The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-02-28
First Quarter, Lesson 1x.; Acts xviii, 24; xix. 6; March l, 1903.
Paul and Apollos.

The city of Ephesus will ever have a peculiar charm fol. those who are inter- ested in the beginnings of Christianity. Here lived anl labored, at different pe- riods, two of the apostles whose charac- ters were in marked contrast. John, the loving and beloved, here wrote his Gospel and Epistles, the keynote of each being love" Into the congregation of believ- CTS he was carried in his chair, and, hft- ing his trembling hands, pronounced his parting benediction, "Llttle children, love one another" Here he discharged to the end the sacred obligation which the Lord placed upon him when from the cross He cried to him, Behold thy mother" In his home In this city. Mary. fairest lily of the Hebrew race, most honored Of all women fell on sleep. Here John himself died natural and peaceful death In ex- treme old age, forming the only exception to the rule of martyrdom among the apos- ties.
 In contrast to the peaceful and even flow of Johns life in Ephesus is the tmpetuous torrent of Paurs. With his tireless zeal and irresistible logic he threw himself, upon the one hand, against Judaism that curtained it's heart in unbelief whenever Moses was read; and on the other. against a heathenism thoroughly infused with
 
 in Ephesus was that of a gladiator. It is his own figure when he says. After the manner of men, have fought with beasts at Ephesus" And again: God hath set forth us, the apostles, last as 1t were ap- pointed to death: for We are made spec tacle unto the world" The blood-curdling climax of the Ephesian spectacles was when the fighters with beasts were set forth, last of all. to contend with power ful and ravenous brutes while 5000 spec tators gazed down. from their marble seats beneath the sllken canopies, upon these gladiators. "butchered to make 'an Ephesian holiday"
 Such were Paurs per1ls. The contrast of his life In Ephesus and Johns life in the same city, Is the contrast between a foam ing cataract and a sea of glass. There is deep significance in the order of their residence. The placldity of Johns life was rendered possible by Paurs priority of abode there. With the dauntless cour- age of a Christian gladiator. Paul met the beast of Asiatic heathenism. and if he did not actually throttle 1t to death, so subdued 1t as to make the ascendency of Christianity in the next century possible.
 The method of Paul's procedure in Eph- esus will reveal to us the logical. the di- vine order, in the Introduction of Christi anity everywhere. AIlu SD US Stuuy IS OI transcendant importance.
 Ills first step was to draw wholly into the Kingdom certain semi Christians resi- dent in Ephesus. By this means he not only augmented the Christian force, but he removed diverse, confusing and mis- leading types of Christian faith and life
 Paul. ever alert for opportunities. soon heard of a little company iof disciples of John the Baptist. They had received the baptism of repentance; possibly they knew of Jesus as Messiah: but certainly they knew nothing of Pentecost and the effu- sion of the Holy Ghost.
 Paul sought an early introduction to these Johannean disciples He came into their company not with the magisterlal air of an ecclesiastlc, but with the sim pie moral earnestness of a brother. He inquired Into their state of belief and ex- perience and gently showed them how the facts of gospel history of which they had not been SO fortunate as to become &C., ouainted. fitted into their present knowl- edge and experience like so many tenons into mortises. His delighted auditors