The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1909-08-19


edness of the old
nations met under the shadow of the
grandest monuments of ancient art
and idolatry, the temple of Diana.
1t seems that the chief business of
the ancient city was the manufacture
of silver shrines containing mina.
ture image of the goddess, which was
sold as a memento of the temple. and
also as a popular idol. a man by the
name of Demetrius had a monopoly
OF the business, which the Bible says
brought no small gain to the crafts.
man"
Hard Times in Idol Trade.
But after Paul had been preaching
in Ephesus for some time. business
began to get dull in the idol trade.
The manufacturers found that the de-
mand did not equal the supply. idols
became a drug on the market, the
people had all gone off after the popu-
lar preacher and Dianas shrine was
neglected. So Demetrius called his
people together and put the blame on
the preacher. He showed them that
the new religion was interfering with
their bread and butter He worked
the financial end of the arguments for
the mob like an American demagogue,
until they rushed forth into the street
10 lynch the preacher. They howled
about the house where he was sup.
posed to be and not finding Paul,
hauled out two of his companions and
assaulted them for consorting with
such rascal. Through the streets
they swarmed shouting, Great is hi.
ana of the Ephesians!"
They finally adjourned to the the.
atre, where for two mortal hours they
yelled and gesticulated and shrieked
out their maledictions against anybody
and everybody who was opposed to
Diana. 1t was scene as delirious rs
Black Friday on the stock exchange,
with people in wild stampede of
fear. and the great mass of them
bowling without any idea what they
were yelling about. Or, as the Bible
puts It. "Some cried one thing and
some another; for the assembly was
confused, and the more part knew not
wherefore they were come together"
Christianity Revolutionary.
The lesson taught by this story is
that christianity is revolutionary.
There is nothing so ruinous to every
form Of sin, nothing that so interferes
with established iniquity, nothing that
has such a tendency to upset things
ns our glorious christianity. Re-
ligion has been often msrepresented
as principle of tears and fastidious-
ness; afraid of crossing peoples pre-.
JUDGES, afraid of making somebody
mad: handling men as though they
were the very thinnest Bohemian
glass. so very delicate that with one
rough touch it may be demolished for
ever. No! religion is not a refined
and delicate aroma, a spiritual chloro-
form for people to take until the sharp
cutting of life is over. Men who ought
to know better sometimes write books
entitled Apologies for Christianity"
the title more expressive of the author
than of the book. Religion is not Il
puny little dwarf to be carried around
on exhibition and admired for its deli
cate features. 1t is a brawny, robust,
revolutionary giant ransacking and
upsetting ten thousand things that
now seem to be as fixed and settled az
was the worship of Diana.
Bullets Versus Raisins.
1t would not be considered very
complimentary to a preacher these
days to have such mob after him as
Paul had. But in his day it was un-
plimentary il he didn't. Paul al
ways had an opinion on every subject
that he handled, and when be was in
a city, instead of preaching what the
people liked he preached what he
thought they needed. There are so
many these days who are foaters-
lowering over popular sin but never
lighting upon 1t. They use elegant
rhetoric and soft speech and flatter.
ing apostrophe. They preach meta
physics, dry as a last years bird nest
and as empty; or they thresh out the
old straw of dead and buried evils
that nobody can object to. And when
man does rise up who strikes
straight from the shoulder there is al
ways rattling among the dry bones,
and he Is fortunate If he holds on to
his job.
When the Scotch Covenanters
were at one time in battle their am
munition gave out and they had to
wait for bullets. They expected bar
rel Of blllets. 4 barrel came down
but 1t was tho wrong one, sent by mis-
take. 1t was a barrel of raisins. They
Knocked In the head of the barrel and
sat down in defeat. That is largely
the fault now. Churches are dying OF
geat sermons and splendid services.
N.at we need is less confestionary
and lrose bu,lets.