September 26

15 And they that conducted Paul brought him unto Athens; and receiving a commandment unto Sias and Timotheus for to come to him with all speed, they departed.

16 Now while Paul waited for them at Athens, his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry.

17 Therefore disputed be in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him.

18 Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans, and of the Stoics, encountered him. And some said, What will this babbier say? other some, He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the resurrection.

19 And they took him, and brought him unto Acropagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is?

20 For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean.

21 For all the Athenians, and strangers which were there, spent their time in nothing else, but either to tell or to hear some new thing.

22 Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars' hilt, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious.

23 For as I passed by, and behold your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you.

27

24 God that made the world and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dreadeth not to temples made with hands:

25 Neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed anything, seeing he goeth to all life, and breath, and all things;

26 And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the sounds of their habitation;

27 That they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after him, and find him, though he be not far from every one of us.

28 For in him we live, and move, and have our being, as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.

29 Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the God-

head is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device.

30 And the times of this ignorance God winked at, but now commandeth all men every where to repent:

31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men in that he hath raised him from the dead.

32 And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter.

33 So Paul departed from among them.

34 Howbeit certain men clave unto him, and believed, among the which man Dionysius the Areopagite, and a woman named Damaris, and others with them.

It was a bold thing for Paul to go into such a place as Athens; but he was there in God's providence, and he could depend on His help. The city was in truth "full of idols." This is no mere rhetorical exaggeration, but literal fact. One ancient writer has said, "On every side there are idols, images, and temples;" and a wit, in the degenerate days of the city, somewhat caustically remarked, that "at Athens it was easier to find a god than a man."

When Paul saw all this, he was grieved to the heart. So he went about, among the Jews, and the Greeks too, speaking to them of Jesus and the resurrection. At last, some of the philosophers met him, and asked him to explain what these new doctrines meant. Then it was that Paul stood on the top of a rock, called Mars' hill, and preached the true God to them. "Ah! how like Athens are our modern cities; and yet how quietly we take it! Multitudes are bowing at the shrine of the golden calf, making money the chief end they seek. Many are doing homage in the temple of Fame, accounting a niche in that the highest glory of existence; thousands more are wallowing in the mire of sensuality, whose worship to-day is as degrading as was that of the ancient Astarte; while at every street corner there is a fane erected to Bacchus, whose devotees are as noisy and debased as those who followed the mythic Silenus astride upon his wine-skin. But where are the Pauls? where are the spirits stirred into activity by the sight of the wretchedness that reigns around? Let us thank God there are some, and their number is increasing; but there are too many among us, calling themselves, too, by the name of Christ, who let the black tide of sin and misery roll past them without one thought of rescuing a single victim from the waves, or doing anything to dry up the waters."—W. M. Taylor, D. D.

Closet Promise.—Every purpose of the Lord shall be performed—Jer. 1. 29

We mustn't be in a hurry to fix and choose our own lot; we must wait to be guided. We are led on, like the little children, by a way that we know not. It is a vain thought to flee from the work that God appoints us, for the sake of finding a greater blessing to our own souls; as if we could choose for ourselves where we shall find the fulness of the Divine Presence, instead of seeking it where alone it is to be found, in loving obedience.—George Eliot.

THE CHILDREN'S CORNER.

Breakfast Motto.—Blessed shall be thy basket and thy store.—Deut. xxviii. 5.

Weekly Proverb.—Jack Little sow'd little, and little he'll reap.—Poor Richard.

DAILY BIBLE READING. OLD TESTAMENT PARABLES.

Sunday.—Balaam's First Parable.—Num. xxiii. 1-13.

Monday.—Balaam's Second Parable.—Num xxiii. 14-26.

Tuesday.—Jotham—Trees making a King—Judg. ix. 7-21.

Wednesday.—Samson—Strong bringing forth Sweetness.—Judg. xiv. 5-20.

Thursday.—Nathan's Picture Sermon.—2 Sam. xii. 1-6

Friday.—Woman of Tekoah—Two Brothers Striving.—2 Sam. xiv. 1-24.

Saturday.—The Smitten Prophet—The Escaped Prisoner.—1 Kings xx.

35-43.

NOT BROKEN, BUT CRACKED.

"Twas a set of resolutions,

As free as fine could be,

And signed in painstaking fashion,

By Nette and Joe and Bee,

And last in the list was written,

In letters broad and dark

(To look as grand as the others),

"Miss Baby Grace, her mark!"

"We'll try all ways to help our mother,

We won't be selfish to each other;

We'll say kind words to every one;

We won't tie Pussy's feet for fun;

We won't be cross and snarly, too;

And all the good we can we'll do"

"It's just as easy to keep them,"

The children gayly cried;

But mamma, with a smile, made answer,

"Wait, darlings, till you're tired"

And truly, the glad, bright New Year—

Wasn't his birthday old?—

And three little sorrowful faces,

A sorrowful story told.

"And how are your resolutions?

We asked of the Baby Grace,

Who stood with a smile of wonder

On her dear little dimpled face;

Quick came the merry answer—

She never an instant lacked—

"I don't sink much of 'em's broken,

But I bless 'em's about all cracked."

—Selected.

Forgive, if ye have aught against any.—Mark xi. 25.

In a school in Ireland, one boy struck another; and, when he was about to be punished, the injured boy begged for his pardon. The master asked, "Why do you wish to keep him from being flogged?" The boy replied, "I have read in the New Testament that our Lord Jesus Christ said that we should forgive our enemies; and therefore I forgive him, and beg he may not be punished for my sake." Dear children, don't you think the boy who struck him ought to have loved such a noble little fellow as that ever after? I should think he would never strike him again. You know, in the Lord's Prayer, we say, "Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us." Now, you see, if we don't forgive others, then God can't forgive us. If He answers that prayer, He will do just as we do. "But," you say, "suppose, after I do forgive, that they do it again; must I forgive any more?" Yes; Peter asked the Lord how many times he should forgive—"till seven times?" And what did the Lord tell him? He said, "Till seventy times seven." That means any number of times, even as often as others shall offend. Oh! children, if we can learn this lesson, we will be so much happier.

THE DEAD LAMB.

Did you ever have a beautiful pet lamb? I had, when I was a little boy; and I was very fond of it. It knew its name, and would follow me all about. I was so fond of it, that I was quite willing to let it share any little dainties that I might have. But it is not about my pet lamb that I am going to talk, but about the one in the picture. Jane and Mary each loved their "Snowy," as they called him. Every morning they ran out to feed him. One morning they went, as usual, but "Snowy" could not be found. They looked all about the house and yard, but it was all in vain. No one had seen him that morning. At last the good sisters found him. And what do you think they saw? They could scarcely believe it. Why, there was "Snowy" dead? Then how they cried!

Now, did you ever think, you are your mother's lambs? For you she thinks the first thing in the morning and the last thing at night. And when you are sick she watches over you with the tenderest care. You are her pets. And if you should die, how she would weep! Your mother loves you so. I read of a mother whose little darling died, and this is the way she wrote about it—

"Is it Thy will?

My Father, say, must this pet lamb be given?

Oh! Thou hast many such in heaven."

And a soft voice said: "Nobly hast thou striven,

But—peace, be still!"

Oh how I wept,

And clasped her to my bosom, with a wild

And yearning love—my lamb, my pleasant child.

Her, too, I gave. The little angel smiled,

And slept.

(483)

THIRTY-EIGHTH WEEK.

PEARL TEXT—Bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ—2 Cor. x. 5

Let every thought Be captive brought, Lord Jesus Christ, to Thine own sweet obedience!

That I may know, In ebbless flow, The perfect peace of full and pure allegiance. —F. R. Havergut.

The little world within is, like the great world without, full of confusion and strife; but when Jesus enters it, and whispers, "Peace be unto you," there is a calm, yea, a rapture of bliss.—C. H. Spurgeon.

HELPS FOR THE DEVOTIONAL HOUR.