The News-Herald. [volume] (Hillsboro, Highland Co., Ohio) 1886-1973, 1897-10-28
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lesson for October n,
1SO7-Paul's Voyage and Shipwreck
Acts 27l3.2O.

Acts 27f13-2O.
tArranged from Peloubet's Notes.l
GOLDEN TEXT.-Be of good cheer; for
believe God, that 1t shall be even as 1t was
told me.-Acts T:25.
THE SECTION includes the whole chap
ter. -
I. The Voyage and the Ship.-As soon
as a sufficient company of prisoners
bound for Rome could be gathered to
GO under one military escort, Paul was
sent with them. This required about
20 days, or till August 21. There was
no ship to take them directly from
Cesarea to Rome, so that they EN-
barked on vessel which coasted along
the shores till they came to Myra, in
Lycia, Asia Minor, port the Egyptian
grain ships had to make at certain
seasons on their way to Rome, be-
cause of the strong west winds. Here
they found one of these ships on its
way to Rome After they had entered
the new ship, the voyage was south
westerly, and slow, because the pre-
vailing winds at this season were from
the west, and therefore against them.
They reached Fairhavens, on the south
of Crete. about the Goth of Septem-
ber, the season of storms on the Mediter-
ranean. Paul advised them to remain
here, for the sake of safety. The GEN.
turion naturally trusted the opinion
of the master of the ship in preference
to Paul's and they set sail on calm
and pleasant day for Phenice. more
commodous port of Crete.
II
when the south wind blew softly:"
The south wind was favorable for
reaching Phenice, as they proposed.
a. "a tempestuous wind:" Greek,
typhonic. of the nature of whirlwind
or cyclone. "Called Euroclylon:"
From euros, east. and Clydon. wave,
an east wind raising great waves.
IS. when the vessel was caught"
A very strong expression implying that
the wind seized hold of the ship. as it
were, and whirled her out of her course.
"Could not bear up into the wind:"
Literally, could not look the wind in
the eye. 1--WE let her drive:" Literally,
having given it up, we were borne along.
16. "a certain island (the Greek is di-
minutive, "small island'O which is
called CLAUDIA" (the better reading is
Cauda.) This island was about 25 miles
nearly due south from the port of
Phenice, which the sailors desired to
reach. ITO come by the boat:" To
become masters of the boat; to bring
upon deck the small boat which was
usually towed astern the ship.
II. "They used helps:" Ropes, chains,
any apparatus they had. "Undergird-
ling the ship:" By ropes. or chains
passing around the vessel, on account
of the strain of the mast with it's great
sail. LEST they should fall into the
quicksands:" The Syrtis Major. on the
coast of Africa, long distance away,
but the wind was blowing them direct
ly towards those dangerous shoals.
"Strake sails" They lowered the sail,
leaving just enough sail to keep the
ships head to the wind.
20. "When neither sun nor stars
appeared" We have to re-
member that before the invention of
the compass the sun and stars were the
only guides of sailors who were out
of sight of land. "In many days." The
storm lasted IA days in all w. 27.) "All
hope was taken away" No
one who has never been in leaking
ship in long-continued gale can know
what is suffered under such circum-
stances.
I'LL Paul Brings Good Cheer.-Vs.
21-26. 21. "After long abstinence:"
There was no means of cooking; no
fire could be lighted; the provisions had
probably been spoiled and sodden by
the waves that broke over the ship; be-
side, with death staring them in the
face, no one cared to eat. paul stood
forth in the midst of them:" Sailors,
soldiers and passengers, now willingly
crowding round him. "Ye should have
hearkened unto me-" Paul recalls to
mind their former mistake in disre-
garding his advice Tvs. 9-1D. not to re-
proach them. but in order to show his
claim to their confidence with reference
to the present communication.
90. 81 eNhort you to be of good
cheer:" 1t is the prisoner who trusts
in God who has the source of cheer in
his soul.
90. There stood by me this night the
| (an) angel of Gods" To reassure Paul,
and by granting the lives of the others
for his sake to lead them to trust in
his Saviour and to gain power and OPP
portunity for more successful work in
Rome, for all this would be reported.
w. The Wreck and the Escape.-On
the fourteenth night of the storm, by
the sound of breakers and the shallow
ing Of the water, they learned that they
were near some land. Anchors were
cast out of the stern, keeping the bow
of the ship toward the shore in case they
should drift upon it. They had drifted
about 4s0 miles toward Malta. Some of
| the sailors were acting meanlY. trying