The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1916-07-12
suNDAY SCHOOL, NOTES
Side Lights on Next Sundays
Lesson for Teachers and PupIIs
/. Edited BY Charles r.. Meyers.


Executive Committee
Kiron: F, i, vanslyke. Manila; H. J
Cook, Denison: Frank Woofston, DEM
taon; e. g. Virgins, Dow City.
Supsrintsndsnts. x u
Elsmsntary Grades !. gee,
....s.... ~ Miss Susie Craft. Denisol
Secondary Grade, F. L. Hoffman, Denisol
49,. 80. Prof. B. j, stiil. Manill'
Hons i..p.. Mrs. wv. Pierce. Denise,
Teacher rr Res 5. e. Tourteiiot. Denise,
80. Miss Manetta Jorgensen. Val
MkAsionafy Department
Mrs. Anna Williams Denlsof
July 1e-Paul at Athens. Acts II:
1854. is ss..
For the coming Sabbath and the fol
lowing one we shall consider further
al to Paul and his missionary journey
through what is now Greece in Europe
This week we shall find out about his
whit to Athens, a city which Is now
the chief one of Greece. He was fresh
from his endeavors at Philippi, Thes'
sslonica and Beroea and Jealous fof
the cause OF his Master, Jesus the
Christ.
1T might be we'll to remember that
Athens and Greece had history
seachlne back thousands Of years, that
men great in thought and literature
had lived there and taught on the mys.
teries of life, that the men of the city
Ct the date Of Paui's visit were most
able along intellectual lines. They be.
lieyed in many Gods and were busy in
acquiring more knowledge about them
Nearly all their lives were made up OF
actions which they had been taught
to believe would be acceptable to the
Gods whom they believed had control
over some particular form or line OF
human endeavor Thus Paul was able
to say with truth II perceive that IN
oil things you are very religious
Paul was in the. midst of men Who
knew nothing OF the history Of the
Jews. Abfaham, Isaac, Jacob, Moses
David. Elijah were all names. which
had for the Athenians no significance,
They could not be appealed to with
the thought that they knew about the
Old Testament, the promise of the
coming of Jesus and His death, burial
and resurrection. 1t was because Paul
understood the situation, and made
public: address fitted to the intellf
kence Of his hearers, that he is given
% much credit for his speech on Mars
Hills s'sA
Paul was at Athens for some time
before She came to much notoriety. In
this Interval he was taking note OF
conditions Sin the city and arranging
Tor the, best, oconyince. the, people
that he had the true religion to offer:
At length his learning and energy in
discussions among men in the places
Z where they met to talk gained for him
attention. BY common consent 1t was
Arranged that he on q stated occasion
give his. views on religious matters.
That this was done is most coikplti
inentary to Paul, and the impression
he made on those with whom he talked
He told the people of AthepBsth that lf
found them religious and this was to
be- commended He did not agree that
Z they had found the true religion, how
ever, and set out to3convince them that
this was SO from points OF reason,
Paul took advantage of his observation
that shrine or place of Worship had
been set up in the city to "The I'm,
known God, land boldly called out
whom We ignorantly word worship
him declare unto you" A magnifi
cent way to gain attention and give no
of{ense. He then with power set forth
that he came to represent the God
who made the heavens and the earth
zone who needed no place built for Him
to dwell III. who could not be repre-
sented III Images y inside by human
hands, seeing he was q great spirit
It was in the speech at Athens the
greateeltrnth was set forth that God.
hath made Of .onesbiood all notions OF
men. Thus .proc1aiming the common.
! fatherhood .of God and the brotherhood
81 man, Paul took advantage of the
we'll known fact, to his hearers, that
one OF their poets had said all men
were the offsprings of God. He went
On to reason that If his hearers were
the offsprings OF God, it. was foolish
to carve blocks of stone and manufac-
ture gold and silver into images and
say these were truly Gods. Paul with
one stroke condoned or removed from
blame his hearers for past ,idolatry
and called them all to step forward
into belief in the true God who had ap.
pointed day when He would Judge
I'll men for the deeds done in the
body. the judge being one whom He
had raised from the dead. His hear.
ers had Siven attention until he told
of immortal life and resurrection from
the dead Then some laughed at him
and TUNED away, some saying they
would hear him at another time.
The arguments given at Athens by
Paul against idolatry have never been
& 4xcelled and the address Is considered
Q model for forceful presentation Of
the sreasonableness of the religion Of
Jesus. Let it be noted that Paul never
Rinched, from telling of q Judgment
to come" knowing as he did the i'm.
pbrtance of this matter. In the midst
Of his surroundings at Athens Paul
might have been excused for not bold,
~ proclaiming Jesus. Fear was not
In his makeup, and his conduct at that
time can well be a lesson to all chris.
tians to never quail before any opposi
ton, but to find opportunity to tell
about Jesus and the salvation He offers
to all. Every christian is proud OF
Paul at Athens, and glories in his ex
cellent presentation of the reasonable
ness of. believing in God, the creator
OF the universe, in his urging prepare
ton for a day of judgment.