We may remember that the whole of the New Testament was given to the world in this beautiful and expressive language; that St. Paul was well versed in Greek philosophy, and that many of his Epistles were to Greek cities, and many of his first disciples among the Gentiles were Greeks. We can also be sure that he must often have been present at Greek games such as we have been describing. The frequent references and metaphors referring to them prove this. In the first Epistle to the Corinthians the references to the foot-races run in the Isthmean games, celebrated at Corinth, occur again and again. “Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run that ye may obtain” (ch. ix. 24); and in the following verse, “They strive for a corruptible” (or perishable) “crown, but we an incorruptible”—referring to the fragile crowns or garlands of fresh leaves awarded to the victors in the games we have been describing. And again, in the Epistle to the Philippians, iii. 14, “I press towards the mark” (or goal) “for the prize.” In the first Epistle to Timothy, vi. 12, “Fight the good fight before many witnesses.” The first preaching to the Gentiles was to Greek-speaking peoples, either noted Greek cities, as Athens itself and Corinth, or Greek colonies in Asia Minor. We find (Acts xii.) how St. Paul actually visited this same beautiful City of Athens, whose early legends, like quaint fairy stories, we have been describing; how he stood on the Areopagus (the Hill of Mars) facing the Parthenon, and must have seen all its lovely statues and grand monuments still perfect; and how he “thought it good to be left at Athens alone,” when he there preached to her wise men and philosophers, and found followers and disciples from among them, whose hearts were opened to a higher wisdom than any that the worshippers of the famed Athenian goddess knew. [Illustration: THE INTERIOR OF THE PARTHENON. (_The Giving of the Prizes. Conjectural Arrangement._)] FOOTNOTES: [1] Born by Lake Tritonis. [2] Chrysos: gold. Elephantus: ivory. MERLE’S CRUSADE. BY ROSA NOUCHETTE CAREY, Author of “Aunt Diana,” “For Lilias,” etc. CHAPTER X. “I TRUST THEM TO YOU, MERLE.” With the early summer came a new anxiety; Joyce was growing very fast, and, like other children of her age, looked thin and delicate. She lost her appetite, grew captious and irritable, had crying fits if she were contradicted, and tired of all her playthings. It was hard work to amuse her; and as Reggie was rather fretful with the heat, I found my charge decidedly onerous, especially as it was the height of the season, and Mrs. Morton’s daily visits to the nursery barely lasted ten minutes. Dr. Myrtle was called in and recommended change for both the children. There was a want of tone about Joyce: she was growing too fast, and there was slight irritability of the brain, a not uncommon thing, he remarked, with nervous, delicately organised children.