Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-11-21
REV. TALMAGE'S SERMON,
The Fifth Discourse on His
Recent Trip.
vavid Description of Ephesus' Once 0rea'
0randour-Tho Theatcr In whiohst
Paul Probably FOught-won-
.ders OF Diana's Temple.

BROOKLYN, n. u, NONenoeE ~"
DR.. Taiuage continued this morning
his series of sermons entitled, From
the Pyramids to the Acropolis." This
sermon, which is the fifth OF the SERIES
Is concerned with the doctors visit 10
Ephesus. of which city, with Its won
derful temple and other buildings, ne
gives vivid description, with charac-
teristic exegetical comments on obscure
passages OF scripture. His text was:
Acts xix, "a, ''Great is Diana OF the
Ephesians."
We have landed this morning at
Smyrna, city Of Asiatic Turkey. One
OF the seven churches OF Asia once
stood hero. You read In Revelation,
ITO the church in Symrna write" 1t
Is a city that has often been shaken by
earthquake, swept by conhagration'
blasted by plaques, and butchered by
war, and here Bishop Polycarp stood In
q crowded amphitheater and when he
was asked to give up the advocacy OF
the Christian religion to save himself
from matyrdom, the pro-consul saying:
"Swear and release thee; reproach
Christ" replied: eighty and six years
have served Him, and He never did
me wrong; how then can I revile my
King and Saviour" When he was
brought to the fires into which he was
about to be thrust, and the officials
were about to fasten him to the stake,
he said: LET me remain as / 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 tho
fires refused to consume him, and under
the winds the flames beat 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 Ephesus, about fifty miles
from Smyrna. ~
We are advised not to go to Ephesus;
the bandits in that region have had an
ugly practice OF cutting of the ears OF
travellers, and sending these specimens
OF ears down to Smyrna, demanding a
ransom The bandits suggest to the
friends OF the person from whom the
ears have been subtracted that il they
would like to have the rest OF the body
they will please send an appropriate
sum OF money. II the money is not
sent the mutilated prisoners will be as
sassinated; One traveller was carried
off to the robbers den and $500 was
paid for his rescue. The bandits were
caught and beheaded, and pictures Of
these ghastly heads are on sale in the
shops OF Smyrna for any persons who
may desire to have something to look
at on their way to Ephesus. There
have been cases were $4,000 and $20,-
900 and $4,000 have been demanded by
these brigands. ---
We did not feel like putting our
friends to such enpense, and it was sug-
gested that we had better omit Ephe-
sus. But that would have been a dis
appointment from which we would new
er recover. We must see Ephesus-
associated with the most wonderful
apostolic scenes. We hire q special
railway train. and in about an hour and
half we arrive at the city of Ephesus,
which was called '"The Great Metropo-
lis OF Asia, and zone of the Eyes OF
Asia" and 1.-THE Empress OF Ionia, ="
the.capital OF all learning and magnifi-
cence. Here, as l said, was one OF the
seven churches OF Asia, and first OF all
we visit the ruins OF that church where
once an 4Ecumenical council OF 1000
ministers of religion was held. Mark
the fulfllment of the prophesy! OF the
seven churches OF Asia, four were COM
mended in the book OF revelation and
three were doomed. The cities having
the four commended churches still
stand; the cities having the three
doomed churches are wiped out 1t &C.
CURED Just as the Bible said 1t would
occur.
Drive on and you come to the theater,
which was $50 feet from the wall, capa-
BILE OF holding 56,70 spectators. Here
and there the walls arise almost unbro-
ken, but for the most part the building
Is down. Just enough Of it is left to
help the imagination build 1t up as it
was when the audience shouted and
clapped at some great spectacular.
Now, we step into the Stadium.
Enough OF its walls and appointments
are left to show what q stupendous place
it must have been when used for foot
, races and for fights with wild beasts.
It was q building $50 feet long by 200
feet wide. Paul refers to what trans
pired there in the way OF spectacle
when he says I'VE have been made q
spectacle"
Yes, Paul says. 81 have fought with
beasts ct Ephesus," an expression usu-
ally taken as fgurative, but suppose
Il was literally true, for one OF the
amusements in that Stadium was toput
= Sf.Ifl-sd non IN tha arena with n hum