The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-08-13


of the patient and went through
their incantations, pronouncing the
name of Jesus as Paul did.
But to their CONSERVATION the man
cried out, Jesus l know, and Paul l
know; but who are your" and he pitch
ed into them tore their clothes off
from them, and kicked them into
the street. And the whole city
laughed.
Not only so, but a serious moral ef
feet was produced also. A conviction
settled upon the whole community
that Paul was right, and the wizards
and black-art professors were wrong.
Chagrined and ashamed at their fail
ure, the dealers in forbidden arts
themselves admitted their hypocrisy,
deception and fraud, they turned from
1t in genuine repentance, brought all
their books and implements Of wick
edness, started a bonfire in the mar
ket place, dumped the literature into
the flames and kept stirring them up
till the last leaf of the last volume
went up in smoke. That was a re-
markably thorough disinfection of the
moral atmosphere in the streets of
Ephesus. Those people literally burnt
up property in the public street to the
amount of about ten thousand dollars.
First Thoughts Best.
Now the first lesson is this: When
men are convinced that reformation is
necessary they ought to act instantly.
Many man sits cogitating so long
over the question of duty that the
eggs of his resolution are added be.
fore he makes up his mind. We
should not only strike while the iron
is hot but make it hot by striking. If
those Ephosian wizards had slept over
the question OF destroying their books,
! very much doubt if they had done
It, TO say OF any matter like this, Il
will think it over" is usually to find a
+ good many excuses for not doing it.
He who hesitates is lost. Good reso-
lutions are much like rare game; the
wise hunter does not wait for the flock
to settle, but takes it on the wing.
First thoughts are best thoughts, and
reed no reconsideration. One would
I suppose to hear some people talk that
he race is so determined on doing
right so bent and inclined heaven
{ ward so liable TO storm the portals
NJ light and stampede into glory, that
: It is very essential to screw the
brakes down hard, lest we should be.
I come righteous overmuch. There is
c not the slightest danger in that direc-
e ton. Most of US need a spur more
non do Ibn
plenty of brakemen on the heavenly
train; what we need is a few more
firemen to shovel fuel and attend to
keeping the steam up.
Burn Your Bridges.
And the next thing is: Make thor
ough work of the reformation. Many
man goes back to his old ways be
cause he makes the way of return sc
easy. When God took the children OF
Israel out Of Egypt he put the Red
Sea between them and their old home
,, as speedily as possible. He got them
, away from the vicinity as quick as he
could. He knew that the leeks, onions
and garlic, would have a mighty fas
cination to the Hebrews as long as
they stayed in the neighborhood, anG
he put them on different diet the mo
, ment they began to get hungry, plaI
( which kept their attention till they
got so far away they couldn't go back
That was a wise general, who, OF
landing his troops in an enemies
! country burnt his ships in the har
!, Dor. The soldiers realized then tina
!, it was victory or death, and the knowl
: edge made every man hero.
These Ephesians made 1t impossible
= to return to their old ways by burn
. ing their books. l have heard of ;
woman who felt that 1t was sinful t.
wear flowers and jewelry, and sh'
took all her personal finery-and gav'
II 1t to her sister. No! If 1t Is not goot
b enough for you, 1t Is not good enougl
o for anybody.
D. For If the gambler only puts hi
q cards on the upper shelf. and take
's them down now and then to dream
over the games he used to play, h
will end by going back. And II tn
drinking man only puts his decante
B. little farther back on the shelf, an,
. occasionally takes 1t down to hold !
ie up to the light, and to smell OF 1t, h
IL will go back to drinking as sure a
fate. And II the slave OF tobacco keep
taking down his pipe and mournin
over 1t, he will soon be burning tn
,e fragrant weed.
a. The only safe course. the only rad
in cal and thorough course. Is to imitat
Ia the example OF the Ephesian convert
: and make a glorious bonfire Of tn
o. things of which you would be free.