Anadarko daily democrat. [volume] (Anadarko, Oklahoma) 1908-191?, 1909-08-21
Continuation of
Paul's Third Journey
s.ndsy School Lesson for Aussst u, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Papsr

LESSON TExT.-Acts I9:23-2o1 Mem
ory verse 2e
GOLDEN TEXT. said unto me:
My grace Is sufficient for thee; for my
strength is made perfect in weakness."-
Cor. 1913.
T1ME.-A. d. So or 81, near the close
Of Pauls 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 at
least two years and three months Paul
had been working in Ephesus and
was about ready to = on extending
Christianity even to home (see Rom.
1: 13; 10. 23), and on to Spain from.
IS: 2D, after visiting and strengthen
ening the churches in Macedonia and
Greece, and hearing the gifts of PHI
lippi, Thessalonica, Bcrea. Corinth
and other Gentle churches (Rom. 15
26) to the poor in Jerusalem
In Corinth he expected to receive
contributions for the poor in Jerusa.
lem q Cor. l6: Ia.
He sent two of his helpers, Timothy
and Erastus. q Tim. 4: 20), through
Macedonia to Corinth q Cor 4: 17-19)
to prepare that church for his APP
preaching visit. Paul succeeded in all
these plans, but some Of them were
accomplished in a very different man.
ner,
Paul stayed in Asia for a season"
(V 22) Apparently for several weeks
or months. From the fact that Asia
is mentioned rather than Ephesus, its
capital, 1t has beer inferred that he
did not remain in the city all the
time, but labored in the outlying dis
trlcts.
A Contrast In our last lesson we
saw how Christians voluntarily gave
up a bad business, at great cost to
themselves, for Christ's sake. Now
we find some men who tried to de-
stroy the Gospel because II was injur-
ing their bad business.
There arose no small STIR" commo-
tion. like the sea in a storm. "A Ger.
| tain man named Demetrius." Proba.
bly, the head of the whole guild OF
shrine makers.
Diana" The Ephesian Diana was
a distinct goddess from the Greek Di'
ana (the Latinized form OF Artemis)
who was a virgin, huntress, a per
| soniication of the moon, as Apollo
was of the sun. She was worshiped
with the vilest debaucheries, as many
| Of the heather idols were, incorpor
atirg 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 al
Asia." the Roman province of that
name, OF which Ephesus was The capi
tal. All the blessings Of the Gospel
The unfit, the renovated character
The happiness and prosperity, and
eternal salvation of the great mas
of the people, weighed nothing agains
the money gains Of few men in {
bad business.
| his was III COHll Win Ni'
character of the Christians, who mad
great sacrifices in burning their Owl
(not other people's) bad books which
were injuring the people.
The Mob in the Coliseum.-Vs. %
Al. "The whole city was filled will
confusion" The mob Of Ephesu
made for the house Of Aqulla, will
whom Paul was lodging. They misse'
their prey; but as Paul tells us tina
Auuila and Priscilla had for his If
laid down their own necks (Rom. 16
a., 1t is likely that these faithful
friends, in shielding the apostle
brought themselves into the most i'm
minent peril. The mob. though bal
fed Of their principal aim, seized o.
Gaius and Aristarchus. two of Paul
associates, and dragged them away a
criminals. Rushed with one accor
into the theater," the Colosseum. ca
pable OF holding $4,000 people.
Alexander the Jew. The Jews wer
always especially exposed to perst
cution, and as the mob would be like
ly to make no distinction betwee
Jews and Christians, particularly a
| Paul was a jew, they put forward
prominent Jew, named Alexander, I
defend them.
The Mob Quelled. ''The townclerk
at length interfered and argued wit
the excited people.
1. The worship OF Diana was S
settled in Ephesus that no company
Jews could overthrow 1t. You hav
no real cause for violence. "The in
age" of Diana (which fell down fror
Jupiter" their chief god, as meteori
stones fall from the sky.
Thus was peace and quiet restored
The signs Of these times mean
that II was best for Paul to leave in
mediately for another field Of labo
while Ephesus was settling down int
quiet peace, and the church continue
to grow in character and number
Therefore Paul bade the believe
church good-by and departed for
go into Macedonia" (Acts 20: ~.