The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1909-07-20
IN THE RELIGIOUS WORLD.
What the Church Folk Are Thinking About and Doing.
Religious News From Elsewhere

Droprieties or for life itself, cannot be
kept bottled up within the forms OF
conventional procedure. No syna-
gogue coud hold Paul in the presence
Of Athenian conditions. He went
morning, noon, and night to the pub
lie square to debate upon these pro
foun truths Of which he knew him
self to be the custodian. even the
StOicS and Epicurians who reSorted
thither ere stirred to some fresh in
terest at the prospect Of a new doc
trine. New thought had never SO
attractive a to modern Ath-
enian as did the rumOr of new teach
ing to these idlers in Athens Of old.
Paul became a fad, even as the tur-
baned Indian babu who visits Amcri-
They wanted to hear more of his doc
because they felt it to be
important, but simply because it was
new. Their interest was purely spec
ulatlve. They desired to t%itillate the
weary nerve of interest. They were
early members Of the tribe Of church
FOUNDERS who weary Of the preaching
and worship and work Of any single
congregation, n spend their time in
going from church to church to taste
the style of different preachers.
On Mars Hill.
Paul was succeeding in his purpose
He wanted to awaken the interest
Of the city in himself, that he might
transfer that interest to the Christ
whom he preached. Then. as now,
the problem Of awakening a whole
city,s interest was no small one. NO
one has written the h~eart-break OF
the preacher of the gospel who comes
to a great modern city burdened witt
the message of God to the people, and
then is compelled to watch the city
go on its idle way past his churc
door, untouched and uncaring.
Paul a cleverly planned to get
a hearing for himself from the whole
city. He was borne to Mars Hill be-
fore h court Of the AreOpagus, the
center Of ~DhilosOphic debate. He knew
when he was called upon for a full
statement of his principles, that the
whole crowd would resort thither and
Athens would be set to hufnming with
a discussion of the Crucifed. We may
easily imagine how Paul prepared for
that speech. His every thought was
an inarticu1ate prayer for devine gui-
dance. Near and far he sought for
phrases and metaphors and illustra-
tons. If he failed to be interesting
he would fail altogether. And if he
failed to be tolerant he would get no
hearing. He would have to reason
from what was known to them up in
to the realm Of what hey had yet to
learn. How we'll he succeeded we
know from so much of the speech
as has been preserved to us.
A Classic Speech.
And Pau stood in the midst of the
AreOpagus, and said:
"Ye men of Athens in all things I
perceive that We are very religious.
For as / passed along. and observed
the objects Of your worship, | found
also ar altar with this inscription,
To an Unknown Cod What there
fore We worship in ignorance, his I
GET forth 11pTn Tho cod fhnf
made the world and all things there
in. he, being Lord Of heaven and
earth, dWelleth not in temples made
with hands: neither is he served by
mems hands. as though he needed
anything, seeing he himself giveth to
all life, and breath, and all things:
and he made of one every nation of
men to dwell on all the face Of the
earth, having determined their APP
pointed seasons. and the bounds of
their habitatiOns; that they should
seek God, if haply they might feel
after him n find him. though he
is not far from each one of US; for in
him we live, and move and have our
being; as certain even Of your own
poets a said,
For we are also his offspring
Being then the offspring of God, we
ought not to think that the GOdhead
is like unto gold, or silver, or stone,
craven by art and device Of The
times of ignorance therefore God
overlooked; but now he cOmmandeth
men that they should all everywhere
repent; inaSmuch as he hath appoint
ed a day in which he will judge the
world in righteousness by the man
whom he hath ordained: whereof he
hath given assurance unto all men,
in that he hath raised him from the
dead"
A Great Efforts Small Effect.
When the speaker began to bear
home upon the convictions of his
hearers the crowd grew FESTIVE. Some
jeered at his teaching of the resur-
rectiOn. They did not like anything
so crude and unrefined. Others
with the immemorial prOcrastinatiOn
of the cowardly, promised to near
more at a later season. The general