, 1875-10-10

i peacetnl reat, might hAa como, and the Sevo
Christians arc asleep.
4. D. SGT.
The rising auu. crestinx tho hill-tops to th
CAST Of Epbesus, let's shine some rays into
cavern and upon the face OF \ sleeping mnu
who. slowly awaking AZ the warmth brings hin
back to litd, looks about him, md then smiles >
he sees the yellow sunlight pouring in upon hin
and his companions.
Joshua Zebedee.n be cries. cheerfp1lv
land fair Mathew, awake! Here is tho friend
sunlight smiling upon US! In the nigh
some klnd haaa has rolled away the stone,
which the Ephesians cast into the mouth o. th<
cavern, and. mayhap. We shall ret live"
Ihe sleepers awake, and the seven voices be,
gin singing their morning hymn.
shepherd, watching shecp near the place.
sunset the Wild plants grew md it is from this
point the soft voices come.
he Iees into the city, telling them there that
miracle is happening. that the hills are singing
I to heaven.
The seven Christians having sung their rno;n-
| ing praises and kissed, after the manner OF the
| early Christians, ono snid: "Tbon, P.pl ars
| the bravest, for yesterday thou didst overthrow
the light before the altar OF Diana; so thou
| cautiously iuto the town and buy bread. NAY
| hap the Ephesians have had pity on US, and viii
! let uB live.
So this one, Paul, set ont for the city beluw
] them; for they hed come forth aud sat in tho
morning suniisht.-he meaning to bring back
bread in the Iooso sleeve OF bfs d1ca5,
He thought the land and city 1ooaad changed !;
but he persuaded himself that he WAS mistaken
uutil ho knew things must be strange, for. sud-
denly meeting man at = turn in tho hill-path
be saw that the stranger wAs dressed a. usver ha
had eeen man Fobed.
The ns1t moment hls anaazement was very
great; for the man started. raised his hands
afri*htedly. turned, and fed towards the city,
never once looking back.
Still this Paul went on, much amazed. but with
no fex1. 1at when he came to that point 8htre,
oa the yesterday. there stood wayside vot17e
altar to Diana, he was soIe puzzled for ths 6g-
ara OF Diana WAS gone, the altar itself WAa chip
ped and weather-worn. and, where had stood the
statue, he marked Il fair cross Of white marble.
But fram him the symbol demanded prayer,
and his face WAS still towards the cross and from
the city, when tue sounds OF many Whispering
voices called foz his attention.
He turned and found d multitude upon their
kuees- The whispering he had heard WAS their
PRAYING Voices-
They had leard the shepherds STORY. had met
the auElgh:ea man. who told how he had Beea oso
vino had faint white light about the head. aud
they had gathered their Waving green branchea,
and hnd moved up the hill, the nrayest in ad.
vance, the more humorous in the rear.
!" Good people, he eaid, lido no farther harm,
either to me or ny brothers. We wish you
we'll"
..Who art thou, mastcr?" asked a ooah;no
voice.
For awhile tho Assy1ian could not understand
liam Clri.tlan called Paul, and ny six
b7ethruo nre awaiting me !ittto higher up On
tue t,li:nids They are Zebodoo, JoahuA,
Matthew, john, Peter, apd Zachafiaa."
The hsteniug pcopfs could not comprehend
whet the stranger easd but when he mentioned
tue names Of the sevea Epbesian Christizn mas-
tNs, Of whom :nslr Bishop hid told Them ho1
tnoy had boen cast into hole In the hiilside the
people begun co quake, and, in loud yolca
whisper The word. . Miracle! nniraclet'
''Cset us not back into tho pitt" ha pleaded:
''for we love you. sud some OF you love Us, for
have 70 not rolled away the stone froa tho
mouth of the cavern 2"
Slowly. yet with certainty. the iistana1a CON-
preheuaed- and the foremost ran forward, ueau-
Ing TO fall 1t hs feet.
Da: he. thinking they meant to kill him, and
yearuing to die Nth his brethren, turned, xnd
fed rapidly up the mountains.
Eeachng tho others, he told thssn the people
wore coming to stay them, aud that they had but
few u4osDcals to live.
And then it WA thai the approaching ave-
STRICKEN people heard the seren sweet vuicos, AZ
the hepheEd bad heard them, and they came
slowly forward, covering their faces with their
handa, not during to look upon the seven 1adian,
men.
They. taking the upraised arms to mean tsat
thoS we're to be stoned 20 death. prepared to die,
though yet Que Of them said: - What harm have
we done you? You are not of the Ephesiaua
geutiet faces, aad yo1r dress Il diferont- Let
ua 30 our sTay, II you wall; II not we sre ready
to dlo! scs you, the rent in the hills ~ onca
again open- Shall We 60 back to our soub?"
be Christian 1isAo,,-though much thoy mar
relied thAt ha should be- there amongst tho
Ephesiaos-came towards them,
and said softly: "Whv, brethren, ne welcome
rou With onr love. Whence came you?"
from the cavern whose opening you see IT,
o Which but yesterday tho Ephesia1s cast us
'ecauso that wa are Chriatians-"
And nov, to their a1unzement. the Bishop, an
'ged man, with long. flowing, whito hair, knelt
'efore them, AID prayed their blessing.
May" SAID he who was called Paul ait il
OF us to knce1 20 you !; for We arc plain Chris
ian brethren. citizens of Ephssus following
oor trades. Plead with the Ephesians for us
bat we may have our flyes, and that po NAY
i've altar our own wgy!"
We nre Ephe3iaus." said the M5hop sot,iY-
81 Yet you seem Christians 2"
The EphesiAns are Christians
- Yet It's only yesterday we scven we're a1 rho
Christians a the city. Row come 80 60 changed
fa!th. in dress, in look, in manner 2"
u It is 5oo years this blessed cay," aays the
iEhop, land your awakening Is I miracle
Tho eeycn Elcapcrs looked ono upon tho
ther, now conp1ehendIns why ali tnese things
erB 80 changed.
"And is Epheaus indeed Christian city7"
sked they.
ave know no o.hor faith," said tho Biahop.
than Christianity"
And then it Was that the seven raised their
oicea in song.
But slowly, slowly; 1t grew softer; snd, as they
psed into silence, the seven brethren slspt a.
ley kneit.
And, when tho people touched them, they
und that the seven were dead.
They carried the seven r2artyr4 down into tbs
y, and tie descendants OF this very pso pie who
I'd dllVon them oat 70 doa.h welcomed them
th loud hoeannns, and all tho Epiloafans cane
touch the dead bodies OF tins ss7en breth-
q.
Such is the myth sud mystery ct the Seven
eepera.
True?
No-not true; but nevertheless, uuspeaka5iy
autiful and tender. Christianity is not apy the
'rso for thinking pleasantly Of tho untrue, but
arminR. Legend Of the SeEen Sleepars.-IN1Ay-
tied Weekly.
npuetah