The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-31
What the Religious World
Is Thinking About and Doing
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON AND YOUNG PEOPLES TOPIC
COMMENTS BY WILLIAM T. ELLIS.

was but carrying out his own principle
of being made all things to all men,
that he might "by all things save
some" Like wise man, he adapted
his method of approach to his audience
So wonderful is the gospel that it may
be made to fit all situations and con-
ditions, and all kinds Of men. The Sal
walton Army, giving it's experiences"
on the street corner, is as truly preach
ing the gospel as the bishop in full
canonicals, standing in the cathedral
pulpit, setting forth the ethical aspects
of Christianity.
The Reaches of the Gospel.
It is easy to hold too narrow a con-
ception of what constitutes the gospel
The scholar delving among his musty
books may be doing a greater service
for Christianity and mankind than the
evangelist who is sWaying thousands
President Charles Cuthbert Hall, as he
today reasons and debates with the
Hindu philosophers in India, expond-
ing and defending, by all the powers Of
his great mind, the truth of the gospel
Is as truly preaching Christ as any
preacher who is telling the story of
the cross to an American audience.
And doubtless DR.. Hall is quoting from
the famous Buddhist poets and writer's,
just as Paul quoted from the Greek
POCI al aus OC1O1C the IGdE110u OE06hS
gathered about him on Mars hill.
Cali Roads Lead to Rome"
AS all roads in the empire in which
Paul lived led eventually to the cap
ital city, so all his speeches, no mat
ter how or where they began, led to
the cross and to the open tomb of the
Saviour. We have given to US only a
summary of the introduction of the
apostles address on Mars hill; what
is printed in the record would con-
sumo less than two minutes in deliv-
cry. The body of the defense and ap-
peal is only indicated for us. But we
are shown that it was the old, old
story of Christ and him crucified"
The burden of it was not mere pagan
philosophy, nor yet the fundamental
truth of the existence of a supreme
God who was one, and not many. Flo
quent as are the words that have been
preserved to us, they are not the truth
that brings salvation. They are such
as might have been spoken by Abra-
ham or Moses; Paul had a later, fuller
and more precious message to deliver
We are interested in these recorded
words Of his, not chiefly for what they
teach, but simply as one of PauPs
methods of pressing his evangelistfc
campaign, and of telling forth the
truth as it is in Jesus.
The Results of the Speech.
Wise and courteous and tactfuI as
was the Apostles address, it wound
up amid anything else than harmony.
So long as he quoted the Greek poets
and made graceful illusions to their
own idols, the hearers were tickled,
but when he got to the cross and the
resurrection there was mocking, for
Paul himself is authority for the state
ment that to the Greeks the gospel
seemed as foolishness. Yet %e pro-
claimed it fearlessly knowing that it
would awaken opposition. And he had
the reward of seeing converts made.
OF the number that clave unto him we
are not informed; we know that at
least one of them was a man of prom
inence and learning, being no less than
one of the Areopagites. A representa-
tive woman is named also, and we
may be sure that church was the
outcome Of that address on Mars hill.