ty. The new culture penetrated the mountain ranges of Pisidia and
Lycaonia. The Tigris and Euphrates became Greek rivers. The language of
Athens was heard among the Jewish colonies of Babylonia, and a Grecian
Babylon was built by the conqueror in Egypt, and called by his name.

"The empire of Alexander was divided, but the effects of his campaigns
and policy did not cease. The influence of these fresh elements of
social life was rather increased by being brought into independent
action within the sphere of distinct kingdoms. Our attention is
particularly directed to two of the monarchical lines which descended
from Alexander's generals--the Ptolemies, or the Greek kings of Egypt,
and the Seleucidae, or the Greek kings of Syria. Their respective
capitals, Alexandria and Antioch, became the metropolitan centres of
commercial and civilized life in the East."[854] Antioch was for ages
the home of science and philosophy. Here the religious opinions of the
East and the West were blended and mutually modified. Here it was
discovered by the heathen mind that a new religion had appeared, and a
new revelation had been given.[855] In Alexandria all nations were
invited to exchange their commodities and, with equal freedom, their
opinions. The representatives of all religions met here. "Beside the
Temple of Jupiter there rose the white marble Temple of Serapis, and
close at hand stood the synagogue of the Jews." The Alexandrian library
contained all the treasures of ancient culture, and even a copy of the
Hebrew Scriptures.

[Footnote 854: Conybeare and Howson, "Life and Epistles of St. Paul,"
vol. i. pp. 8-10.]

[Footnote 855: Acts, xi. 26.]

The spread of the Greek _language_ was one of the most important
services which the cities of Antioch and Alexandria rendered to
Christianity. The Greek tongue is intimately connected with the whole
system of Christian doctrine.

This language, which, in symmetry of structure, in flexibility and
compass of expression, in exactness and precision, in grace and
elegance, exceeds every other language, became the language of theology.
Next in importance to the inspiration which communicates the superhuman
thought, must be the gradual development of the language in which the
thought can clothe itself. That development by which the Greek language
became the adequate vehicle of Divine thought, the perfect medium of the
mature revelation of truth contained in the Christian Scriptures, must
be re