The Detroit times., 1910-10-31


Ignorance, this l set forth unto YOU
Acts II %.
( This sentence is one OF the most in
teresting In all religious literature. It's
utterauce marks the meeting time or
a great mind with a great occasion
Paul. the apostle. was the man. Athens
at It's best was the-occaBion. Paul was
the prophet Of a neE faith. lie had
been "A stff conservative Pharisee; ne
had fulfilled all the requirements OF
severity and conservatism In his perse-
Cution OF the followers OF Jesus. He
had been hurled down from his pedestal
- OF sufhctency into the dust or sell
abasement. He had been strangely int
ed up 10 new vision OF glorious
faith aud service, which made him Will
ing 10 give his own life TO bring men
to his new faith. All his INTELLECTUAL
powers. which were not common al ms
energy, which was not feeble, All MS
patience, which was not eNhaustlole'
and all his tact. which never failed, no
brought 60 the service OF his efforts TO
win the. woT Ia, 10 a faith In Jesus ana
Jesus God-all these he brought 10
Athens.
i his best, tie city was at It's highest IN
artsand thought. Its acropolis was inc
choicest object OF the age, and STOOD
in it's most perfect condition. Its tenn
pies and affairs were teautiful In form
and finish; it's ceremonies We're har-
monious &c the perfection or porch ana
hall: the whole city lifted itself up 10
the spirit OF the acropolis. Everywhere
- beauty was the chief concern. Men
sought TO be strong and women TO De
beautiful. Ideas, like the statues In the
temple. also were objects or worship.
In the market place before the Bema
and on Mars hill men gathered 70 near
ard discuss new ideas In temples ana
along streets were affairs TO gods; the
powers OF light and beauty, the sea ana
mountain, the seen and unseen, war ana
peace. the HUNDRED and o. one no,6 so9s anu IN
the, market and schools OF philos-
ophy met met and discussed the ma
a ture and manifestations OF the deities
" belonging to these Rltals, and before
the affairs the people knelt In worship
and waited the message or the omens.
PauIn Message To Athens.
Thus II was PAU; the prophet; anu
Athens. the beautiful met. A soul like
that Of Paul could not have been, un-
moved by the beauty and spirit or Atm
ems, nor could men OF such city as
Athens. long trained TO listen 10 new
philosophles. have been Indifferent to
the visitation OF such mar as Paul
What should he say? What would gi
they hear? His opportunity called Tor
his best. He did not underestimate ms
privilege: he did not fail In his re
Sponse this is what he said: AS !
LaRsod by and beheld your devotons !
found an altar with this Inscription:
TO the Unknown God What there
fore. We ignorantly worship. this declare
1 unto YOU God that made the world
and all things therein. seeing that He IL
Lord OF heaven and earth. dwelleth ~
In temples made with hands; neither is
lie worshiped with mems hands as
though lie needeth anything seeing He
giVeth to all life and breath and all
things, and hath made OF one blood
all nations OF men to dwell on all the
face OF the earth. ami hath determined
their times before appointed, and the
bounds OF their habitation, that they
should seek the Lord II happily they
might feel after Him and find Him.
though Nc. Is not far from every one OF
us, for in Him we live and move. and
have our being even as certain OF your
own poets have said. we are also OF
Great as is Paul's vision OF God-that
Is Lord OF heaven and earth; spirit
dwelling not In temples made with
hands; universal. giving to all power
and life: near sought after by all. but
p. not far from every one OF us; | pass IL
nv 10 discuss another theme. namely.
Paul's attitude toward the Athenians
expressed I'm his phrase, The unknown
god which ye ignorantly worship. Him
I declare unto you"
soul. some soul OF keen discernment,
some soul with large UNDERSTANDING
and has said ~ can tell you about the
God you call unknown." This has never
been wholly an idle promise nor a pre-.
aumptuous boast The knowledge or
the Infinite has increased age by age.
Scientists and discoveries have pene-
trated further into physical mysteries
and have given new reports or power
and life Age by age. thinkers. see king
searched more carefully and intelli-
gently the deep things OF consciousness
All these seekers for the truth have eX-
char ged knowledge gathered from their
difrerent-ields Of search. Prophet souls
have put together these discoveries and
have proclaimed n new Interpretation or
ltff's facts. our age continues the habit
of seeking 20 solve the unknown. But
r more than any other age. IL seeks TO
know the great by studying the sma II.
the far-of by studying the near, God
by studying man. Immortality by study
ing mortality
Ancient and Modern Things COmnRred.
We love gold as much as did the
ancients. but we do not seek. like the
alchemists, 20 make ~ out or nothing.
our effort Is TO find better methods, ia
draw the existing gold out OF the rocks
where IL IL stored We love health as
much as did the ancients, but we are
seeking II not by hot plasters and fierce
. medicines or weird inCGntations, but by
right eating sleeping. exercise and
4 thinking We want happiness. but we
are not looking for II TO come down out
of heaven ready made. but 10 develop
through an obedience TO the laws OF
service and love In other words. the
habit OF this age ls to go from the
things known TO the thing9 unknown.
The faith by which meu attempt the
unknown IL built upon experience with