latter, named Vibius Salutaris, presented a large quantity of gold and
silver images to be carried annually in procession.

In this proud, wealthy, idolatrous city the apostle Paul planted a
Christian church, and the great inroads the gospel made into the
prevalent system of idolatry is shown by one circumstance mentioned in
the Book of Acts. "And many that believed came, and confessed, and
showed their deeds. Many of them also which used curious arts brought
their books 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." Acts 19:18-20. Fifty
thousand pieces of silver would be equal to ten thousand dollars' worth,
or, according to some estimates, six times that amount. But ten thousand
dollars' worth of books on incantation and magic alone destroyed,
considering the scarcity of books in that day, shows the wondrous extent
to which the gospel had been accepted. This was made the occasion of a
great tumult in the city, when one, Demetrius, seeing that the prestige
of Diana was diminishing, stirred up the people of the city against Paul
and his companions, and cried vehemently, "Great is Diana of the
Ephesians!" The souvenir silver shrines and images of this goddess,
which had been in such demand by the multitudes of people constantly
visiting the city, were no longer sought for when the knowledge of the
one true God was made known; and well might Demetrius and his
fellow-craftsmen be alarmed as their means of wealth disappeared.

The spiritual condition of this church in Paul's time is worthy of
notice; for it presents a striking contrast with its condition at the
time when the special message of the Revelation was addressed to it.
Paul in his epistle to the Ephesians taught them the glorious doctrine
of entire sanctification (chap. 5:25-27), and they had received the