and set off in haste, travelling TO
the sea coast and there taking ship for
Athens. Alone in the heather metropolis,
surrounded by evidences of luxurious ana
careless ease, as well as by vice, though
Athens was not so famous for wickedness
as Corinth--the apostles heart never ran
ed him. Instead, il famed up In right
eous Indignation, mingled with pity when
he bcheld the numberless statues ana
shrines Of gods. For some days or weeks
he worked quietly, preaching to the Jews
in their synagogue, and talking 10 niue
groups OF curious Greeks in the puplic
square or agora c'market placer, just
as the Greek philosophers and teachers
were accustomed to do. The picture pre-
scented in Acts IT: 1920 is thoroughly
Athenian. Philosophical discussion OF
new theories was a fayorite out-of-door
occupation Of the leisure classes, VINO
gathered under the shaded porticos anu
talked gossip or metaphysics or logic just
as the mood happened. We cannot de-
eide just how Paul would present Chris
tianity to such a people. Certainly ne
did not adapt himself to them so far as TO
soften any of the stern requirements OF
righteousness Used as they were to new
religions and new gods, the preaching OF
Jesus and Resurrection" was decid-
ed novelty, and awakened their curiosity.
Desiring to hear more fully of the matter,
they conducted Paul to the hill opposite
the Acropolis, known as the Areopagus'
or MARS Hill" Here it was that the
supreme court of ancient Athens had held
its sessions. Even in the political decay
of Athens, this spot and this court were
regarded by the people with superstitious
reverence. No place in Athens was so
| suitable for discourse upon the mys-
teries of religion. We are not. however.
| to regard Pauls discourse on the Areop-
| agus as Il formal defense, in trial be-
| fore the court. Nor is there anything in
the speech itself of a really apologize
character"
Explanatory.
! Paurs address was not, then, defense
of himself or Of his faith. 1t was an ex-
position of the latter, in such form as to
be grasped by the hearers. He had al
ready reused their curiosity; he desired
now to win their favor, and If possible.
their assent. 1t is plain that he had mere
| ly reached the end of his introduction
when he was interrupted. We have there
| fore only the merest fragment of what
he intended to say. This must be remem-
bered by those who are inclined to claim
Paul's words on this accession as support
ing pantheism or monism or some otter
'ism." He was just beginning to be spe-
ci6c when the people objected. That is
often the case now. The consummate
tact of Paul is nowhere more evident than
in these brief Introductory sentences. He
does not attack the gods of the Athenians
and thus ALLEVIATE them ut once; nor mock
their credulity in believing in SO many
divinities. Instead, he courteously ac.
knowledged that they were very careful
in religious observances-for that, AMI
not "too superstitious" Is the meaning OF
his phrases. At once he pleased them
without having recourse to fattery, and
led the way adroitly to his message.
A new era has come, says the preach
err; the light of the world has shined in
the darkness, revealing the sinfulness OF
idolatry and all other human transgres
sions more sharply than under the old dis
pensation. God had not "winked Mt" OF
overlooked" the sins of men in the sens,
of ignoring them, but rather graciously
withholding punishment.
The right of Christ to judge. and the
certainty of that judgment, are proved
according to Paul, by the resurrection
That central fact, let us notice, is pre-
scented by the apostle to these Greek,
rather than the atoning death of Christ
though we cannot doubt that he woul,
have introduced that later i'm his address
if he had not been interrupted. Tn,
preaching of the cross was ito the Greeks
foolishncss," and he sought first to OK
cite their wonder and attention by tn,
announcement of the resurrection. Fables
known TO them, like that of the phoenix
contained the germ OF this idea. Blu
Paul miscalculated the effect which tn,
announcement would have. Instead o
being led on to further inquiry, the,
Knocked. or refused to listen longer.
The beginning of the church in Athens
arose from these few disciples, one o
whom, Dionysius, is said to have been tn
first bishop of Athens. A philosophical
treatise falsely attributed to him playe,
u very important part in the intellectual
history cf the middle ages.
Teaching Hints.
Paul was gentleman. He refrainc,
from needlessly offending his hearers no
merely from policy, but from instinctiv,
courtesy. This is not apparent In the au
thorizcd version. by which he is made {,
call the Athenians 'too superstitious.
but it is true, nevertheless. Many Chris
tan workers might profit from his exam
pie in this respect. Earncstncss does no
excuse hoorishness. There may be times
when it is justifable TO speak TO a person
at time or in a manner when such nc
ton world be ordinarily called rude: bu
this cannot be the rule. Jesus was Away
courteous. in the highest sense of tn,
word, though when he had to denounce
he denounced.
paul's religion had many sides TO il. III
could introduce n sermon by an elegan
and beautiful philosophical prelude, quot
ing poetry, when that seen>ed desirable
He could also speak ms directly and forci
bly, as Luman speech permits. His faitl
was part of his life, and partook of tn
variety of his character.
The class of hearers to whom he spoL
in Athens is strikingly paralleled to-da,
by class of people who dabble in all tn
new fads in religion and philosophy
} thinking themselves both learned and lib
! eral; VINO will listen to a preacher unit
he begins to he personal, and then begil
either to mock or to make excuses for
sudden departure. Human nature is no
so very different from what IL used to be
But il Is TO be remembered that eve,
among such. certain men cleave unto tn