The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1891-11-19
DR.. TALMAGE DRAWS LES
SONS FROM THAT SrRUC-
TURE.
On the Way from Smyrna 10
EphcsIis.--Bandits, Robbers
and Pilgrims.
Appearance of the Place
Where Paul Fought
With Bears.

BROOKLYN, Nov. 15.-Dr Talmage
continued this morning his series Of SER
mons entitled, From the Pyramids to
the Acropolis." This sermon, which is
the fifth Of the series, is concerned with
the doctors visit to Ephesus, of which
city, with its wonderful temple and
other buildings, he gives vivid descrip-.
ton, with characteristic exegetical com
ments on obscure passages of Scripture.
His text was Acts xix, 81, Great is
Diana of the Ephesians.
We have landed this morning at
Smyrna, a city of Asiatic Turkey. One
of the seven churches of Asia once
stood here. You read in Revelation,
ITO the church in Smyrna write" 1t
is a city that has often been shaken by
earthquake, swept by conflagration,
blasted by plaques, and butchered by
war, and here Bishop Polycarp stood
in a crowded amphitheater, and when
he was asked to give up the advocacy
of the CHI istian religion and save him
self from Elartyrdoln, the proconsul
saying, Swear and | release thee; re-
proach Christ" replied, Eighty and
six years have I served him, and he
never did me wrong; how then can
| reyile my King and SaviourW
When he was brought to the fires
into which be was about to be thrust,
and the officials were about to fasten
him to the stake, he said, Let me re-
main as l am, for he who giveth me
strength to sustain the fire will enable
me also without your securing me with
nails to remain unmoved in the fire. !"
History says the fires refused to con-
sunie him, and under the winds the
| flames bent outward so that they did
not touch his person, and therefore he
was slain by swords and spears. One
cypress bending over his grave is the
only monument to Bishop Polycarp.
But we are on the way to the city of
Ephesu, about fifty miles from Smyr-
ma. We are advised not to go to Ephe-
sus; the bandits in that region have
had an ugly practice of cutting off the
ears Of travellers and sending these
specimens of ears down to Smyrna. de-
manding a ransom. The bandits sug-
gest to the friends of the persons from
whom the ears have been subtracted
that if they would like to have the rest
of the body they will please send an ap-
propriate sum of money. If the money
Is not sent the mutilated prisoners will
be assassinated. One traveller was car
ried off to the robbers den and s., SCI
was paid for his rescue. The bandits
were caught and beheaded, and pic
lures of these gI1astly heads are on sale
in the shops of Smyrna for any person:
who may desire to have something tc
look at on their way to Ephesus.
There have been cases where ten an6
twenty and thirty and forty thousand
dollars have been demanded by thes'
brigands We did not feel ike putting
our friends to such expense, and it wa
suggested that we had better omi
Ephesus. But that would have been
disappointment from which we woul>
, never recover. We must see Ephesu
associated with the most wonderful
:. apostolic scenes. We hire a specia
railway train, and in about an hou
and a half we arrive at the city O
: Ephesus, which was called '.The Grea
Metropolis of Asia" and 'One of tn
e Eyes of Asia" and ''The Empress C
: Ionia," the capital of all learning an
5 magnifcence. Here, as l said, was On
e of the seven churches of Asia, and frs
4 Of all we visit the ruins Of that chCrc
where once an ecumenical council c
two thousand ministers of religion wa
held
THE SEVEN CHURCHES OF ASIA.
Mark the fulfllment of the prophec
of the seven churches of Asia; fou
were commended in the Book Of Rev
lation and three were doomed. I'll
; cities having the four conlnende
. churches still stand; the cities havin
- the three doomed churches are wipe
. out. It occurred just as the Bible sal
it would occur Drive on and 20
,fl come to the theater, which was 6t
. feet from wall to wall, capable OF hoi'
d ing 56, 700 spectators. Here and the
the walls arise almost unbroken, b1
for the most part the building is dow
Just enough of it is left to be
the Imagination build it up as
e was when those audiences shoutt
i and clapped at some great spectacula
'e Their huzzas must have been senoue
;. to stun the heavens.
> As I took my place at the center
II this theater and looked around at
!, !, broken layers of stone, gallery up'
- gallery, gallery upon gallery, phi
, up into the bleak skies Of that wint
=, day, and thought that every hand IN
- swung a trowel on those walls, al
20 every foot that trod those stairs, a
20 every eye that gazed on that amp
A. theater, and every voice that greet
the combatants In that arena had go
Of out of hearing and sight for ages
re ages. I felt thrill of interest that
in most prostrated me amid the ruins
10 Standing there we could not for!
Id that in that building tonce assembled
re riotous throng for PauIs condemn
IN ton because what hes preached c
te Eded with; the. idolatry ofIheir natiol
goddess. Paul tried to. get into Il
theater and address the sexcited mu
l., tude, but his friends held him bs
Sc lest he be tornsin pieces by the Ia
ne and erecordervofk the. city had to n
"a the riot acttamonIy the people. who !
at shrieked for twofmprtal alhours till Il
thrnafs were sore, and they were bl'