the acts of the apostles-第49部分

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together；　and　burned　them　before　all　men：　and　they　counted　the　price　of
them；　and　found　it　fifty　thousand　pieces　of　silver。　So　mightily　grew　the
word　of　God　and　prevailed。〃

By　burning　their　books　on　magic；　the　Ephesian　converts　showed　that　the
things　in　which　they　had　once　delighted　they　now　abhorred。　It　was　by　and
through　magic　that　they　had　especially　offended　God　and　imperiled　their
souls；　and　it　was　against　magic　that　they　showed　such　indignation。　Thus　they
gave　evidence　of　true　conversion。

These　treatises　on　divination　contained　rules　and　forms　of　communication
with　evil　spirits。　They　were　the　regulations　of　the　worship　of
Satandirections　for　soliciting　his

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help　and　obtaining　information　from　him。　By　retaining　these　books　the
disciples　would　have　exposed　themselves　to　temptation；　by　selling　them　they
would　have　placed　temptation　in　the　way　of　others。　They　had　renounced　the
kingdom　of　darkness；　and　to　destroy　its　power　they　did　not　hesitate　at　any
sacrifice。　Thus　truth　triumphed　over　men's　prejudices　and　their　love　of
money。

By　this　manifestation　of　the　power　of　Christ；　a　mighty　victory　for
Christianity　was　gained　in　the　very　stronghold　of　superstition。　The
influence　of　what　had　taken　place　was　more　widespread　than　even　Paul
realized。　From　Ephesus　the　news　was　widely　circulated；　and　a　strong　impetus
was　given　to　the　cause　of　Christ。　Long　after　the　apostle　himself　had
finished　his　course；　these　scenes　lived　in　the　memory　of　men　and　were　the
means　of　winning　converts　to　the　gospel。

It　is　fondly　supposed　that　heathen　superstitions　have　disappeared　before　the
civilization　of　the　twentieth　century。　But　the　word　of　God　and　the　stern
testimony　of　facts　declare　that　sorcery　is　practiced　in　this　age　as　verily
as　in　the　days　of　the　old…time　magicians。　The　ancient　system　of　magic　is；　in
reality；　the　same　as　what　is　now　known　as　modern　spiritualism。　Satan　is
finding　access　to　thousands　of　minds　by　presenting　himself　under　the　guise
of　departed　friends。　The　Scriptures　declare　that　〃the　dead　know　not
anything。〃　Ecclesiastes　9：5。　Their　thoughts；　their　love；　their　hatred；　have
perished。　The　dead　do　not　hold　communion　with　the　living。　But　true　to　his
early　cunning；　Satan　employs　this　device　in　order　to　gain　control　of　minds。

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Through　spiritualism　many　of　the　sick；　the　bereaved；　the　curious；　are
communicating　with　evil　spirits。　All　who　venture　to　do　this　are　on　dangerous
ground。　The　word　of　truth　declares　how　God　regards　them。　In　ancient　times　He
pronounced　a　stern　judgment　on　a　king　who　had　sent　for　counsel　to　a　heathen
oracle：　〃Is　it　not　because　there　is　not　a　God　in　Israel；　that　ye　go　to
inquire　of　Baal…zebub　the　god　of　Ekron？　Now　therefore　thus　saith　the　Lord；
Thou　shalt　not　come　down　from　that　bed　on　which　thou　art　gone　up；　but　shalt
surely　die。〃　2　Kings　1：3；　4。

The　magicians　of　heathen　times　have　their　counterpart　in　the　spiritualistic
mediums；　the　clairvoyants；　and　the　fortune…tellers　of　today。　The　mystic
voices　that　spoke　at　Endor　and　at　Ephesus　are　still　by　their　lying　words
misleading　the　children　of　men。　Could　the　veil　be　lifted　from　before　our
eyes；　we　should　see　evil　angels　employing　all　their　arts　to　deceive　and　to
destroy。　Wherever　an　influence　is　exerted　to　cause　men　to　forget　God；　there
Satan　is　exercising　his　bewitching　power。　When　men　yield　to　his　influence；
ere　they　are　aware　the　mind　is　bewildered　and　the　soul　polluted。　The
apostle's　admonition　to　the　Ephesian　church　should　be　heeded　by　the　people
of　God　today：　〃Have　no　fellowship　with　the　unfruitful　works　of　darkness；　but
rather　reprove　them。〃　Ephesians　5：11。




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　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Chapter　28

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　Days　of　Toil　and　Trial


For　over　three　years　Ephesus　was　the　center　of　Paul's　work。　A　flourishing
church　was　raised　up　here；　and　from　this　city　the　gospel　spread　throughout
the　province　of　Asia；　among　both　Jews　and　Gentiles。

The　apostle　had　now　for　some　time　had　been　contemplating　another　missionary
journey。　He　〃purposed　in　the　spirit；　when　he　had　passed　through　Macedonia
and　Achaia；　to　go　to　Jerusalem；　saying；　After　I　have　been　there；　I　must　also
see　Rome。〃　In　harmony　with　this　plan　〃he　sent　into　Macedonia　two　of　them
that　ministered　unto　him；　Timotheus　and　Erastus；〃　but　feeling　that　the　cause
in　Ephesus　still　demanded　his　presence；　he　decided　to　remain　until　after
Pentecost。　An　event　soon　occurred；　however；　which　hastened　his　departure。

Once　a　year；　special　ceremonies　were　held　at　Ephesus　in　honor　of　the　goddess
Diana。　These　attracted　great　numbers　of　people　from　all　parts　of　the
province。　Throughout

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this　period；　festivities　were　conducted　with　the　utmost　pomp　and　splendor。

This　gala　season　was　a　trying　time　for　those　who　had　newly　come　to　the
faith。　The　company　of　believers　who　met　in　the　school　of　Tyrannus　were　an
inharmonious　note　in　the　festive　chorus；　and　ridicule；　reproach；　and　insult
were　freely　heaped　upon　them。　Paul's　labors　had　given　the　heathen　worship　a
telling　blow；　in　consequence　of　which　there　was　a　perceptible　falling　off　in
the　attendance　at　the　national　festival　and　in　the　enthusiasm　of　the
worshipers。　The　influence　of　his　teachings　extended　far　beyond　the　actual
converts　to　the　faith。　Many　who　had　not　openly　accepted　the　new　doctrines
became　so　far　enlightened　as　to　lose　all　confidence　in　their　heathen　gods。

There　existed　also　another　cause　of　dissatisfaction。　An　extensive　and
profitable　business　had　grown　up　at　Ephesus　from　the　manufacture　and　sale　of
small　shrines　and　images；　modeled　after　the　temple　and　the　image　of　Diana。
Those　interested　in　this　industry　found　their　gains　diminishing；　and　all
united　in　attributing　the　unwelcome　change　to　Paul's　labors。

Demetrius；　a　manufacturer　of　silver　shrines；　calling　together　the　workmen　of
his　craft；　said：　〃Sirs；　ye　know　that　by　this　craft　we　have　our　wealth。
Moreover　ye　see　and　hear；　that　not　alone　at　Ephesus；　but　almost　throughout
all　Asia；　this　Paul　hath　persuaded　and　turned　away　much　people；　saying　that
they　be　no　gods；　which　are　made　with　hands：　so　that　not　only　this　our　craft
is　in　danger　to　be　set　at　nought；　but　also　that　the　temple　of　the　great
goddess

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Diana　should　be　despised；　and　her　magnificence　should　be　destroyed；　whom　all
Asia　and　the　world　worshipeth。〃　These　words　roused　the　excitable　passions　of
the　people。　〃They　were　full　of　wrath；　and　cried　out；　saying；　Great　is　Diana
of　the　Ephesians。〃

A　report　of　this　speech　was　rapidly　circulated。　〃The　whole　city　was　filled
with　confusion。〃　Search　was　made　for　Paul；　but　the　apostle　was　not　to　be
found。　His　brethren；　receiving　an　intimation　of　the　danger；　had　hurried　him
from　the　place。　Angels　of　God　had　been　sent　to　guard　the　apostle；　his　time
to　die　a　martyr's　death　had　not　yet　come。

Failing　to　find　the　object　of　their　wrath；　the　mob　seized　〃Gaius　and
Aristarchus；　men　of　Macedonia；　Paul's　companions　in　travel；〃　and　with　these
〃they　rushed　with　one　accord　into　the　theater。〃

Paul's　place　of　concealment　was　not　far　distant；　and　he　soon　learned　of　the
peril　of　his　beloved　brethren。　Forgetful　of　his　own　safety；　he　desired　to　go
at　once　to　the　theater　to　address　the　rioters。　But　〃the　disciples　suffered
him　not。〃　Gaius　and　Aristarchus　were　not　the　prey　the　people　sought；　no
serious　harm　to　them　was　apprehended。　But　should　the　apostle's　pale；
care…worn　face　be　seen；　it　would　arouse　at　once　the　worst　passions　of　the
mob　and　there　would　not　be　the　least　human　possibility　of　saving　his　life。

Paul　was　still　eager　to　defend　the　truth　before　the　multitude；　but　he　was　at
last　deterred　by　a　message　of　warning　from　the　theater。　〃Certain　of　the
chief　of　Asia；　which　were　his　friends；　sent　unto　him；　desiring　him　that　he
would　not　adventure　himself　into　the　theater。〃

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The　tumult　in　the　theater　was　continually　increasing。　〃Some　。　。　。　cried　one
thing；　and　some　another：　for　the　assembly　was　confused；　and　the　more　part
knew　not　wherefore　they　were　come　together。〃　The　fact　that　Paul　and　some　of
his　companions　were　of　Hebrew　extraction　made　the　Jews　anxious　to　show
plainly　that　they　were　not　sympathizers　with　him　and　his　work。　They
therefore　brought　forward　one　of　their　own　number　to　set　the　matter　before
the　people。　The　speaker　chosen　was　Alexander；　one　of　the　craftsmen；　a
coppersmith；　to　whom　Paul　afterward　referred　as　having　done　him　much　evil。　2
Timothy　4：14。　Alexander　was　a　man　of　considerable　ability；　and　he　bent　all
his　energies　to　direct　the　wrath　of　the　people　exclusively　against　Paul　and
his　companions。　But　the　crowd；　seeing　that　Alexander　was　a　Jew；　thrust　him
aside；　and　〃all　with　one　voice　about　the　space　of　two　hours　cried　out；　Great
is　Diana　of　the　Ephesians。〃

At　last；　from　sheer　exhaustion；　they　ceased；　and　there　was　a　momentary
silence。　Then　the　recorder　of　the　city　arrested　the　attention　of　the　crowd；
and　by　virtue　of　his　office　obtained　a　hearing。　He　met　the　people　on　their
own　ground　and　showed　that　there　was　no　cau