Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1891-11-20
9f Diane, Incorporates II in bis aenres

OF Diana, Incorporates IL in his figures
OF speech while speaking of the spiritual
temple, SHOW, it any man build upon
TINS foundation, gold, silver, precious
STONES, ETC., and no doubt with refer
ehce TO one of the previous temples which
had been set on fire by Herostratus lust
Tor the fame of destroying it. Paul saws.
III any mans work shall be burned. he
snail suffer loss, etc.," and all up and
down Pauls writings you realize that he
had not only seen, bnt had been nightly
impressed with what he had seen of tho
Temple of Diana.
In this city the mother of Jesus was
SAID to have been buried. Here dwelt
Aqullla and Priscilla of Bible mention.
Who were professors in an extemporized
theological seminary, and they taught
the eloquent Apolos how to be eloquent
for Christ. Here John preached, and
IRON here because of his fidelity he
was eXlled to Patmos. Here Paul warred
against the magical arts for which
Ephcsns was famous. The sorcerers of
TINS city pretended that they could cure
| diseases, and perform almost any miracle.
| by pronouncing these senseless words,
| ASK Cataski Lix Tetrax Damnameneus
Aision.''
| Paul having performed q miracle in
the name OF Jesus, there was a living
family OF seven brothers who initiated
the apostle, and instead of their usual
words OF incarnation, used the word
Jesus over man who was possessed of
adevil, and the man possessed flew at
them in great fierceness and nearly tore
these frauds to pieces, and in conse-
quence all up and down the streets OF
Ephesus there was Indignation excited
against the magical arts, and great
bonfire OF magical books was kindled in
the streets, and the people stirred the
blaze until thirty-fve thousand dollars
worth of black art literature had burned
to ashes.
But all the glory of Ephesus have
described has gone now. At some sea-
sons OF the year awful malarias sweep
over the place and put upon mattress or
in graves large portion of the popula-
ton. In the approximate marshes
scorpions, centipedcs and all forms of
reptile life crawl ard hiss and sting,
While hyenas and jackals at night stink
III and out of the ruins of buildings which
once startled the nations with their al
misrepresentation grandeur
But here is a lesson which has never
yet been drawn out. Do you not see in
that temple of Diana an expression of
what the world needs? 1t wants q God
who can provide food. Diana was a
huntress. In pictures on many of the
COMES she held stag by the horn with
one hand and a bundle of arrows in the
other. Oh, this is a hungry world!
Diana could not give one pound of meat
or one mouthful of food to the millions
of her worshippers. She was dead d.
vinity, an imaginary god, and so in
idolatrous lands, the vast majority of
people never have enough to eat. 1t is
only in the countries where the God of
Heaven and earth is worshipped that
the vast majority have enough to eat.
Let Diana have her arrows and her
hounds; our God has the sunshine and
the showers, and the harvests, and in
| proportion as He is worshiped does
plenty reign.
So also in the temple of Diana the
world expressed its need OF refuge. To
it from all parts of the world came debt
ors who could not pay their debts and
offenders OF the law that they might es-
cape incarceration, but she sheltered
them only a little while, and while she
kept them from arrest She conld not
change their hearts and the guilty re-
manned guilty. but our God in Jesus Christ
is arefugeinto which VIC mayf fly from all
our sins and all our pursuers, and not
only be safe for time but safe for eterni-
ty, and the guilt is pardoned and the ma.
tire is transformed. What Diana could
not do for her worshipers our Christ &C.
complishcs for us.
Rock of ages cleft for me,
Let me hide myself i'll thee.
Then, in that temple were deposited
treasures from all the earth for safe
keeping. Chrysostom says it was the
treasure-house Of nations; they brought
gold and silver and precious stones and
coronetS from across the sea, and put
them under the care of Diana of the
Ephesians. But again and again were
those treasures ransacked, captured, or
destroyed. Nero robbed them, the
Scythans scattered them, the Cloths
burned them. Diana failed those who
trusted her with treasures, but our God,
to Him we may intrust all our treasures,
for this world and the next and fail any
one who puts confidence in Him he never
will. After the last Jasper column has
fallen and the last temple on earth has
gone into ruins and the world itself has
suffered demolition, the Lord will keep
for us our best treasures
'Gymnasiums? Yes, but see that the
vigor gained in them be consecrated to
God. Magnificent temples of worship?
Yes, but see that in them instead of con-
ventionalities and cold pomp of service
there be warmth of devotion and the
pure Gospel preached. Imposing court
houses? Yes, but in them let justice and
mercy rule. Palaces of journalism? Yes,
but let all OF the printing presses be
marshaled for happiness and truth.
Great postoi1ice buildings? Yes. but
through them, day by day, may CORE
spondence helpful, elevating and moral
pass. Ornate dwelling houses? Yes,
but in them let there be affairs of devo-
ton, and conjugal, tilial, paternal and
Christian fidelity rule. London for mag
nitude, Berlin for universities, Paris for
fashions, Rome for cathedrals Athens
for classics, Thebes for hieroglyphics,
Memphis for tombs, Babylon for gardens,
Ephcsus for idolatry, but what shall lie
the characteristics of our American
cities when they shall have attained their
full stature? Would that "noliness to
the Lord might be inscribed upon all
our municipalities. One thing is certain,
and that is that all idolatry must como
! down.
When the greatest goddess Of the
l ~.