The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1891-11-25

Ore whole month Of each yeac, the
month OF May, was devoted to her wor-
ship. Professions III garbs OF purple
and violet aud scarlet moved through 1t,
aud there We're torches and anthems.
and cho;rs in white, and timbreis ari
triangles in music, sacrifices and dances.
Here young men and maldens were be-
trothed with imposing ceremony. Ma
tiens voted large amounts to meet the
expense OF the worship. Fisheries OF
vast resource were devoted to the sup
port of this resplendeRce. Horace and
Virgil snd Homer went into rhapscd!es
while describing this worship.
All artists, all archDologist, ali cen.
turies, agreed in saying. Great Is Diana
of the Ephesians." Paul, in the presence
OF this Temple Of Diana, Incorporates
it in his figures OF speech While speak
ing of the spiritual temple, New il
any man build upon this fouDdatlon:
gold, silver, precious stones, etc, ana
no doubt with reference TO one OF the
previous temples which had been set
on fire by Herostratus just for the
fame Of destroying it, Paul says, If any
mans work shall he burned, be shall
suffer loss, etc." and all up and down
Paul writings ycu realize that he had
not only seen, but had been nightly
impressed with what he had seen OF the
Temple Of Diana.
In this city the mother of Jesus Has
said TO have been buried. Here dWtlt
Aquilla and Priscilla Of Bible mention,
who were professors IN an eXtenpcr!Z-
ed theological seminary, anG they
taught tbs eloquent ApolIos how to b.
eloquent for Cnrist. Here John preach
ed, and from here because OF his tGel.-
ty he was exilei to Patmos. Here Paul
Warred against the magical arts Tor
which EpheSus was famous. The scr
cerers Of this city pretended that they
could cure diseases, and perform almost
any miracle, by pronounclDg these sense
less words, "Aski Cataski Lix Ietrax
Damnameneus Aision.'
Paul having performed miracle in
the name Of Jesus, there was a lying
family of seven brotsers who lnitated
the apostle, and instead Of their usual
words Of ircsntation used tbs word
Jesus over man who was possessed OF
devil, and the man possessed flew at
them in great ferceness and nearly tore
these frauds to pieces, and IL conse.
quence all up and down the streets OF
Ephesus there was indignation excited
against the magical arts, and a great
benire of magical books was klndled ID
the streets, aud the people stirred the
blaze until tsirty-tive thousand dollars
worth Of black art literature had been
burned to ashes.
But, all the glory Of Ephesus have
described has gone now. at some sea-
sons of the year awful malaries sweep
over the place and put upon mattress or
in graves large portion OF the pcpu-
lation. In the approximate marshes
scorpions, centipedes and all forms OF
reptilian life crawl and hiss ana sting,
while hyenas and jackals at night slink
in and out Of the ruins of buildings
which once startled tbs nations with
their almost supernatural gran6uer.
But here is a lesson which has never
vet been drawn out. Do you not see IN
that temple of Diana an expression OF
what the world needs. 1t wants a God
who can provide food. Diana was
huntress. In pictures on many Of the
coins she held stag with one hand
and q bundle ARROWS in the thar.
Oh, this Is hungry world. Diana
could not give one pound of meat or
one mouthful of food to the millions OF
her worshipers. She was dead divin-
ity, an imaginary god, and so in idola-
trous lands the vast majority of people
never have enough to eat. II is only
in the countries where the God Of heav-
en- and earth is worshiped 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 haryests, and in proportion as
he is worshiped does plenty reign.
SO also In the Temple of Diana the
world expressed It's need Of a refuge.
To it from Ill parts Of the land came
debtors who could not pay their debts
and the offenders of the law that they
might escape incarceration. But she
sheltered them only a little while, and
while she kept them from arrest she
could not change their hearts and tse
guilty remained guilty. But, our God
in Jesus Christ is refuge into which
we may fly tron al our sius and all
our pursuers, and not be safe for time,
but safe for eternity, and the guilt is,
pardoned and the Dature is transformed.
What Diana could not Go for her woT.
slippers, our Christ accomplishes :oT Us.