“Judea was not entirely subjugated; for three strong fortresses were still in arms: Herodium, Machaerus, and Masada.... The heroes agreed to this proposal (of their leader Eleasar) even with enthusiasm, and on the first day of the great Feast of the Passover (A. D. 73), after slaying their own wives and children, they all perished on their own swords.” (Graetz’s _History of the Jews_, Vol. 2.) “Eleasar accordingly persuaded all his people during that night to kill their wives and children and then themselves, but to burn all their treasures first. The next day the Romans found only 960 dead bodies, whilst but two women and five children hid themselves in caverns and were discovered. The Easter of the year 73, just seven years from the beginning of the great movement and 40 years after Christ’s crucifixion, saw this end of the whole tragedy.” (Ewald’s _History of Israel_, Vol. 7, which is entitled “The Apostolic Age,” and which Prof. Ewald makes to end with the year A. D. 73.) Josephus also relates that Masada fell on the 15th of Nisan, April, A. D. 73; but the quotation is too lengthy to be inserted here. The meaning of the word _Ephesus_ is “permission,” which, understood as “approval,” harmonizes well with the tradition that the meaning is “desirable.” Anything that has approval is desirable. Write.—St. Paul wrote a third of the New Testament. These things saith He that holdeth the seven stars in His right hand.—“In the first chapter we have a description of ‘One like unto a son of man.’ Some one or more of the features of this description are mentioned in connection with each of the successive stages of the Church.”—Z. ’16‐346; Rev. 1:16, 20. Who walketh in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks.—“We could not doubt the love and care of our glorified Head even if He had given us no explicit declaration on the subject.” (F. 401; Rev. 1:13; Lev. 24:2‐4.) 2:2. I know thy works.—The early Christians “took joyfully the spoiling of their goods” (Heb. 10:34); in “great trial of affliction” they abounded in joy, and in “deep poverty” were liberal “beyond their power.” (2 Cor. 8:2, 3.) They were living epistles, “known and read of all men.”—2 Cor. 8:2, 3. And thy labor.—Considered as betrayers of the Jewish faith; living in the midst of heathen idolatry, without railways, steamships, automobiles, bicycles, telegraphs, telephones, printing, postal service, electricity, gas, or kerosene—in the midst of densest ignorance and basest morals—the early Christians traversed the seas and lands of the known world, braving floggings, stonings, hunger, thirst, cold, nakedness and martyrdom, that they might tell the good news of the coming Kingdom.—2 Cor. 11:24‐27. And thy patience.—_Hupomonee._ “An endurance of wrong or affliction with contentment, without rebellion of will, with full acquiescence in the Divine Wisdom and Love.”—Z. ’01‐115.