The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-09-09

veal. Little souls live for little goals;
the engrossment of the moment salts
fes them. But the great care greatly
for the well-being of all mankind. OF
course, Paul was of this sort. Athens
was a mere way-station on his pro-
gramme, yet while he waited there for
his companions, in order to resume his
journey, ''his spirit was stirred in him,
when he saw the city wholly given to
idolatry. Are we also of this mould2
We worry about work and wages and
taxes: but do we worry about the way
the world wags?
There is never a vacation from the
practice of religion. Itinerant negro
preachers sometimes say, when a
month has five Sundays and there is
no regular appointment for the fifth,
that this is the preachers Sunday"
when he can sit at home and rest.
That sort of reasoning is more COM
mon than the saying. Paul, who
said, at Athens, This is my chance
for a holiday and a bit of sight-see-
ing. Now 1 can crafty my scholarly
taste for visiting the haunts of the
great, and for enjoying the citys
wonders and works of art" Be it re-
membered that Paul knew that in this
place, as one has said, the human
mind had blaZed forth with a splendor
1t has never exhibited elsewhere. In
the golden age of its history Athens
possessed more men of the very high
est genius than have ever lived in any
other city"
We know what Paul really did.
He talked daily in the market place
about Jesus Christ. For the great void
in the life of Athens he offered the
sufficiency of the crucified and risen
Redeemer. Right into the market
place, like Wall street evangelist, he
carried his sensational Gospel, which
ever belongs in the busy marts of life,
where men express their personality
by their daily interest. So great an
impression did he make that certain
philosophers led him before the court
philosophy. or official board of CEN
sors, to set forth his message. There
he made what we commonly call
"PauPs Address on Mars HILL" one Of
the Hottest philosophical presentations
of religion ever uttered. Unless it is
read and reread. and studied, this les
son will have missed its objective.
Did Paul Fail on Mars HiH?
A startling and new experience fol-
lowed The greatest philosopher who
had ever spoken in Athens was
laughed out of court" Arrest, re-
vikings, stonings, prisons, and other
violent forms of persecution had be-
come familiar experiences to Paul
But Athens merely dismissed him with
a shrug OF the shoulders. The people
heard him eagerly until he spoke of
the resurrection; and to the Greeks
this doctrine was foolishness. 1t de-
classed the new teacher and proved
him unworthy of attention, in the eyes
of the trifling Athenians.
Verify, Athens, toying with all gods
and loyal to none, was too religious"
Her arid and SNUG intellectualism was
not equal to the glowing, living truth
of a Saviour crucified and risen, who
demands holiness and life-obedience
of every disciple. To accept the Chris
tianity preached by Paul meant new
simplicity and a new humility and a
new viewpoint altogether. Deny the
ligious dilletante, a dabb1er in strange
creeds; but accept the resurrection.
which is the heart of the Christian
faith, and thenceforth you can have
only one heart allegiance.
How this good news of the resurrec-
ton alters everything! 1t makes death
an unfeared incident. It aboHshes
time and nullifies pain and loss and
separation, and consolidates in one
eternal and happy unity the fellow
ship of Christ's friends. Repudiate the
resurrection and you may have some
tianity.
1t is common to say that PauPs
sermon on Mars Hill was a failure
I cannot so see it. 1t converted
variety Of persons, of whom three are
named-Dionysius, a member of the
council of the Areopagus; and Da-
maris, who may have been only a
woman of the street; and Stephanas,
a prosperous Corinthian business man
sojourning in Athens. A sermon that
wins g. philosopher, an abandoned
woman and a man of affairs can
hardly be called barren. That sermon
was the condemnation Of Athens; but
it has helped save the world.