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
experience; for he gives them the express command, "Grieve not the holy
Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption." Chap.
4:30. And again, "After that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy
Spirit of promise." Chap. 1:13. Their ministers, also, had been placed
in their position by authority of the Holy Ghost, and were commanded to
feed the flock. See Acts 20:28. When this was their heavenly experience,
their "first works" of patience, love, and perseverance, were acceptable
unto Christ; but it was not their present condition. A sad declension
had taken place; therefore the declaration, "I have somewhat against
thee, because thou hast left thy first love." This was no mere human
estimate placed upon their piety, but it was their condition as Christ
himself knew it to be. He "who walketh in the midst of the seven golden
candlesticks," and knoweth the hearts of all men, declared they had
fallen, and commanded them to repent and to do the first works. How sad
that a congregation which had one time enjoyed the fulness of God's
favor should fall from grace and be threatened with destruction by the
Lord himself! But there is one consolat