, 1874-11-14
clent roAson which Democrat could nsalgn for
refusing to voto for Mr.. Davis for tho Chtof
Executive office
THE SEVEN SLGEPElsS.
The Legend l;xplntnod-Wh0 They
Wore. What Tlaoy DID, and Flow

Apollo, and DiaHa. In thia fcattYAi avory ono
was commanded to tnlo pnrt, under poualty OF |
nc,trring tho Imperial dspleasuro 10 caso OF ro-
fuAal. Among tho Christians Of tho city wero
seven youths, descendants OF noble families. |
Tho nnmes Of Six Of them woro MRxlmilian, Nal
nhus, Dionysiua, Joanncs, serapto, n,ld conynius.
Thoao determined to de rather than to oboy tho
manhate. An aoon ~ Dscius heard Of tholr de-
termination, he commanded them to 10 brought |
before % Go Eala hs en!l procure in
''.rhe Highest Power" they ropliod, "has His |
throne iu the ilenyans md n the living md AL
mighty God, rho hath croatod heaven and Garth. |
Him NO worship, Fathor, Son, and Holy Spirit, |
mud wo can never .again bow down to dumb idols
that Aro nothing"
Wit, torl1blo glanoo the Emperor measures
tho youthful confcssors Then suddenly chang |
promises aud bis arguments. For ho knev well
that martyrdom would pour oil on nhmes no VAS
trying to qnoach. Failing toattain bis object by
threats and promisoa, ho tells them that he will
olutIon Until ho should again return to EpheHus,
aud informs thenl OF tho tor,ible consequences
II they should still continue their asubborn ro-
Rlatnnco.
from the presence OF the Emperor. By tho cits-
zens OF EpheHua they wero prescribed; ny many,
howegor. secretly admired. Determined not to
reuonneo their fa1tl', theey, however, decided to
avoid the monster n much az posstbIe. With
this object they bctoos shomaelyes to rango of
mountains in tho neighborhood Of Eplleaus.
There they discovered cavc, tho ontranco to
which was coucoalod with thick foliage. In this
Dor, Mx1chur, tho ono least know, in tho city,
waB appointed to supply them with food.
Tho day OF tue En,poror'a return arrived. Ono
Of tle hrse aNosti!o'nms m was concernng .tlo stub
| reply. hut their conesalnlent had been diecov-
ered. Spies had followed then1 and purchased
tho Emperor's favor by revealing tho place Of
concealmeut. Decus. knowing we'll that ho
tH NH n
| youths, gave command 10 close tho mouth Of the
cave With wall, and thus close them iu living
| tomb. No aooucr said than done.
| Thero WIS ono man. however. who: though still
| heatnon. lad heard tho Gospel, and Was not fur
| from the kingdom Of God. Desiring TINT fur
tler generations might know whose bones ros.ea
| thero, he took a roll Of parchment, and, writ
| Ing on It tho names OF tho youths and IN a.
count Of tleis courageoua bearing, incloscd it in
All irou casket. and, unobserved BY the work.
men, alIpped 1t into tho cayc and then quietly
! Withdrew.
Many scofIlug good night " Was called after
I them by tho brutal popuiace that evening iu the
streeta Of EpheAus:, Many 3 tonder; "good
night" did lilo Christians send after them in
tnoir prayers. And IIo who preserved David III
the cave OF Adulham, and rescued Daniel from
! tho leu of lions, heard thoir prayer. The light
t Of day had for thom faded nvay: But they re.
momborea, "ue giyeth His beloved sleep"
They lay themselves down aud sleep. Soft is
their slumber. and no danger is nigh. It is as
J
them. We will leave them to their .--Bloep. and
| writo over them on tho dark rock tho wortls Of
David: "uow excelont il thy loving kindness,
0 God! therefore the children Of men put their
| trust under tho shadow Of thy Wings."
Tiino passcs on suift wings. Generations come
aud go like phantom spirits. About 1871 years
later we arc again in Epheaus. Dus how Chang
ed is the sccne Deci.ls, the tyraut. is n1oulder.
changed.
4 wealthy landowner desires to mike some
improvements i'll his eAtate. 1n ssarching for
suitable building material lo finds an old wall
removed mud tho mouth Of q cave is revealed.
| 1t ia the cave OF tho Seven Sleeper, whose his-
| tory had long Blnce passed into oblivion. Tho
rays Of light entorig Tor the first time aftcr SO
God tint deliverauce lad cone so soon. For they
| supposed but eingle nigtt had passed since
tl0y were iuln,urod.
5Ialchua was again sent to tho city for bread.
| But the way scanned very strange to him. And
what was his astoashtnent to lind over tho very
gates OF tho city g!itteriug cross. III tho city
itself ho can ecarcely trust his sensos. The lna-
ages nf tue gods wore removed. In the place Of
proud domoa aud glittoring crosses and in tho
forum liz loar5 the Witnesses awonr by the om-
npotent God. yes, even by tho name Of cbrist,
| instead Of Dinna aud Apollo. 1Io thiuka it il
linn tho name Of tho city. "Tho nanle Of the
city is Ephesus," was tho reply, "Can it ba
that this is Ephesus. whore but q tow days ago
We wcrc proacrbcd BY the Imperial cdict,". was
rand, lie entered = bukers shop md oEers in
payment for bread a silver coin. Tho ba1ser took
the coin and carefully examined it: "rhis ia &
very .ncisat eoin," said he; "wly It bears tno a
"Where Is Decius?" was the reply OF Alalchua.
"lIas lie Left tho city and il no. when 2" Tho
baker aud the crowd that lad gathered in tho
meantime, looked at Malcius, aud seemed to ro-
a Ioak hi ~