The Big Sandy news. [volume] (Louisa, Ky.) 1885-1929, 1914-08-28

1.-THE religious element OF 1.-THE fuliness Of
| the time''
But other preparation than the re-
lligious was needed. And Israel was
not expected to do it all. God gracious
| ly granted other nations to have a
share in this great work Of ushering
in "the fullness of time"
Greece, too. played an essential part
In the providence of God, the Greeks
had mission to perform.
Just as truly as God has given to
each individual his own special work
to do. just so he has given to nations
their specific duties.
And so the Greeks, as well as the
Jews aided in the preparation of the
world for the coming OF the Christ.
Gods spirit was just as truly brooding
| over Greece as over Palestine. The
Greek culture was no more mere ac-
cident than the Jewish religion. The
Greek philosophers were no mere waste
of time and energy. The Greek litera-
ture was just as important In it's way.
as were the Jewish scriptures.
How dare / say that the Greek Phil
osophy was as important as Jewish
Theology? AMI Greek Literature as inn
portant as Hebrew Scripture? and
Greek culture as important as Israel
itish piety?
Mote well the answer. The Greek
culture, Literature and Philosophy
were absolutely necessary in the MAX
ing of the Greek language. Through
these agencies God was, in Greece, de-
yaln Ia H.
suitable and worthy vehicle for the
gospel Of his Son.
AS Jesus Christ. the man of Naza-
reth, the. Son of God was the most per-
feet revelation of God, and at the same
time the mos. perfect man that has
ever walked the earth; so the Greek
language is the most perfect, the most
beautiful language that has ever fallen
from the lips of man, and ! do not
believe that a more beautiful language
than Greek will ever be heard on earth !;
TILL perchance, the language of heaven
may be spoken here. And the Greek
language was prepared in Gods prov
idence and caused to be known and
spoken over all the then civilized
world. to be suitable means of maxi
ing known to all men the message Of
love which Jesus came to speak to a
perishing world.
In the Greek language, the life of
Christ was recorded.
In the Greek tongue the Gospel was
preached.
In Greek, Paul wrote by inspiration
those letters that have been the COM
fort and strength, the instruction and
inspiration of the church for well nigh
1000 years.
In Greek did John pen those lines
glowing with love that warm and cheer
our hearts in these later days
And today the New Testament, every
word of 1t, stands written in the Greek
language, preserved there in most
who would catch all the delicacy, all
the vigor. all the beauty. and all the
strength of the New Testament must
read 1t in the Greek.
The New Testament in English is a
wonderful book, but in the original
Greek, as it came from the hands Of
Gods inspired penmen, it is beyond
comparison.
And in his providence God prepared
that language through the instrument
tality of the Greek nation. And let us
ever remember that thus we are in
debted to Greece, in part, for the full
ness Of time"
But even If the Christ had lived, and
taught, and died; and the record of
that life and teaching and sacrifical
death had been made in that well nigh
perfect language, yet the western
world might still be in the ignorance
and bondage of superstition. Though
the truth had been perfectly revealed
and adequately recorded, something
else was needed.
That something" was supplied by
the Romans.
In their enterprise and skill the
Romans had conquered all the then
known world. Practically all the then
civilized world was bound together as
one government. Never before that
had the world been so nearly one ma
ton.
And what of that?
For one thing 1t provided commune
cation with all the various peoples.
"All roads lead to Rome" twas said.
Thus was the way opened for the Cos
pei to be carried everywhere, and find
the same language spoken.
Then, too, Roman citizen was free
to travel whittier he pleased from one
end Of the world to the other, and was
always under the protection of the
Roman law and the Roman legions.
The value of this fact, in the spread
of the Gospel, can not be overestimat-
ed. 1t is clearly seen in the case of
Paul. Though he braved many dan
gers, and met many difficulties as it
was; yet had he not been Roman
citizen and under the protection Of
Roman Law, Paul could have accom-
plished almost nothing.
Rome's strong hand was needed at
that hour; and Rome's hand was both
there and strong in that hour, by the
grace of God.
Thus Rome with her universal do
main, her law and order. formed no
small part of the preparedness of the
world for the coming of Christ. In this
is the hand of God evident. His Spirit
was guiding and directing Rome as
we'll as Greece and Israel. And each
responded consciously or unconscious
", to that guidance according to its
racial genius and aptitude, each doing
a work the others could not have done,
each doing work as necessary as the
others. And the sad thought in II all
Ia. that each of the three, while thus