the Corinthians-some good, but more evil.

Paul was made so uneasy by hearing of their sins, that he went over the sea that he might reprove the offenders.

He stayed at Corinth a very short time, and was much grieved to find that Apollos' account was only too true. There were many there very fond of Apollos, who said, 'I am of Apollos;' others who said, 'I am of Paul;' yet they did not follow what Apollos taught or what Paul taught.

Paul soon returned to Ephesus. He thought it would be best to send some good men to Corinth, that they might bring the Corinthians to repentance. He fixed upon Timothy as one messenger, and on Erastus as another (a man born in Corinth). He told them to go round by Macedonia, and to collect money for the poor saints in Jerusalem as they passed through Philippi, Thessalonica, and Berea.

While the messengers were absent Paul wrote a letter to the Corinthians. He wrote it with many tears, flowing from the anguish of his heart. This pain was worse to him than all the labour of his hands to earn bread.

When he had finished his very long letter, he sent it by Titus, who was a native of Corinth. Titus was afraid lest he should be ill received by the sinful Christians at Corinth. But Titus obeyed Paul's wishes, and went with a companion to Corinth. He took Trophimus as his companion.

When Titus arrived at Corinth he was received most affectionately. The Corinthians were quite penitent, and ready to obey Titus in everything. Paul's letter was read to them, and it made a great impression; for the Corinthians attended more to what Paul wrote than to what he spoke, . for he was not a fine speaker, nor was he grand-looking.

Titus did not soon come back to Ephesus. Paul continued to feel great anxiety about the Corinthians, and kept longing for Titus's return.

'Titus is my partner and fellowhelper concerning you.'-2 Cor. viii. 23.

XLI.

THE SORCERERS.

Acts, xix. 15-20.

As Athens was famous for learning, as Corinth was famous for games, so Ephesus was for sorcery. The city of Ephesus was full of deceivers. The devil had great power in Ephesus, and enabled people to deceive others by their pretended wonders.

These deceivers were called sorcerers, or conjurers, or wizards, or magicians,

or charmers, or exorcists. These names all mean the same thing.

When these sorcerers heard of Paul's miracles, they tried to do miracles of their own. There was one old man named Sceva. He was a Jew, and he was a chief priest. He had seven sons, and he ought to have brought them all up to serve the God of Israel.

But these seven sons served the devil. They wanted to do the same miracles that Paul did, without believing in Jesus.

There was a man who had a very fierce evil spirit. The seven brothers went to his house to cast out the evil spirit. They stood over him and said, 'I command thee by Jesus whom Paul preaches to come out of him.'

The evil spirit, instead of coming out of the man, made this terrible answer,- Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?'

Having said this, the man jumped up suddenly, seized hold of the brothers,

struggled with them all seven, tore their clothes, and bruised their bodies, and conquered them all seven; so that the frightened brothers ran from the house with hardly any clothes, and many bleeding wounds.

This overthrow of the sorcerers was much talked of by the people of Ephesus; and it made many praise the Lord Jesus by whom Paul did such real wonders.

There were many other sorcerers in Ephesus, who came to Paul and confessed the wicked tricks they had played through Satan; and they brought their books about their charms and burned them in the streets before all the people. They would not sell the books, because they were wicked books. They might have got fifty thousand pieces. of silver for them if they had sold them, but they loved Jesus more than silver. Many more people believed in Jesus

A piece of silver is worth tenpence.