The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-08-21
Continuation Of
Paul's Third Journey
ss.d.y School Lsssea for August e. 1903
Specially Arranged for This Paper

LESSON TExT.-Acts 1s:2s-2o:i Mem
DRY verse rs.
MY grace is sufficient for thee; for my
strength is made perfect In weakness
Cor. 1873.
TIME-A. d. IS or 81, near the close
of Paul's work at Ephesus-
PLACE.-The city of Ephesus.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
Some Things with Which the Cos
pei Interferes. The Results.
Business Interests versus the Cos
pel.-vs. 21-2S.
Paul's Plans for the Future. For az
least two years and three months Paul
had been working in Ephesus and
was about ready to go on extending
Christianity even to Rome (see Rom.
1: 10; is: 23), and on to Spain (Rom.
IS: 24), after visiting and strengthen
ening the churches in Macedonia ana
Greece. and bearing the gifts of Phi
lippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Corlnth
and other Gentle churches from. 10:
26) to the poor in Jerusalem.
In Corinth he expected to receive
contributions for the poor in Jernsa-
lem Il Cor. 16: Ia.
He sent two of his helpers, Timothy
and Erastus e Tim. 4: 20), through
Macedonia to Corinth Il Cor. 4: 17-19)
to prepare that church for his APP
preaching visit. Paul succeeded in all
these plans, but some of them we're
accomplished in very different man.
ner,
Paul stayed in Asia for a season"
". 22). Apparently for several weeks
or months. From the fact that Asia
is mentioned rather than Ephesus. its
capital, it has been inferred that he
did not remain in the city all the
time. but labored in the outlying dis
tricts.
A Contrast. In our last lesson we
saw how Christians voluntarily gave
up bad business. at great cost to
themselves, FOR Christ's sake. Now
we find some men who tried to de-
stroy the Gospel because it was injur-
ing their bad business.
There arose no small STIR" commo-
ton, like the sea in storm. "A GER
tain man named Demetrius." Proba-
bly, the head of the whole guild of
shrine makers.
Diana" The Ephesian Diana was
distinct goddess from the Greek Di-
ana (the Latinized form of Artemis),
who was virgin. huntress, per-
sonification of the moon, as Apollo
was of the sun. She was worshiped
with the vilest debaucheries, as many
of the heather idols were, incorpor-
ating the lusts of the flesh in the very
ritual of worship.
Our craft is in danger" because
this Paul hath persuaded and turned
away much people. saying that they
be no gods, which are made with
hands," and this throughout all
ASIA" the Roman province of that
name, of which Ephesus was the CAPT.
tai. All the blessings of the Gospel,
the uplift, the renovated character,
the happiness and prosperity, and
eternal salvation of the great mass
of the people, weighed nothing against
the money gains of a few men in q
bad business.
This was in direct contrast with the
character of the Christians. who made
great sacrifices in burning their own
(not other peopie's) bad books which
were injuring the people.
The Mob in the Coliseum.-vs. 90
Al. THE whole city was filed with
The mob of Ephesus
made for the house of Aquila, with
whom Paul was lodging. They missed
their prey; but as Paul tells us that
Aquila and Priscilla had for his life
laid down their own necks from. 16:
ID. It Is likely that these faithful
friends. in shielding the apostle,
brought themselves into the most i'm
minent peril. The mob. though baf-
fed of their principal aim, seized on
Gaius and Aristarchus, two of Paurs
and dragged them away as
criminals. Rushed with one accord
into the theater," the Colosseum, ca
pable of holding $4,000 people.
Alexander the Jew. The Jews were
always especially exposed to perse-
CdtfOHs anu dS Tic ufOt WOtfd VIC tfAc-
ly to make no distinction between
Jews and Christians, particularly as
Paul was q Jew, they put forward
prominent Jew, named Alexander, to
defend them.
The Mob Quelled. "The townclerk'
At length interfered and argued with
the excited people.
1. The worship of Diana was so
settled in Ephesus that no company of
Jews could overthrow it. You have
no real cause for violence. THE i'm
aga" of Diana which fell down from
Jupiter" their chief god. as meteoric
stones fall from the sky.
Thus was peace and quiet restored.
The signs of these times meant
hat 1t was best for Paul to leave i'm
for snother field of labor,
--Anc ookfliuu I>~rx, srx~