e hearts and consciences of these
system-builders. Considering the time and skill devoted to its culture,
Athens had yielded perhaps less spiritual fruit than any field of labour
on which he had yet operated. When he arrived in Corinth he resolved,
therefore, to avoid, as much as possible, mere metaphysical
argumentation, and he sought rather to stir up sinners to flee from the
wrath to come by pressing home upon them earnestly the peculiar
doctrines of revelation. In the first epistle, addressed subsequently to
the Church now established in this place, he thus describes the spirit
in which he conducted his apostolical ministrations. "And I, brethren,"
says he, "when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of
wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God--for I determined not to
know anything among you save _Jesus Christ and Him crucified_; and my
speech and my preaching was, not with enticing words of man's wisdom,
but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power--that your faith should
not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God." [108:1]

The result demonstrated that the apostle thus pursued the most effective
mode of advancing the Christian cause. It might, indeed, have been
thought that Corinth was a very ungenial soil for the gospel, as Venus
was the favourite deity of the place; and a thousand priestesses, or, in
other words, a thousand prostitutes, were employed in the celebration of
her orgies. [109:1] The inhabitants generally were sunk in the very
depths of moral pollution. But the preaching of the Cross produced a
powerful impression even in this hotbed of iniquity. Notwithstanding the
enmity of the Jews, who "opposed themselves and blasphemed," [109:2]
Paul succeeded in collecting here a large and prosperous congregation.
"Many of the Corinthians hearing, believed, and were baptized." [109:3]
Most of the converts were in very humble circumstances, and hence the
apostle says to them in his first epistle--"Ye see your calling,
brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty,
not many noble are called;" [109:4] but still a few persons of
distinction united themselves to the despised community. Thus, it
appears [109:5] that Erastus, the chamberlain, or treasurer, of the
city, was among the disciples. It may be that this civic functionary
joined the Church at a somewhat later date; but, even now, Paul was
encouraged by the accession of some remarkable converts. Of t