The Athenians led Paul away to the Areopagus. Here the judges sat in the open air, upon seats hewn out of the rock. A temple of Mars crowned the height. Before Paul’s view the whole city with its maze of temples, shrines and statues, was spread out. The intensely earnest Christian Apostle stood before the frivolous heathen crowd. He is alone, yet not alone. His Master is with him. He quails not, he minces no matters, he speaks boldly, fearlessly. He recognizes their intense religiousness (if we may so call it). He declares the truth that the Deity does not dwell in temples made with hands, even with the hundreds of temples before him. With the recollection of Phidias’s famous statues fresh in mind and the countless idols before his view he declares that the Deity is not to be likened to forms in gold, silver or stone, graven by art and man’s device. The city is, apparently, scarcely moved, but the leaven has been put in, and soon the whole lump will be leavened. A few years pass by and the worship of Athens is only a remembrance. Close by Athens was one city which Paul visited and where he founded one of the strongest Christian churches. This city was held in bad repute in all the world on account of its licentiousness. It was not only the seat of wealth and splendor, but also a den of vice. “To Corinthianize” meant to play the wanton. The worship in the temple of Venus was of the most shameful character. To the north-east of Corinth was the temple of Neptune, where the celebrated Isthmian games were celebrated. [Illustration: BIRD’S-EYE VIEW OF THE TEMPLE OF DIANA AT EPHESUS.] DIANA OF THE EPHESIANS. Ephesus was the central city of Asia Minor. One of its buildings ranked in importance above all others--the Temple of Diana. This was reckoned as one of the wonders of the world, and the Ephesians were wont to speak of Diana as the goddess whom all the world worshiped. The temple had been once destroyed, and then rebuilt with great magnificence. The ladies of Ephesus, at its rebuilding, had given their jewelry. Alexander offered immense riches to the Ephesians, if they would but permit him to have his name inscribed on its walls; but they would not consent. This was the rallying-point of heathenism in Paul’s day. The temple was 425 feet long, 220 broad, and its columns were 60 feet high. There were 127 columns, each the gift of a king. Only a part of it was roofed over, and this was with cedar. The remaining parts were rich with statuary and columns. “It is probable that there was no building in the world in which was concentrated a greater amount of admiration, enthusiasm and superstition.” [Illustration: MEDAL OF DIANA.] The first statue of Diana of Ephesus was a shapeless black stone--an aerolite--which had fallen from the sky. Afterwards her images were made of wood. She is covered with breasts and with the heads of animals. She is supposed to represent the natural fertility of the earth.