, 1870-04-03
The Seven slcepers OF Ephesus.

ciont days ID thus told by Jacques dc vo1ar
gine, in his Legends Aurea:"
The seven HlecpcFH were uatyeA Of EpheHus
The Emperor Decius, who persecuted the
Chrst;.ns, having come to Ephssus, ordered
the erection Of temples in the city, thai al
commanded that the Christians should DO
sought out and given their choice, either to
worship the idols, or to die. So great wAa the
CONFIRMATION in the city, that the friend de-
nounced bis friend, tho father his ron, aud the
eou his father.
tans---MA1fmiau, MAlchus, Masican, Diony-
sius, John, Setapion aud Constantine by n.me
These refused to sacrifice to the idols, and re-
maincd in their houses praying and fasting.
They worc accused before Decius, and they
confessed themselves to he Christians. How
consides what line they would adopt. They
took advantage OF this 1eprisEs to dispense
theiI goods among the poor, and then they re-
tired, al seven, to Mount Ce1on, wheto they
determined to conceal themselvea.
One OF their number, MAlchus, in The dis
tain victuals. Decins, who had been absent
from Ephesus for \ little while, returned, aud
gave orders for the seven to be sought.
Malchus, having escaped from the town, He'd
full OF fear, to his comrades, and told them Of
The Emperor's fury. They we're much
AA4 4At0 Auu AAACuOA uA1luEA Lueu kQG
1oaves be had bought, bidding them eat, that,
fortified by the food, they might hare courage
in the time OF trial. They ate, and thcn, -
they eat weering and speaking to one another,
BY the will Of God they fell asleep.
The pagAns sought everywhere, but could
not find them and Deems WAS greatly isritated
At their esepe>' :As-hAd their parents brought
before them, and Threatened them with death
il they did not reveal the place Of conceal
ment; but .hey could only answer that the
seven young men had distributed their goods
TO the poor, and thst they were quite ignorant
AZ to their whnrexbouts-
Deaus, thinking it possible that they might
might b hiding IN \ cavern, blocked up the
mouths with stones, that they might perish Of
hunger.
Three hundred and sixty years passed, and
in the thiEtieth year Of the reign Of Iheodo-
resnIrectionof the 3ead-
Now, it happened, that IN Ephesi1n Eas
building stable on he side Of Mount Ceion,
and finding pie Of stones handy, be took
them for his e1idee, and thus opened the
mouth Of the cave. Then the ssveu sleepera
awoke, and it VIA to them IS il ther had slept
but Hingle night They began to aak NAlchus
what deciaon Dedus had given concerning
them.
"He is going to hunt Us down, 80 as to forcc
20 TO relied III i's T.,i.a 5 !sR sRs
never do thst-" Then c1ho1ting bis compan-
ions, he urged Malchus to 50 back 10 the town
to buy rome uorc bread, and At the
came time to obtain fresh information
Malhrs took Eve coins and left the
cavern. On seeing ;the ssoneee be wA filed
with astonishmeut However. be vent on to-
ward the city; but what was his bewilde1meut,
ON approaching the gate to zee over il = cross:
He went to another gate, and there be beheld
the same a tXs1 aign: md. 60 be observed it
over eAeh Ease Of the city. He believed that
4s was suffering from he enss,s Of drs.tn-
and he walked to \ b.ker's shop. He heard
peorle using our Lords nar,s, and be WIS the
more re1rie1cd. "YenterdF, no one dared
pronounce the name IF Je.s. and now it is Oh
every ones Lips. Wonderful! I can hardly
believe mysef'so be,in Ehfesus. He asked a
told that il :xas Ephesu., he var thandes,
struck Now he entered = baker shop md lid
down his money. The bxier, eIAmiainS the
coin, inquired whether he A.d found ! treasure,
and began to whisper to edne Others in"the
ere,1, and that they we're blatto conduct hint
to the Emperor, inplored d1e1n f9s'aet h;ul
alone, offering to leave loaveA and MONEY il he !
might only be suffered to erapS But soe'
shopman, seizing hin. said, "Nhoever Eou
arc. you hsye found uoasure show rs where
We viii hide you" MAlchus WAS too tEEhtenset
to answer. So they put rope round his nsSH,' g
and drew him through the streets into w
market place. Ihe news soon spread t1Al ~!
youus n4n hid discovered = crest treasure
and there was presently vast crowd aooa
him. he stouty protested his innocence. ~. ~
one recognized him, and his eyes, Ea1S1ns osa
the faees that surrounded him eould nos r. ees
one which he had known. or which WIZ Ii me
slightest degree familiar to him \,
St. Martin, the Nshop, and Ant1pAse1, tne
Governor, having heard Of tho e1rsemehhs,t hts "
dered the young man to be oroasat oe'1e
them, Along with the bakers
The Nahop and the Governor aaked nn1
where be had found the treasure, ua ns ~, IT,
Piled that he had found none, oat t9as ae
few coins were from bis own gnfse. a. ~
be VIE native OF Ephesus, ~ u''a oe
Ephetus-7 :,
.send for your relations--yoar parents II
they I've here" ordered tho Goscrnot., A..
They live here. certainly sspnsa W "
youth Ind be mentioned their MINES su w
such names were known n 1ha soH, sonu xon saT
that this mouev belonged to your parents anen
1t dates hack threc hundred sad seEensssste1n
years: This calculation is sadlE inaseu1asj = ! !,
and Is as old rs the reign Of pe-ins, M ~ 1as =
utterly unlike our modern coinage 20 so99
think to impose On the old men ana saSea y.
Ephesus? Believe me, 1shhll MAKE YOU asa shaes
the severihes Of the Law tu ron SUI"
soa T1e ;1sners ens vou." ci;ed Malchus, in the
name of God, answer me fsw quess,1pns' pa r1a ana
then I VIII answer yours. Where Is ING n'a-
Itu Ihe bishop answered: "Ny son, there i .o no
Emperor of that nane; he VINO Wa tnae
eaas1 Ms]ehns aea taS repIies "A he. perpls1es me
o,ore md more. Follow me, and l WI anoe
~ - ...,+-d.a vhn f3bd with me- INTO kAS