The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1880-06-23

temples at Ephesus, bat of these, of course,
the most magnificent was that of Diana,
!" for Gin the words of the town clerk
what man is there that knoweth not how
that the city of the Ephesians was a wor-
shipper of the great goddess Diana, and
of the image which fell down from Jupi-
ter? This temple, once the repository
of the finest sculptures and paintings of
the old world, surpassed all others, not
even excepting that of Baalbek, In size
also. Recent, explorations show that it
was 343 feet in length and 164 feet wide,
and that it stood on platform, raised
nine feet from the pavement at its base,
which was Ais feet long and 239 feet
wide. One hundred columns surrounded
1T, which were feet In diameter and go
feet high, The Theatre of Ephesus, the
scene of the tumultuous assemblage dur
ing Paul's visit, has been so utterly demol-
lshed that only its outline can be traced
amidst vast heaps of Cyolopian ruins, but
its original dimensions, which have been
ascertained, show that it was capable of
seating nearly 10000 persons-while the
.Stodsttm, close by, could hold a still
larger number. No one who has not seen
with his own eyes the shattered walls,
broken columns, and crushed arches of
such gigantic structures and the whole
ground covered, for miles, with fragments
of exquisitely carved capitals, friezes, and
entablatures, which once gave grace and
beauty to the whole, can form an ade-
quate conception of the mournfulness of
ruins such as those of Ephesus. The city
has persisted, but can never be forgotten,
made immortal, as it is, by it's association
with Paul, Apollos, Timothy, and the
epistle to the Ephesians After Ephesus,
| did not feel much interest in Smyrna,
and the modern city has so often been
described by tourists as to make your
readers sufficiently familiar with it.
Another Sunday at Sea.
The next day was Sunday-so beauti-
full and bright as to be Ito us) the bridal
of the sea and sky" Our course lay
along the most historic shores and classic
islands of the world-Mitylene Tenedos
Imbros, and the Plains of Troy. We had
every advantage in the state of sea and
sky for our entrance to the Hellespont
(Dardanelles) and for seeing all that was
interesting along the European and the
Asiatic shores-Gallipoli, Lampsacus, the
mouth of the Granicus, on whose banks
Alexander the Great gained his famous
victory over the Persians, the castles of
Anatolia and Roumalfa on opposite sides
Of the straits, both mounted with heavy
Krupp guns and the (so-called) Sestos
and Abydos, between which Leander
swan for love and Byron for glory, as he
himself tells us. Then came the placid
sea of Marmora, and the excitement was
over. The shores were too distant to be
interesting, and there being nothing after
the passage of the Hellespont to distract
the attention of the passengers, about
thirty of the English and Americans as
sembled in the lower cabin where we held
a religious service. 1t is not easy to ex-
aggerate the Importance of such season
of worship on ship-board, where every
thing seems to combine to secularize the
Sabbath but an hour of tender, solemn
worship awakens afresh the most sacred
memories, and the fellowship of kindred
minds and communion with heaven fills
tie heart anew with the emotions which
are appropriate to the day of all the
week the best"
Constantinople.
The next morning before sunrise there
was strange stir on board. Passengers
halfdressed came up on deck. The apa-
thetic Turk began to open his eyes. Ital-
iaps gesticulated, Greeks chartered, Rus
slams gathered up their rugs, the Pasha'
women drew their wells closer, and our
quiet captain showed signs Of excitement.
We were approaching Constantinople |
Before leaving home friend had sent me
the beautiful work entitled CONSTANT
nople," by Edmondo de Amieis. 1 had
read it rapidly. l knew that it was a
rhapsody, and the writer an enthusiast
And yet the book is all the more inter
esting on that account. The author does
for Constantinople what Boswell did Cor
DIR. Johnson; he portrays it with the dis
tinctness of immediate vision, and his
vivid coloring only serves to make the
picture impressive. And yet with the
glowing descriptions of Amicis fresh in
my memory, expected to be disappoint-
ed. was not; because, so far as beauty
of situation is concerned, Oonstantinople
cannot easily be exaggerated There is
no city in the world where there are such
surprises as one approaches it. 1t is like
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