The Tupelo journal., 1903-03-13
THE SUNDAY n O
Lesson In the International Series
for March Is, 1903-The Riot
at Ephesus.
THE lesson TEXT

49, '4S 49, NAhA 80
fusion; and having caught Gaius and Aris-
tarchus, men OF Macedonia, Paul's compan
ions in travel, they rushed with one accord
into the theater.
80. And when Paul would have entered
in unto the people. the disciples suffered him
not.
81. And certain of the chief of Asia, which
were his friends, sent unto him, desiring
him that he would not adventure himself
into the tfleater
80. Some therefore cried one thing, ano
some another; for the assembly was on
fused, anG the more part knew not where
fore they were come together.
30. And they drew Alexander out of the
multitude, the Jews putting him forward.
And Alexander beckoned with the hand,
and would have mac his defense unto the
people.
"a. But when they knew that he was a
Jew, all with one voice about the space Of
two hours cried out, Great is Diana of the
Ephesians.
3o. And when the townclerk had ap-
peased the people, he sale, Ye men of Eph-
esus, what man is there that knoweth not
how that the city of Ephesians is a
worshipper.of the great goddess Diana, and
or the image which fell down from Jupiter?
IS. Seeing then that these things cannot
be spoken against, yeoughtto be quiet, and
to do nothing rashly.
o. l. Vi } Z navy VI nc ~ ANtA1 hfAN@S - -
which are neither robbers of churches, nor
yet blasphemers of you goddess.
SS. Wherefore If Demstrius, and the
craftsmen which are with him, have a mat
ter against any mai the law is open, and
there are deputies; let them tmplead one
another. ~
SO. But if ye enquire anything concerning
other matters, it shall be determined IN a
lawful assembly.
40 For we are In danger to be calleu IN
question for this Gays uproar, there be-
ing no cause whereby we may give an &C
count of this concourse.
TIE T.-fhe Lord preserv-
eth Ghe ta~ithfuI.-Fs. 31:23.
OUTLINE OF SCRIPTURE SECTION.
Paups purpose ..................Acts19:21 n, y.
Great wrath aroused............Acts L9:-2'
The great uproar.............Act ACTS !9:a2-Sf'
The rioters quieteG. .Actsi 9-sSh.
TIME.-A. d IS. &W = #M -
PLACE.-Ephesus.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
These three years OF PaulS mlhls-
try were very fruitful, but probably
they were also the hardest years OF
his lie. Paul saw. in Ephesus "a
great door and effectual'' opened to
him, but there were also many adj
v~ersaries' C. Cor. 16:9). Paul's i'm
mediate plans We're shaped by his de-
sire to take a generous collection for
the poor to the church at Jerusalem,
so showing the loyalty of the mission
churches, which were rich, to the
mother church, which was poor.
The opposition here. which was
most prolonged and bitter, was great,
partly because the success was great.
There was a large class of men, en-
ployers and employed, who made
their living by the manufacture OF lit
tie shrines for the worshipers at the
great temple of Diana. Their bust
ness was actually falling off as d re-
suit of the increasing numbers of
those of 1.-The Way" as Christianity
was called. Every convert meant the
loss OF a customer. Their pockets
were touched and their wrath was
aroused. Observe the witness Deme-
trius bears in his speech to the work
ingmen, to the success of Paul's
work. He makes his appeal () to
their pockets, and (2) to their pride
in the magnificent temple of Diana
and the worship conferred there. 1t
was not only religious, but patriotic
pride, for the temple was one of the
wonders of the ancient world.
When Demetrius was done a great
cry of indignation was raised. An inn
mense crowd was gathering to see
shouting continued, and the whole
throng surged onward into an enor-
ous open air amphitheater which
would have held $4,000 persons, and
is still to be seen on the western
slope of Mount Prion. Here the con-
fusion increased rather than dimin-
ished. The instigators of the mis-
chief had sliced two of Paul's help
ers, and they were now somewhere
in the midst of that bowling mob.
Paul determined to go in himself at
all costs and meet the mob face to
face, but the disciples refused to let
him, and the Asiarchs, knowing the
danger, urged him not to go in, and
SO his life was saved. The friendship
of these Roman officers is an indica-
y viz PidSC tildt L duI ldu won
for himself and Christianity at
Ephesus. The attitude of the Roman
officials in general was not hostile to
Christianity at this time. The fear
of the Jews that the mob, failing to
distinguish between Jews and Chris
tians, would end in an anti-Jewish
riot, was responsible for Alexander's
futile attempt to explain matters.
One manuscript reads, Great DIANA"
the form used in calling upon the
goddess, instead of Great is Diana"
Ramsay believes this the correct
reading. Compare the cry: 80 Baal
hear u.s."
The townclerk:" or Secretary of
the city" The most important of the
city officers. His speech was a very
sk1llful one. He told the people that
their alarm was unnecessary, that the
men they had seized were not dan
gerous men. and that they were TAX
ing a wrong way to settle their pri-
vate grievances. "Proconsuls:" The
title of the governors of provinces
controlled by the Roman senate. The
proconsul of Asia usually lived in
Ephesus.
Figs and ThistIes.
MANY a SOnl haS S1innad ~ =,