The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1909-08-20
Continuation of
Paul's Third Journey
Sunday School Lesson for August ~, 1909
Specially Arranged for This Paper

strength is made perfect in weakness."-
2 Cor. 1919.
TIMB.-A. d. &c or 81, near the close
OF Paul's work at Ephesus.
PJACE.-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 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 and
Greece, and bearing the gifts Of Phi
lippi, Thessalonica, Berea, Corinth
and other Gentle churches from. 10:
26) to the poor in Jerusalem.
In Corinth he expected to receive
contributions for the Door in Jerusa.
lem q Cor. 16: LAY.
He sent two of his helpers, Timothy
and Erastus e Tim. 4: 20), through
Macedonia to Corinth Il Cor. 4: 1919
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 a
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 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 1t was injur.
ing their bad business.
There arose NJ small STIR" commo-
ton, 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),
WIN was d VIII Blu a huLIllCSo, q pei
s~onihcation of the moon, as Apollo
was of the SUM-. 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 a
bad business.
This was in direct contrast with the
character of the Christians, who made
great sacrifices in burning their own
(not other people's) bad books which
were injuring the people.
The Mob in the Coliseum.-Vs. %
Al. 1.-THE whole city was filled with
confusion 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 wi necks (Rom. 16:
~, it is likely that these faithful
friends, in shielding the apostle
brought themselves into the most i'm
-ua. rar{l Tha ~oh thny0h haf
fed of their principal aim, seized or
, Gaius and Aristarchus, two Of Paul's
associates, and dragged them away al
criminals. Rushed with n accord
into the theater," the Colosseum, ca
pable of holding $4,000 people.
Alexander the Jew. The Jews were
, always especially exposed to perse
cution, and as the mob would be like
ly to make no distinction between
Jews and Christians, particularly al
Paul was a Jew, they put forward
prominent Jew, named Alexander, Il
defend them.
: The Mob Quelled. 1.-THE townclerk'
. at length interfered and argued will
. the excited people.
1. The worship of Diana was 81
settled in Ephesus that no company o
t Jews could overthrow it. You hav'
no real cause for violence. "The i'm
c age" Of Diana (which fell down from
Jupiter" their chief god, as meteori'
II stones fall from the sky.
l. Thus was peace and quiet restored
g The signs Of these times mean
that It was best for Paul to leave i'm
. mediately for another field of labor
while Ephesus was settling down int
s quiet peace, and the church continued
/ to grow in character and NUMBERS
' Therefore Paul bade the beloved
d church good-by and departed for Il
20 into Macedonia" (Acts 20: -.
Q. Paul had not committed TIT
wrong with which he was charged
His converts had been very carefu