Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-15
PAUL AT ATHENS.
Acts 17:16-34.
Golden text-In Him we live and
move and have our being. Acts.
1928
By Rev. H. 7. Stevenson.

While Paul waited in Athens, when
the brethren of the Berean Church left
him to return home, for the arrival of
his colleagues he wandered about the
city. which divides with one other all
the glory of heather antiquity. he ex-
perienced the loneliness that many
traveller has felt when walking alone
in the streets of foreign city. His
heart was with his friends far away.
There was nothing in the beautiful and
curious monuments of the famous cap
ital of art, philosophy, religion and Gull
ture that could effectively dispense the
clouds of sadness. The magnificent
specimens Of architecture and sculpture
that he could see on every street, space
and square were all monuments of the
fdolatry that the Athenians' craze after
gods had caused them to erect, and
they filled Paul with indignation.
In the synagogue, where he preached
In accordance with his custom, there
probably was an agreement with his
views against the idolatrous practices
that had filled the city with idols, but
effect his discourses had with the Jew
ish population of the city. In his ar
guments at the market place. or
agora," that was the center of the civic
the cultured philosophy and polished
paganism of Greece Sentiment was
divided. Some discounted his gospel
rs folly: others classed Paul with
the "seed-pickers." the Athenian slang
phrase for the idler in the agora. who
picked up. like a bird, scraps of in
formation from others and tried to OBJ
tain a reputation for wisdom by pre-
eenting his 'babblings" as original con-
tfibutions to knowledge. Others took
Paul seriously and invited him to pre-
sent his views before the Areopagus.
the highest court of Athens, by due
process of law, for they took hold of
him and brought him before the tri-
bunal that passed upon all religious
teachings. because they decided as to
what gods should be admitted and
what teachings were for the good of
the city.
Paurs address before this dignified
court bears the mint of his great mind.
There was much in the surroundings,
u he spoke from Mars hill. where
Demosthenes and Pericles had deliver
ed their classical orations to inspire
HIM The modern traveller, standing
upon that historic site in the center of
the ancient city and in full view of
it's great monuments. hoary with age
and the traditions of the centuries
can catch something of the spirit of
the hour. when the apostle to the gen.
tiles faced the court with his apology
or defense of the Christian faith The
temple of the Eumendes was immedi-
. ately below him: and IL he looked to
the east he beheld the Propylea of the
Acropoils fronting him, and the Par
thenon rising above him. and on his
left the bronze Colossus of Minerva
the champion of Athens: and the tenn
pie of victory to the right; behind him
was the temple of Theseus; and a
countless multitude of smaller temples
and affairs in the Agora and Cermicus
p below him" A nobler pulpit, a more
Intelligent audience, no preacher could
wish; and the sermon Paul preached
upon the character of God was worthy
Of the occasion, as one can readily see
from studying the outline of the dis
course that has been preserved for the
church in the portion of Scripture as
signed for this weeks study