The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1893-07-26
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for July 80, 1893
PauI at Euhesus-Acta IQl-12.

InternatfOnal Lesson Tor July 81, 1875
Paul at Ephesus-Acts 19;1-I2.
Especially Arranged from Peoubets Notesl
GOLDEN TExE w hen He the spirit Of truth
is come, He will guide you into all tru;h--John
1918
TIME-Paul entered upon this third great
missionary journey probably early in A. D. "a,
and WAS absent about four years, till the spring
OF A. d. So The time OF the present lesson ex.
tends from about May, A. D. 81, TO May, 81,
covering the three years Of Paul's stay in
Ephesus.
PLAcE.-Asia Minor. Galatia, Phrygia and the
city OF Ephesus.
PAUL-Aged ffty-two to ffty-fiye, On his
third visit to the churches Of Asia Minor, and
second TO Europe.
COMPANIONS OF ST. PAUL-Silas came TO
Paul at Corinth Qs:5), and that is the last men
ton OF his name in the Acts He probably went
with Paul TO Jerusalem, where he had been a
leader, and from which place he went with
Paul Q5:22). Here he remained, and did not go
on the third missionary tour, Of which our les
son is part Timothy was with Paul most OF
the years at Ephesus l9:22).
THE SECTION OF HISTORY included in this
lesson extends from chap. 1918 to Chap 1914
covering about three years OF time
LESSON NOTES.
The Return of the Missionaries
Chap. 1882. Paul remained year
and half at Corinth, founding and
strengthening the church in that city
(1s:1D. Then he set sail for Jerusalem
to be present at the great feast, prob
ably that of Tabernacles Uewin),
which occurred this year "a. D. 53) on
September 16. After brief stay at
Jerusalem he went to Antioch, the
starting point of his missionary tours.
The object of this visit was no doubt
to report his work to the churches, to
refresh his own soul by communion
with long-established Christians, to
keep the unity of all the churches of
our Lord and to recover his health.
For the same reasons, it is of great
advantage to the church to have their
missionaries return home every few
years. The results Of lifetime are
much greater in this way,
Summary of the Second Missionary
Journey.-(D The old churches re-
visited and strengthened. (2) New
churches founded. (3) The Gospel in
troduced into Europe and into the CEN
tiers of influence. (4) New workers
brought into the missionary work.
(5 Two epistles written, the first
books of our present New Testament
that were written.
The Third Missionary Journey
Chapters 1928 to a1:15. Four years, A.
D. 54-5s. The first portion of this tour
we are unable to trace with accuracy.
Paul left Antioch early in A. D. 81, re-
visiting the churches which he had pre-
viously founded in the provinces of
Galatia and Phrygia; thence he came
to Ephesus, which was to the province
of Asia center, as Athens and Corinth
were to Greece. There he remained
nearly three years ACTS 2O:31). Thence
| MAY, 81 he went into Macedonia and
Greece (aO:2), whence he returned to
Jerusalem. This was the end of his
third missionary journey. His arrest
there prevented his returning to the
point of his departure-Antioch in
Syria. The whole duration of this
tour is believed to be about four years
viz: from early in A. d. 81 to the sum
mer of A. d. SO.
During this tour he is thought also
to have written the following epistles
viz: From Ephesus, spring, 81, Cor
inthians; from Macedonia, autumn, 81
2 Corinthians; from Corinth, winter O
81, Galatians; from Corinth, spring o
So, Romans.
Ephesus and the Church There.-Q
The City. Ephesus was not only the
capital of the province, but was The
city of the greatest Importance in al
Asia Minor, and the principal empori
UNI of trade in the east. 1t was calle'
one of the eyes of Asia, Smyrna, fort.
miles to the north, being the other
The city stood on the south of plail
about five miles long from east to west
and three miles broad, washed on TIL
west by the Icarian sea, an arm of TIN
Egeau.
4 (2) The Inhabitants, The inhabit
ants of Ephesus were of course Greeks
and they seemed to have carried witt
them the natural genius and fine tast
Of the Attic stock, for Ephesus held n
contemplate position in letters, and il
sculpture it rivaled, and in painting
exceiled, the parent city (Athens)
Apclles and Parrhasius, the tw
matchless masters of the pencil, wer
both of them natives of Ephesus.
81 Civil Government. The deput
of the whole province resided here
They were under the Roman govern
. mept; but Ephesus was ''free city,
governed by its own magistrates an
popular assembly.
~ Christianity in Ephesus. 1
Christian story it was famous not onl
for the long residence of Paul an
Timothy, but subsequently it wa
known as the abode of the Virgil
Mary, and the home of the old age {
7, the Apostle John. The graves of Mar
, and of John were here.
Results.--In these three quiet, even
full years, not only were the found;
!, tons of the great Ephesian churc
laid, but also the early stories of thos
famous Christian congregations know
as the churches of Asia, as well as tn
/, churches of the river Lycus,-Colosss
! Laodicaa and Hierapolis. 1t was, pc
haps, the most successful period of h
busy, stirring career.-Schaff.
We can see by the effect upon I'll
heather business of making silv,
: shrines 1o:2o-4D how mighty gre
the word of God and prevailed" Thel
: must have been very large number
a converts TO make so serious an inros
upon q bad business. A great reviv
of religion affects the liquor traffic
\ the saline way in our day. As a nat