The Newtown bee., 1898-08-05

5nIluGS 4OI Dl lhA1h anu hSL ANOA"NAS~S worship, was seriously interfered with by the preaching of Christ's Gospel, and we read, ''the whole city waa filled with confusion" And we find that this was the case not only In .Ephesus but in all Asia, tha district around the city.
 In Jerusalem, when St Paul goes there for the last time, In spite of the earnest remonstrances of his friends, the Jews on his account "stirred up the people" And we read further "all the city was moved" And mention is made of ''the tumult" occasioned there.
 We shall do well, as we observe these allusions in the book of Acts to the ex- pericnce of the first champions of the Gospel, to endeaYor to understand the true significance contained in them. Those first Apostles did not teach trea- son, or lawiessness, or laXiCy of morale. Rather, high and pure morale, and great and true doctrines were the things taught and introduced by the Apostles. Among people of pure morality and with & love of the truth such teaching of the Apostles would make no COmmOti0n, would be welcomed with cordial approv- al. But the bold attempt to introduce pure morality among immoral and un- principled men, to teach and enlighten with the aid of truth those who rejoiced in living in ignorance and darkness, to set up the divinely revealed truths in place of false thinking of philosophers with their strange and erroneous doc trines, these efforts must needs occasion great commotion in a society as yet uL- disturbed in the peace and quiet of ite own corrupt order. It was the immoral, disobedient, sinful world which the Apostles turned upside down. It was the unbelieving world with it's wisdom falsely so called and it's pride of intel ! lect. At ThessalonIca
 THE GOSPEL MET UNBELIEyING JEWS and ''certain lewd fellows" At Philippi 1t met men who traded upon the misfOr' tune of an afflicted young woman. At Ephesus 1t met men who traded upon the superstitions of those who were attached to an idolatry which the leaders knew to be false religion. At Jerusalem 1t met the wild and unressoning fanaticism o1 prejudiced Jews.
 No wonder there was in one place 6 ''tumult," no wonder the people were
 'stirred up," no wonder city was 'fill. ed with cOnfusion," no wonder another city was "exceedingly troubled" nc wonder, knowing what that ancient world was, we find it recorded of Christi first champions "these have turned the world upside down."
 We usually think of the wicked as the troublous, and of course there is abun dant reason for it. Ignorance and sir and wickedness are undoubtedly the cause of the worlds unrest as we ordi narily speak of it. But let us try tC think of it from the other point of view The righteous are really the ones who stir things up.
 Let us look at the world ss we find it noticing its leading characteristics, view ing 1t with it's weaknesses, it's faults, itl sins. Things go along in a generally undisturbed uniformity. Worldly mo- tIves actuate men, material interests ab sorb them, temporal affairs take up al their time and attention. As long as they are allowed to live on this level ot that which is worldly, material, temporal there is no startling interruption in \ 1% NaS
 But suppose that into this condition of life with its low standards the attempt is made to introduce the high standard of heavenly motives, of spiritual interests of things eternal. What then? Why k then, things are turned upside down. The man is ''laboring not for the meat whichsperisheth but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life." He is 'ssErTINe HIS ATTRACTIONS MOT ON
 THINGS ON THE EARTH
 but on things above.n He Is laying up treasure not npon earth, but s'treasure in heaven where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt and where thieves do not break through nor steal.' He is seeking not for an empty or transient fame among men, but is winning name which is written in heaven. The difference be- tween these two standards is really an overturning of the world. Instead of an Alexander, or Ceasar, Nero, or 8 Herod instead of millionaires, or nigh ty kings, or great generals, the heroes of mankind will be St Paul, St John,