New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1890-10-31
THE EouISoCTIAL GALE IN THE BIBLE.

TO the Editor OF The Tribune.
Sir: II may DC that the popular belief in euinoctia
storms is you say, superstition, but II So 1t Is
a very old one You may say that the antiquity Of
such q popular belief does not prove Its correctness
Vrey trne But such n fact entities a belief so an
cient widespread to something more by way o.,
reputation than the reports OF signal Service oces III
this country the weather Bureau In England Tor
fifteen twenty years, IL this BELIEF Is thousands
of years old and extended to the regions navigated
by the nations Of that date there Is, at least very
singular coincidence
1t seems very clear that the storm during which ST.
Paul and his companion, suffered shipwrecK, as
vvdly depicted in the Xxvh chapter OF the Acts was
an equinCctia storm. Pnul "admonished' the cap
tain OF the danger. not of mere common storm, but
Of the danger Of unusual and severe storm occur
Ing likely TO occur at the autumnal equinox, ana
coming Just he foretod 1t.
Let Us read Luke'o vivid account Of the matter In
the light Of few facts, well established, II not com
monty adverted to-
The Jewish year began with March, Exodus Xii 9;
Deuteronomy XVII 81 The seventh month OF that year
corresponded september Indeed that was the
name the Romans gave it because 1t was the " sew
enth7 month of their year, which then corresponded
with the Jewish year. In Leviticus KILL 2'32, the
tenth day Of the seventh month was appointed for
day OF atonement.- still sacredly observed by the
descendants Of the people to whom Moses brought this
command. In II they were to do work and to
The feast of the tabernacles followed the fifteenth
day Of the same month. the seventh month The fast
and the feast against each other then.
They survived Paul and Jerusalem They subsist still
1t Is IL seems clear this that Lake refers when lie
says ACTS xvii ~ that much time spent and
that sailing dangerous because that the aS
was now already past. In other words the tenth day Of
September had by by days They were at. or
very near the autumna equinox. They werc eN
4 not %
tended hindcrcd them since they left Lycia
the southwest coast Of Asia Minor. But the pass
ing Of the equinox exposed them to storm OF unusual
power the OF which was to be expected Just
at that time.
Paurs admonI,ion was disreearded. The master Of
the ship. who probably its chief owner, ana spent
his life OH il with his wife and children. Ii he had
them thought he might surely and safely creep along
the southern coast Of Crete. from Losea ana the FAR
Iavens. across the little bay to Phence IL was only
about twenty miles Land would he In sght all Tie
way The Fair Ilavens, in spite OF the name was
poor place for the ship to venture in 1t Is stlii
mere open roadstead or little better. Phenice Is
sheltered harbor The need Of such harbor for win
ter quarters for such great vessel carrying 278 per
sons besides ts cargo NJ wheat from Egypt for Rome
obvious whole sp say a. seemed ID
to he aware OF the danger Of terrible storm ct thss
particular period Of the year. NcSnwtItsndin g.
winter in the part advised to depart thence ice
also, by any they might attain 10 Phenfe anu
there 20 winter which Is haven OF Crete. and leth
toward the southwest and northwest
And al paul v.s voted down by the majority and
overruled BIZ the captain. And when the south WIND
blew softly. suppoiing they hsd obtained tl'eir pnr
That IL, they. Hks all the nsvgltors OF those ages'
kept - near to the land Is possible going rpm he.n
nccsuse o. the srsat benefit to Be derived rom sle
secure harbor they were striving to astain ana ior
Of ~ storm likely TO come. well Known 10 % eA-
pecte1 at the equinox. -. - .,.o..t,
Storm vas what there In all literature more Vivid
IL il entirely clear at all ss.r taa Ok ts v .S
cauipoctiais does not come every year on inc very
euuinpx 20 Old ana wide . BELIEF Is 9nI9gnceo'
n6surd-s- nero snporstfelon' n''I]>
RPoohiyu. Oct. %, 1900.