The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-12-09
1.-THE voYAGE or L1tS."

Evening, Dee :, D. Rev. John W"lAoE
jackson. TeXt Acts, 27th Oh"P'ef'
I-15 Verses.
Specially RepOr'' for me Bvsntn0 7t'e0rGp"'
The 27b chapter of Acts relates Ge. tne history o
oi the Jurney by sea OF Paul u Fmparor he had
appP y, W oacape the Vaccinations OF the
Je' aled eonght his life. The passage nave
sd in your hearing pictures Ssvs sne dvdeS ISE o. tb
1our seCt'VNY Won may possibly inquire whether a
hioct Ike this is Of sufficient Importance In
StssIf TO challenge the medltatlons, OF a Chrls-
itseil oregation; or whether 1t will not require
Ia99 " 9noenlous artificial Interpretation to secure
90 mere detail of events, however interesting
AZ a narrative, yet destitute of spiritual signin-
cation that appearance OF evangelical teaching
without which an hour of pulpit intercourse
between the pastor and people were wasted
failing in the end of preaching. Praying is the
Snd of preaching; for as Herbert has said,
sAttend sermons, but prayers most"
This journey presents to us q very important
period in the life of the Apostle, one in which
occurs the most glorious triumph of his faith In
the Son of God. We cannot but admire a man
who, late in life, sets out upon dangerous
voyage solely to justify his faith before the
ruler of the world. We read with profound
emotion of the devastating Storm OF the
dark night of the anguish and pain Of
the prayers; of the trust in Heaven; OF the
shipwreck and of the final rescue; and, what
is more important, we behold throughout the
Christian. We perceive even in the manaCled
prisoner the spirit Of power, OF love, and of
sound mind-the peaceful assurance in the face
of death proclaiming the child of God.
AS uDOn Journeys immense varieties OF life
appear, 80 the various viccissitudes of their
events are fitted to permit the very secrets OF
mans heart TO be revealed, and to test the true
nature of his being. Therefore, the history of
Journeys are, in the main, the most interesting
portions of the Bible.
of the Israelites through the wilderness. How
full it is of peril how rich in the miracles OF
assurance and the dependency OF the heart OF
man! When has the Lord done such great
things to any man as to st. Paul, on his journey
from Jerusalem to Damascus! and even the
short way Of the disciples from Jerusalem to
Emmaus, how important 1t was to them
for their entire lite! Yea, the entire his
tory OF the Saviour, what is it other
wise than the history of a journey
and that it had to be; smce only in that way, by
the Yicissitudes Of men and circumstances,
could occasion be given 10 bring TO light the
entire wealth Of bis Almighty love. By pro-
found necessity of His nature man is ira
weller, and that innate desire is but another form
Of that feeling of strangeness here, of dissatis-
faction with the best that earth eau give, that
The apostle could not better describe the entire
life of man than in the words, For nere we have
no continuing city, but we seek OOe to come.n
II human life Is, in the contemplation OF Holy
Scripture, "a great journey through the wilderness
TO the land of promise, out of time to eternity,
may we not inverselY call journey life com
which in the ordinary everyday life lie so far
apart from each other here in varied changes
so quickly follow, crowd themselves together;
they come, they go--the ties of friendship are
made but to be unlssened. Ever new pictures
appear but to vanish, and Joy and sorrow no
where lie 30 near together rs upon Journey,
where the safe continuance of life may be &C
easily interrupted by unexpected events, In
hazardous ways.
These all find place in Paul's journey. 1t il
properly miniature picture of life, rejecting
the feelings and duties of its most widely sepa
rated persons, conditions, and periods. BY thu
maniGoldness of its events, its terrible dangers
and its varied characters, we trust to create
picture whose bright lights and deep shadow
shall reveal to us human life in its hopes an
fears, strifes and struggles, its victories ant
defeats, as lessons for the conduct of your lf
and mine.
We shall present our thoughts on the four sec
tions of this narrative under four propositions
thus stated
I. The Departure, or setting sail.
II. The Conflict between Faith and Unbeliei
Ill. The Struggle with Adversity,
~. The Haven of Rest.
Tonight we begin with ''The Departures" ant
here three points present themselve for our con
templation;-
1. The Vicissitudes of Life.
2, It's Friendships.
3. The First Cloud in the Heavens.
With Thy presence, o Lord permit us to max
the pilgrimage of life. Be Thou our Refuge an
our Rock. Give us humility and meekness Of
sunshiny days; permit us In dark hours to fn
our consolation IN Thee. Break q way for u
through the waste no Wing wilderness to urge
our way to the blessed land of promise.
Paul, formerly the jealous Pharisee, the blood
thirsty prosecutor of Christians, has, by his
joyful and death-defying testimony for Chris
the cruci6ed one, produced in Asia and in Eu
rope such extraordinary results as to arouse
against himself the bitterest hatred of the Jews
After his fifth arrival In Jerusalem, since he LEFT
1t on his prosecuting errand to Damascus Oh
being recognized in the temple by some AsiatiC
Jews, they stirred up the people against him
representing him as an enemy of the law, as one
who polluted the temple, until in their rage hC
was seized, dragged violently from the temple
by the Intervention of the Romish Chiet captain
who took him prisoner. From Jerusalem afte
the appearance of the Apostle before the grea
Council, because OF the discovery of a conspiracy
70 assassinate him, he was sent under the pro
lection OF small military escort to Cesarea
where he had been held in custody for two year
oy two Romish Governors, Felix and Festus. As
thelr hopes faded that Paul would purchase hi
freedom with money, and Fcstus being Willin!
70 surrender him to his Jewish prosecutors
citizen, appealed to Caesar.
NOW that he must personally stand betor
Caesar, Paul, with many other prisoners
IS brought on board ship Of Adramytlium
homeward bound, but previously to the con
clusion OF the voyage intending to touch a
several points along the coast OF Asia Minor
from some one of whose seapOrts it was intended
that this vessel shOuld be exchanged Tor anothe
sallingI to Italy. On board this ship, whose er
tire population numbered 276 souls, Paul an
the other prisoners, in the care and unde
the command OF julius, Roman centurion
commenced the Journey.
II Is serious journey. The greatest number
OF the dWellers in the ship are criminals, the
conscienees laden with black crimes. They o
70 Rome. In that proud city, from the mout
OF the highest of earthly rulers. they shall hpa