formed by a virtuous education?

Because the

persons who were so educated were but a small class of the whole population. Those who were thus taught were not only highly accomplished, but eminently wise. The disinterestedness and purity of their conduct were shown in the examples of statesmen, warriors, philosophers, and poets, and in countless multitudes who have left no name in the world. The institutions of Greece did not provide for the virtue and welfare of all the people, as the religion of Christ has since instructed all legislators to do; and they who neglected the moral improvement of the inferior orders, suffered from the blindness and cruelty which grew out of their neglect of them.

AREOPAGUS.

your awful court

High on the mount of Mars

Coeval with your land."

Potter's Sophocles.

When Paul, the apostle, was waiting at Athens for two of his friends, Silas and Timotheus, "his spirit was stirred within him when he saw the city wholly given up to idolatry. Therefore disputed he in the synagogue with the Jews, and with the devout persons, and in the market daily with them that met with him. Then certain philosophers of the Epicureans and of the Stoicks encountered

him. And some said, What will this babbler say? He seemeth to be a setter forth of strange gods: because he preached unto them Jesus, and the re

surrection.

2. "And they took him, and brought him unto Areopagus, saying, May we know what this new doctrine, whereof thou speakest, is? For thou bringest certain strange things to our ears: we would know therefore what these things mean. (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.)

3. "Then Paul stood in the midst of Mars-hill, and said, Ye men of Athens, I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotion, I found an altar with this inscription, TO THE UNKNOWN GOD. Whom therefore ye ignorantly worship, him declare I unto you. God that made the world, and all things therein, seeing that he is Lord of heaven and earth, dwelleth not in temples made with hands; neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though he needed any thing, seeing he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things; and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation; 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: 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.

4. "Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is

like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent: 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.

5. "And when they heard of the resurrection of the dead, some mocked; and others said, We will hear thee again of this matter. So Paul departed from among them. Howbeit, certain men clave unto him, and believed: among the which was Dionysius the Areopagite."

1. The Areopagus was a court of high antiquity among the Athenians. While men remain in an uncivilized state, they resemble those children who are selfish, who want, each more than his share of what belongs to a whole number. Children readily resort to blows to obtain what they desire, or to express their angry feelings against those who have violently taken possession of it. Uncivilized men do the same thing, and kill one another from the same feelings. But in time they discover that it is best to have laws which shall set bounds to their property, and settle the differences that arise concerning it, or any other disputed question; and after the laws are acknowledged by the people to be wise and equitable, or for the benefit of all, it becomes necessary to have magistrates who can apply the laws, and to whom injured persons may resort for the redress of injuries.

2. The persons appointed to judge concerning disputes, and to determine what shall be done, form a Court of Justice. Courts, or tribunals of justice, originate in the manner just described. Civil courts are of different kinds, and the causes carried before them are also of different kinds. Some of the courts respect only small sums of money, others relate to higher transactions of business, and others again to crimes which affect the lives of the citizens.

3. The Areopagus at Athens consisted of men of known integrity and wisdom. Its decisions were submitted to with perfect satisfaction; and the Areopagites, or members of this tribunal, were regarded by their fellow-citizens with the highest veneration. The Areopagites wore no distinguishing garb. Their distinction was, that they had no need of distinction. The Areopagus exercised censorship over morals. When any man's conduct and example were thought to be dangerous to society, any of his fellow-citizens might in form the Areopagus of his errors, and that tribunal advised, threatened, punished, or acquitted the supposed offender, as their wisdom dictated. Among other offences they condemned idleness, and the idle man as a burthen to the state. They granted bounties to soldiers for extraordinary services, and conferred distinctions upon obscure virtue.

4. In later times, this court took cognisance of capital crimes only, and in many cases pronounced no decision, but referred a report to the assembly of the people, or to other courts. The deliberations of the Areopagus were usually held in the night, and preceded by very solemn religious

ceremonies. The Areopagus only permitted the simple facts in dispute to be laid before them, and would not allow any orator to influence their consultations.

5. The question to be resolved on was settled by vote. The majority, or greater number of suffrages, decided. Two urns, one called the urn of Mercy, the other the urn of Death, received the votes. When the votes were of equal number, ar inferior officer, kept in waiting, deposited one vote in the urn of Mercy, which turned the scale, or determined the votes in favour of the accused. This was called the vote of Minerva, or of Wisdom.

6. This vote of Minerva is a fine idea; it shows what a humane and enlightened people they were, who assumed the principle, that a leaning towards clemency is the dictate of true wisdom. The circumstance that Saint Paul was carried before the Areopagus as a setter-forth of strange doctrines, serves to show that they watched over religious opinions. A law existed that no foreign deity should be introduced into the public worship without a decree of the Areopagus, and for this cause the preacher of Christ was carried before this tribunal.

1. Stoics and Epicureans. Christ was a teacher of righteousness, and his followers have established a moral ministry, or persons to instruct all people, and places, and times to teach in.