The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-08-19
LESSON FOR AUGUST 20
RIOT AT EpAEsUt

aLfNA
LESSON TExT-Acts 1854.
GOLDEN TExT-The love Of; money u
the root Of all kinds OF evil Tin. s:las
Teachers ought to have good maps
and keep before the minds Of thelr
classes both the ancient and modern
names OF the places Paul visited. Paul
resided at Ephesus nearly three years
A. D. SO to Sc. The events Of this les
son occurred about three years after
our last lesson in Acts.
]. Tho Missionary Work o. Paul
wv. 1-10). How long Paul remainedat
Antioch after his second Journey we
do not know, but having passed
through the upper coast" he came to-
this city Of Ephesus, which was an
important city and a great mission
field. In Revelations 2 and 8 Is d list
Of the churches which he evangelical
from this center. It was a great and
effectual door for him II Cor. 8:9;
read also Acts 20:17; 2:35). In this
city Paul found a religious guild Of ~
members (see w. 2-7), whose religt
ious experience needed the enrichment
Of the Holy Spirit; a like need Is ever
before the Christian church.
u. Tho Miracles Wrought BY Paul
wv. 11-20). Ephesus was a center %
magic and witchcraft, and special
power was given Paul to work mira!
cles which COMPOUNDED the magicians |,
In this. their stronghold. The Coz
proves its power most and best
transforming the characters Of mem
Deeds Of love and service are the best
proofs Of Christianity, and these arc
the things which awaken heather mas
tons to seek after the Christian relig3
ion. But such deeds are often imig
tated as In this case. l(see v. 1871.
However, only the real spirit OF Christ
can work the true workings Of tho
Gospel, and thus the name Of the Lord
Jesus was magniHed in Ephesus. 1ml.
tation is often the slncerest form o.
fiattery.
III. The Mob's Attack Upon Paups
Work (vv. 21.41). The first result ot
Paul's work was the burning OF the
books of magic wv. 1920. Many who
had been dupes Of the maglclans
censed their secret practices and de-
clared their wrongdoings in this pub.
lie manner. Literally, book aftersbook
was thrown into the fire. much the
same as In Florence Sayonarola had
his bonfire Of vanitles." Paul's won-
derful success had to have its testing
before he left. The Gospel way the
way Of salvation, Of true living, is
sure to create a stir sooner or later.
Preach the Gospel faithfully and fully,
and 1t will stir up any community. II
is not necessarily n bad sign when
things begin to be disturbed. It may
simply indicate that the fire Is got.
ting hot. The good results Of reyiy-
ais do not hurt business, but they do
hurt the devil. SO that "bIg business
was intensely stirred up in the city
Of Ephesus. Demetrlus, their leader,
uttered a striking and truthful com.
mendation Of Paul ". 26), although
1t was entirely unintentional. lSee
l Thess. 1870. Demetrius does not
seem to seek to controvert the preach.
Ing Of Paul, or that 1t did not square
with the word Of God, but rather that
It would interfere with financial con.
siderations. The modern worlds full
Of descendants Of the Ephesian silver.
smiths,-politicians and business In.
terests which defend the saloon, and
fairly respectable citizens who receive
rents from such business, or from I'm.
moral or unsanitary properties, and
who cry out against any reform which
interferes with trade and money max
ing. There are many today who are
very enthusiastic religionists &c they
can coin money out Of 1t or get into
an office.
&c tSas sheaseF r,e.ting Paul was
not present, w. 20, 81 Demetrius ap.
pealed ~ to wealth, t2) to religion.
t3) to the. honor and fame OF the city,
and (4) he also made an esthetic ap-
peal, wv. %, 90, 27). The Jews put
forward one of their number, Alexan-
der, to make a defense unto the peo-
pie, and to show that they were not
in sympathy with Paul and his COM
panions in their preaching against tho
worship Of Diana or that as Jewish
Christians they did not maliciously
hope to destroy the worship OF Diana
and the business interests Of that city.
Their effort, however, only stirred the
mob to a larger shout, "Greatsis DIANA
Of the Ephesians," which lasted for
two hours.
Those who yell the loudest think
they are sure to prove their point,
though in such a way the point does
not stay proved. Paul combines fear
less courage and humble common
sense, and, while he fain would APP
peal to the mob ". 3d., he refrained.
The mob must 500 awaken to the
manliness and spirit Of Paulss soul.
It was the town clerk who interviewed
". a5-41) and by skillful management
quelled the excited mob. He was the
temple keeper and showed that the
worship of Diana was so settled inl
Ephesus that no company OF Jews
could overthrow It, and that they did
not have any real cause for violence.
ua also ap,pbo elsa. ~. 81