Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-08-19

half OF the churches and cathedrals
would be created.
30 most denominations have built
up in bricks and mortar expensive
denominatfonal headquarters. They
not only receive, but seek entailed
bequests; yet 1t is manifest that be.
fore many years many Of the existing
UNCONVENTIONAL lines must be abolish.
ed. Great mergers are coming among
the churches; but see what barriers
are erected by, these property rights
and by these professional positions.
It is an open secret that the Northern
Presbyterian church and the Dutch
Reformed church do not unite, chiefly
because the lawyers have said that
the title to the immensely valuable
Dutch Reformed properties would not
hold valid in such union. Likewis,..
the proposition that Is being consid-
cred In several churches to consoi.
date boards is meeting with shrewd
and powerful opposition from the men
whose positions might be imperiled
Is not all this an exaltation of special
interests above the free course OF
truth, and the welfare Of the King
dom?
Deretrus, and Some Others.
This whole lesson hinges on the
vital question of special interests
cloaked by religion. Let us not rant
about Ephesus, when in our own day
Demetrius Is flourishing in many
quarters. Some of our denominations
are honeycombed with ecclesiastical
politics, which put the interests of in
dividuals above the welfare of the
church. Bishop Hamilton told the
Philadelphia Methodist ministers, at
the time of their last conference, that
he was shocked by their self-seeking,
and he bade them go home and prac-
tice what they preach. The North
ern Presbyterian denomination lately
took action in its highest court against
the use of tobacco by its members.
but it had not a word to say concern,
ing the Demetrius of the ecclesiastical
political practices that would disgrace
the secular parties. In the name of
the gospel that prevailed at Ephesus,
the church must have new courage 10
cleanse herself. Christianity must be
pure before it can serve or save the
world. With the "reminiscences Of
righteousness, the self.seekers AND
special interests must be driven from
individual churches and from the de-
nominations.
"Great Is Diana"
The mob that Demetriis raised at
Ephesus, ostensibly in behalf of the
goddess, Diana, cried for two hours,
"Great is, Diana of the Ephesians.'
Luke has drawn a perfect picture Of
a mob-throaty, hladless, and subject
to the leadership of any kiE,i of ras-
Gals. The cry IN behalf Of Diana was
a false cry. 1t could be truly inter-
preted Great is our job" Abdul
Hamid raised the same cry in behalf
of orthodoxy when he sought to de-
feat the reform party. Every pretend
er to the unstable Moroccan throne
lifts the banner of a "holy war" Pre-
datory interests at Washington shout
themselves hoarse over the sacred
ness of the constitution and the judi
ciary. All these are but new vsr-
sions of "Great Is Diana of the Ephe.
sians'
We see this Ephesian mob swarm
ing hither and thither like hive .,f
bees. They knew not wherefore they
were come together. Thew were as
clay in the hands of few shrewd agi-
tators. Stupidity, they thought that by
much shouting they could prove their
case; but truth is not established
that way. IN popular voting the devil
has often had majority. Truth is
not determined at the ballot box, nor
by force of arms. Truth is truth,
though one must hold 1t against a
multitude; and soon the noisy tumult
of the Ephesians was forever stilled
by the quiet touch of the truth 6f
Christianity. A few months ago DR..
F. B. Meyer of London preached the
Christian message in the ruins of this
very theatre where Pauls enemies
rioted
A Man Who Wthstood a Mob.
Let us call in the, town clerk Of
Ephesus," quantity remarks preach
err when in family or church the dis
cussion threatens to grow warm. For
there are IN every situation usually a
few level-headed persons who see BE-
meath the pretensions of the dema-
gogues, and inquire to the inner GER
tainties of the matter. Such was the
town clerk Of Ephesrs. who arose and
Istilled the tumult giving the sage adj
vice: "Ye ought to be quiet and 10
do nothing rash" He got to the core
of the matter by pointing out that De-
metrius and the silverswiths, If they
had valid case, could take it to the
courts. There were regular assem-
blies for the determination Of all the
RwEsT " n *