The Holt County sentinel., 1916-07-14
INTERNATIONAL.
SUNNSQlOOL
LESSON
tBy r o. SELLERS. Acting Director OF
the Sunday School Course In the Moody
Bible Institute OF ChicagoD
Copyright by Western Newspaper Cnion.D
LESSON FOR JULY is
PAUL At ATHENS.

Athens! What a name to conjure
with. Athens has always epitomized
the acme OF intellectualism. culture.
art. and esthetic accomplishment.
Driven from Berea and alone. Paul lied
to the coast and taking ship crossed
over to the Thessalonian peninsula.
Entering the city-he beholds It's stat.
uary. meets Its philosophers and views
its moral degradation and its myriad
manifestations Of heathenism. out.
wardly cultured. molding the thought
OF the world. yet Il passed from its
pinnacle Of power because II knew not
God. paul saw the pantheism Of the
cultured Stoics and the Epicurcans,
who because OF their distant and but
little concerned gods. enjoyed the
| pleasure OF wealth and ease.
!. Paul Brought TO Trial wv. iG.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 opcn.air work In the market place.
Here a small group and there another
This To did daily until the teachers
w. 49, began TO take knowledge Of
his presence In their city. Some In
contempt called him a "babbier." while
others concluded that he represented
some new religion, though he set be-
fore them the same message Of saliva.
tion In Jesus Christ which had caused
such remarkable results elsewhere.
That they might hear him more fully
and without the interruption of the
mart OF trade. Paul Is taken to the
Arcopagus. or Mars Hill, where from
time immerioriai the greatest Grim.
inais had been sentenced and the most
soleian questions Of religion set.
tied
u. The Unknown Made known, wv.
....sl. such Idle speculation ". 2D
was Of NJ value 10 the Athenians. This
Paul knew. yet he began his address
In most conciiia'ory manner ". 20
II. W. lie would win their favorable
attention before he called them 10 re-
pcntance. keeniy cbscrvant. Paul had
seen amCng the many inscriptions one
TO the unknown God" and this one
whom In ignorance they worshipcd. no
would set forth. Many today are In
blindness, seeking 60 know God when
he has already been made manifest ito
be seem. John 1918; John $500: John
1870: II Cor. 400 II Is mans own
fault II he does not know God from.
i;2o.2:. IS: II Cor. 40. and no knowl.
edge Is more important John i7:3.
Paul's opening words In verse % were
but 10 seize wcllknown object OF
their street decoration and discussions
and with Il TO lead on TO the great
truth he ycarned to have them compre.
bend. This caught the philosophers
rs well as the idle curious. God is not
u philosophic conception Of the mind.
lie cannot be confined 70 temples
made with hands nor does he need the
services OF our hands. seeing he ere.
ated all things and giveth 70 ail things
life. Paul's 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 Asiatic exclu.
sion are but illustrations OF our sepa.
ration from tho teaching Of the broth.