The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1903-02-07
sUNDAY-sCHOOL LESSON.
Acts xviii, ILL. Feb. s, 10O3-The
Church at COrinth Founded.

The natural situation of corinth is remarkable
beautiful advantageous. If we permitted
TO stand upon the Ac-o-Corlnthus. that rocky ia
bic rising one-half mile in perpendicular measure
above the sea, there would be unrolled at our
feet a lovely panorama Yonder are the far
famed Aegean islands-emeralds set in silver
Here are the alternating capes and bays OF the
ragged coast-line of Greece. that narrow tongue
OF land. The isthmus has given its name to all
similar formations which divide and unite
lands. Up yonder gulf the merchantmen can sail
one hundred miles. land-locked. beyond the touch
OF storm, and, reaching the isthmus. a marine
railway receives them and transports them 10 the
waters beyond From yonder shore the first man
of-war was launched, and in yonder waters the
first naval battle was fought six centuries be-
fore Christ. On yonder sthmus the famous
isthman games were played once in five years
Milman calls Corinth the Venice Of the old
world. for that sthmus the commerce of the
East passed the commerce OF the West.
Right at ones feet on the bench of the hill lies
the city. with temples ana statues of gods. all
resplendent with its far-famed Corinthian
bronze. The hum OF commerce and mechanic
arts seems to come up TO ones ears. One sees
the philosophers rhetoricans and artists in grove
and porch. What goodly sight! No wonder
Cicero calls this city 1.-The eye of all Greece"
But under this fair exterior an awful lep-
rosy is lurking. We are looking at the most las
civious city of the most cultured nation Of an
tiquity. In yonaer temple of Venus there are
one thousand prestesses. whose ritual is prosti-
tuition. The city's morals are at one end Of the
beam, her culture at the other. Her morals
sink in the exact ratio that her culture rises.
Her philosophy is mpotent. Someone has well
said That the system OF the philosopher could
not reform the people who lived on the same
street with him." The epcurean maxim rules
the populace-' Eat. drink. be merry; Tomorrow
we die" You may say of this city what Sam
Jones once said of Cincinnati: Its streets run
on down into hell, and no need to change name
or number"
But one day there came to Corinth-"this hot
bed of wealth. excitement and vice'-a stranger
of small stature and slender frame, weary with
his journey OF forty miles afoot from Athens.
The stranger stops before a shop. and. reading
the sign. "Aquia. Tentmaker,' exclams: Ah!
here is of my own craft. Perhaps can find
lodging and work with him. He finds him not
only felIow-countryman, but feow-beever.
AS Paul lies down rest that night, Jesus and
the angels know that new and mightier phlos-
ophy has entered Corinth-a philosophy which is
| the wisdom of God. and the power of God. The
kingdom of heaven had come in unobserved.
| 1t was hid like the leaven in the meal
In the morning Paul dons his apron and takes
| his needle we Corinthians. This noble man
| will have you to know that he seeks not yours
| but you. He tolls like local preacher-workng
! for his support all week. and standing up
/ to declare the unsearchable riches of Christ
the Sabbath. He reasoned in the synagogue
every Sabbath and persuaded the Jews and the
Greeks.
THE TEACHERS LANTERN
Soon Paul Joined by Slas and Timothy.
They came from Berea, having failed to meet
him in Athens he requested. He cheered
and strengthened by their coming. No Christian
minister is beyond the need of sympathetic COM
partnership. There subtle connection be-
tween this coming of his comrades. and the in
crease OF his zeal. 1t is written Paul was
pressed in spirit 1t is the word our Savior
used when he cried: II have baptism to be
baptized WITH and how am straitened that it
may be accomplished He must draw the case
| TO issue. The minister of to-day shares the
strong, consuming emotion OF the apostle as he
| urges his hearers TO immediate repentance.
| There comes point where the Pauline prin-
cple of ''all things to all men, be no longer
| followed without compromise of principle. When
| Paul's hearers in the synagogue blasphemed the
iIame of Christ he could no longer consort with
them. He must come out from among them. no
matter what bitter strife might follow. With
| significant gesture he shook his raiment, cry
| ing: Your blood be upon your own heads
am clean. From henceforth 1 will go unto the
| gentes.' and he suited the action to the word
| II IL was to be a conflict with the unbelevlng
| and blasphemous synagogue, he would set up
| his standard at the nearest point possible. He
| took the house of Justus the convert, right next
| door to the synagogue. and made IL headquarters
| of Christianity in Corinth. That is what Jerry
| McAuley did in New York-rght next door to the
| Cremornc garden. vertable gate of hell. he
opened his gospel shop. and even took the name
of the garden. calling his the Cremorne mission.
o for courage TO press the battle to the gates OF
| hell.
Such courage must win. Pauls first convert
| was the most unlikely Of all. 1t was none other
than Crispus himself. the ruler of the synagogue.
And his conversion swept his whole family into
| the kingdom.
The example of Crispus contagious. Many
Of the Corinthian hearers believed and were bap-
tzed At this point there vouchsafed the
| apostle a glorious vision the object of which
| was to teach him not to be content with the
present results or the revival. blessed as they
| standings this stream a this sayne noipf