The Dermott news., 1916-07-13

1 with. Athens has always epitomized 1 the acme of intellectualism. culture, art. and esthetic accomplishment. Driven from Berea and alone. Paul fled to the coast and taking ship crossed over to the Thessalonian peninsula Entering the city-he beholds it's stat. uary, meets it's philosophers and views it's moral degradation and it's myriad manifestations of heathenism. Out wardly cultured. molding the thought Of the world, yet 1t passed from it's pinnacle of power because 1t krew not God. Paul saw the pantheism of the cultured Stoics and the Epcureans. who because of their distant and but little concerned gods. enjoyed tho pleasure of wealth and ease.
 !. Paul Brought to Trial (vv. 16-2D. Such sights stirred the spirit of Paul. The marvel IS how indifferent we may become in the presence of the great spiritual poverty of our time His spirit stirred within him. when he saw the city crowded with idols. As Paul followed his custom and began his preaching in the synagogue he also took advantage of the opportunity to do open.air work In the market place. Here small group and there another. This he did daily until the teachers (v 1S) began to take knowledge of his presence in their city. Some in contempt called him "babbler." while others concluded that he represented some new religion, though he set be- fore them the same message Of saliva ton in Jesus Christ which had caused such remarkable results elsewhere. That they might hear him moro fully and without the interruption of the mart of trade. Paul Is taken to the Areopagus. or Mars Hill, whore from timo immemorial the greatest erim- inals had been sentenced and the most solemn questions of religion set tied.
 II. The Unknown Made Known. tvv. 22-29). Such idle speculation (v. 2D was of no value to the Athenians. This Paul knew. yet he began his address in a most concihatory manner ". 70 R. VI. He would win their favorable attention before he called them to re- pcntance. keenly observant. Paul had seen among the many inscriptions one to the unknown God, and this Cne whom in ignorance they worshiped. he would set forth. Many today are in blindness, seeking 10 know God when he has already been made manifest lto be seenl. tJohn l:1S; John 5:20: John l4:9: II Cor. 4.6D It is mans own fault if he does not know God (Rom 1.20-22. 2S: II Cor. 4: 4), and no knowl edge is moro important tJohn 17:3), Paul's opening words in verse 2+ were but to seize wellknown object of their street decoration and discussions and with it to lead on to the great truth he ycarned to haye them compre. hend. This caught tho philosophers as well as the idle curious. God Is not a philosophic conception of the mind. He cannot be confined to temples made with hands nor does he need the services of our hands. seeing he ere ated all things and giveth to all things life Pauls next point was that He hath made of one every nation of men," As yet how little men really believe that truth-witness the Euro. pean conflict and the economic racial and social differences of this land. Negro segregation and Aslatic exclu- sion are but illustrations of our sepa. ration from the teaching of the broth erhood of man. But this brotherhood is not alone for altruistic service but that they should seek God This was his great and glorious purpose in creating the nations of tho earth. in setting the seasons in motion. to min ister 10 their needs. and in appointing the bounds of their habltations: yet how far man has departed from that ideal tRom. l:2S). IL is of the nigh. est importance that men should seek God and he Is not difficult to find for those who seek him tier. 29. l3). III. What the Athenians Lacked tvv. S0-34. Thus far PaGls auditors must have followed him keenly. and 1t was the goal toward which he had been driving so relentlessly. Such sublime conceptions. keen logic and quotations from their writers won their attention. He then delivered a keen thrust at this. the psychological moment. by calling upon them to re pent. The Athenians lacked a realiz. ing sense of the personality of God that man could have personal and in- timate relations with God or that a man could or had risen from the dead.
 Any candid seeker after truth who will examine the evidence will be con. vinced of the truth that Jesus of ! Nazareth crucined upon a Roman cross. rose from tho dead.
 These Athenians also lacked the ability to accept this tact and to yield their lives in obedience to 1t. and SO some tried to sheer away the truth. i but that did not alter 1t.
 Some were amused. and some evi. ' dancad n curious interest saving sWe