The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1916-08-17
LESSON FOR AUGUST 20
RIOT AT EPHEsUs.
LESSON TEXT-Acts 10 ;23-u.

LESSON TEXT-Acts 1924
GOLDEN TJXT-The love OF money IL
the root Of all kinds of evil Tim G:lO
Teachers ought to have good maps
and keep before the minds of their
classes both the ancient and modern
names Of the places Paul visited. Paul
| resided at Ephesus nearly three years,
A. d. SO to So. The events of this les
son occurred about three years after
our last lesson in Acts.
I. The. Missionary Work Of Paul
wv. 1-10). How long Paul remained at
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 great mission
field. In Revelations 2 and is a list
Of the churches which he evangelical
from this center. 1t was great and
effectual door for him Il Cor. SO;
read also Acts. 20:17; 2 :35). In this
city Paul found a religious guild of II
members l(see w. 2-7), whose relig'
ious experience needed the enrichment
VI lnc INC uCSu 10 VfCA
before the Christian church. . .s't
II. The Miracles Wrought by Paul
wv. 1920. Ephesus was a center OF
magic and witchcraft, and special
power was given Paul TO work mira
cles which COMPOUNDED the magicians
in this, their stronghold. The Gospel
proves it's power most and best by
transforming the characters of men.
Deeds of love and service are the best
proofs Of Christianity, and these are
the things which awaken heather ma.
tons to seek after the Christian relig.
ion. But such deeds are often imi-
tated as In this case. (See v. 49,
However, only the real spirit of Christ
can work the true workings Of the
Gospel, and thus the name of the Lord
Jesus was magnified in Ephesus. Imi.
tatlon is often the sincerest form OF
f1attery. '''-~
III. The Mob's Attack Upon PauPs
Work wv. 21441)s The first result Of
Paul's work was the burning of the
books ofjmagie (vv. 1S-2olssMany who
had been dupes of the magicians
ceased their secret practices and de-
elaredl their wrongdoings in this pub.
lie manner. Literally, book after book
was thrown into the fire, much the
same as IN Florence Savonarola had
his "bonfire of vanities." 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 stir sooner or later.
Preach the Gospel faithfully and fully,
and it will stir up any community. III
is not necessarily d bad sign when
things begin TO be disturbed. 1t may
simply indicate that the fire Is get
ting hot. The good results of reviy-
ais do not hurt business, but they do
hurt the devil. SO that "big business"
was intensely stirred up in the city
OF EphesuS. Demetrius, their leader,
uttered striking and truthful COM
mendatlon of Paul ". 26), although
1t was entirely unintentiOnal. (SeeI
| ThesS. l :9-K0). 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-
sideratlons. The modern world Is full
Of descendants of the Ephesian silver
smiths,-pollticians 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 religonists If they
can coin money out of it or get into
an office.
At this theater meeting (Paul was
not present. Wv. 20, 81 Demetrius APP
pealed ID to wealth, (2) to religion,
(3) to the honor and fame of the city,
and (4) he also made an esthetic APP
peal, wv. 20, %, 2T). The Jews put
forward one of their number, Alexan-
der, to make defense unto the peo-
pie, and to show that they were not
in sympathy with Paul and his COM
panions In their preaching against the
worship of Diana or that SIS 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 larger shout, 'Great is 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 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 ". 30), he refrained.
The mob must soon awaken to the
maniiness and spirit OF Pauls soul.
1t was the town clerk who interfered
". 35-4D and by slSiIlful management
quelled the excited mob. He was the
temple keeper and showed that the
worship OF Diana was so settled In
Ephesus that no company Of Jews
could overthrow 1t, and that they did
not have any real cause for violence.
He also emphasizes the fact that
the image Of Diana, their chief god.
had been tremendously sent to them