DEMETRIUS by R. F. COTTRELL.

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · May 12, 1868

DEMETRIUS.

By R. F. COTTRELL.

THE silversmith of Ephesus was not only a craftsman, but a crafty man. His leading object was to make money; but, to be most successful in this, he knew he must enlist the religious sympathies of the people, and move them by superstitious zeal, to persecute and put down the truth, which, should it prevail, would spoil his trade. His occupation was the making of silver shrines for the goddess Diana; and it was a business of no small gain. His accusation against Paul was, that he had persuaded and turned away much people, saying that they be no gods which are made with hands. “So that,” said he, “not only this our craft is in danger to be set at naught; but also that the temple of the great goddess Diana should be despised, and her magnificence should be destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worshipeth.”

This touched a cord that vibrated. A few leading spirits cried out, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!” And though the mass of the people did not know what was up, yet, having heard the key note and got their eye upon Alexander, a representative of the truth which Paul preached, the whole multitude raised their voices and, for about two hours, cried, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians!”

This was the best argument they had against the truth. A united acclamation in favor of fables. But I have often admired the wisdom, prudence, and skill of the Town Clerk, who had the tact to quiet the uproar, caution the people, refer the craftsmen to the legal way of proceeding, and dismiss the assembly in good order. Happy would it be for other cities and villages to have such a man in their midst as the Town Clerk of Ephesus.

Now there is a moral in this. There are at the present day many craftsmen who have their wealth by taking the lead in the superstitions and fabulous traditions so popular at the present time, which they teach as the only true religion. Among the leading objects of their veneration is, not the image which the Ephesians were taught fell down from Jupiter, but a Sabbath which they entitle Christian, which actually came down to them from the Pope of Rome. And when the servants of God go among them, and tell them that they are no Sabbaths which are made by human hands, they give the key note of alarm to the people, using their best argument, and appeal to the prejudices of a misled and deluded people, and raise their voices in favor of popular traditions and fables, filling the air with dust to blind the eyes of the people and becloud their sight. Should the truth generally prevail they would lose their salaries; and not only so, their Sunday worship, or rather, their worship of Sunday would come to naught. So they cry out, “Great is the Christian Sabbath which all the world, except a few ignorant fanatics, keep.” They endeavor to make the first-day Sabbath a Christian institution by calling it so.

When this state of things is inaugurated, the servant of God has to wait till the whirlwind and dust subside, and then quietly pursue his work of removing prejudice, and teaching the truth. And it sometimes happens that, amid the tumult, some one or more are manifested who, like the Town Clerk of Ephesus, appease the people, and thus aid the servants of God in their work. Oh, that there were more men like that same Town Clerk!

R. F. COTTRELL.