Perth Amboy evening news., 1921-09-03

great care greatly lot the NtA pSAhS
of all mankind. OF course. Paul was
of this sort. Athens was a mere way
station on his programme. yet while
he waited there for his companions,
in order to his journey, his
spirit was stirred in him, when he
saw the city wholly given to idolatry"
Are we also of this mould? 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. ltlnerant
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 common than the saying. Paul,
who sorely needed a holiday, might
have said, at Athens, This is my
chance for a holiday and a bit of
sightseeing. Now l can gratify my
scholarly taste for visiting the
haunts of the great, and for enjoy
ing the city's wonders and works Of
art" Be it remembered that Paul
knew hat in this place, as n has
said, the human mind a blaZed
forth with a splendor it has never
exhibited elsewhere. In the golden
age of it's history Athens possessed
more men of the very highest genius
than have ever lived in n 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 crucifed and
risen Redeemer. Right into the
market-place, like a Wall Street
evangelist, he carried his sensational
Gospel, which ever belongs in the
busy marts of life, where men eX-
press their personality by their daily
interest. So great an impression did
he make that certain philosophers
led him before the court of the Areo-
pagites, the city council of philoso-
ply, or official board of censors, to
set forth his message. There he
made what we commonly call "Pauls
Address on Mars HILL" one of the
Hottest philosophical presentations
of religion ever uttered. Unless it is
read and reread and studied, this
Lesson will have missed its objec-
tive.
Did Paul Fail on Mars Hill?
A startling and new experience
followed. The greatest philosopher
who had ever spoken in Athens was
laughed out. of court" Arrest, re-
wings, 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
peopl~ heard him eagerly until he
spoke of the resurrection; and to the
Greeks this doctrine was ~foolishness.
1t DECEASED the new cache 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
religiouG." Her arid and SNUG in
tellectualism 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 Christianity
preached by Paul meant a new sim
plicity and a new humility and a
new viewpoint altogether. Deny the
resurrection, and you may be a re
ligious dilletante, a dabbler II
TRANCE creeds; but accept the resur'
rection, which is the heart of thu
Christian faith, and thenceforth yot
can have only one heart allegiance.
How this Good News of the resur
rection alters everything! 1t make
death an unfeared incident. 1t abol
ishes time and nullifies pain ant
loss and separation, and consolidate
in one eternal and happy unity thu
fellowship of Christ's friends. Re
pudiate the resurrection and vol
may have some other religion, but
you haven't Christianity.
1t is common to say that Pauls
sermon on Mars Hill was a failure
| cannot so see it.. 1t converted q
variety of persons, of whom three
are acknowledgements, a member Of
the council of the Areopagus; anc
Damaris, who may have been only g
woman of the street; and Stephanas
a prosperous Corinthian business
man soiourning in Athens. A ser
mon that wins a philosopher. ar
abandoned woman and a man of af'
fairs can hardly be called barren
That sermon was the condemnation
of Athens; but it has helped save
the world.