Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1897-10-28
Lesson for October 81.

Lesson for October 81.
Golden Text-"Be OF good cheer; for I
believe God, that It shall be even as 1t was
told me."-Acts 81: %.
This lesson is found In Acts 81: 1926,
its subject being Paul's Voyage and Ship
wreck. ~ t.s
Having appealed to Caesar, which APP
peal was granted by the procurator Fes-
tus, Paul must be sent to Rome for a
hearing. Since there were few or no reg
ular passenger ships in ancient times, and
since the war vessels of the empire were
seldom available for carrying ordinary
prisoners, the voyage was to be made In
merchant vessels. The ship in which they
embarked at Caesarea was a coaster,
bound for Adramyttium, port on the
eastern shore Of the Aegean Sea. The
time was in September, not long before
the beginning of the autumn storms; but
sufficient time was supposed to intervene
for their voyage il everything went well.
After clearing from Sidon, instead of sail
ing south of Cyprus in direct course to
their destination, westerly winds Obliged
them to sail towards the north Of the
island, and to keep close to the shore GIVE
sailed under Cyprus" is understood to
have this meaning). At this time, how
ever, the contrary winds seem to have
ceased, and good progress was made along
the southern coast of Asia Minor-Cilicia
and Pamphylia-as far as Myra. There
the centurion transferred his prisoners
and soldiers to a great grain ship sailing
from Alexandria to Italy. Alexandria
was the greatest wheat market in the
world, and many such ships left its harbor
at this season. Though built on what
we should call clumsy lines, these freight
boats were often very large, and capable
Of making very respectable progress with
ordinary weather. Starting from Myra,
this Alexandrian ship was obliged to beat
to windward along the coast of Lycia and
Cara. After many days they came in
sight of Cnidus, only 100 miles from
where they started. 1t was impossible for
them to make harbor here, on account of
the rough weather; and also impossible to
sail further west. because they no longer
had the shelter Of weather shore. There
fore they did the next best thing and sail
ed outhwest-about as near the wind as
they could get in the open water-towards
the eastern extremity Of Crete, Cape Sal
none. Thence they sailed westward, to
protection of the shore. But about mid
way of the island, at place called Fair
Ravens, the shore turned abruptly to the
north, making further progress impossible
so long as the northwest wind prevailed.
Hence Paul urged the centurion and the
captain Of the vessel to winter at that
port, but his counsel was not needed.
They desired to reach the harbor of Phoe-
nix, some forty miles to the northwest.
Accordingly, when the northwest wind
had ceased, and a gentle south wind had
sprung up Verse 49,, which they thought
would certainly prevail long enough to
sail forty miles, they weighed anchor and
sailed along the shore. But that decep-
tive south wind, which "blew softly" as
il summer had returned, soon gave way
to furious nor-easter.
Explanatory.
1t is said by those who are familiar
with the navigation of this part of the
Mediterranean that sudden tempests from
the north and northeast often spring up
at this season OF the year. The ship was
Caught" seized suddenly and whrled
helplessly about.
Not many miles southwest of Fair Ha-
vens they sighted a small island called
CLAUDIA. Securing the temporary advant-
age of this slight shelter, they sailed I'M
der the lee Of CLAUDIA, that is, to the south
of it, and there, with difficulty, got the
small boat which they had in tow on
board the vessel GIVE had much work to
come by the boat''-''come by" being an
obsolete expression for ito secure" Ito
make fast'o.
'They used helps, undergirding the
ship: these helps were cables passed
completely around the hull Of the ship
presumably accomplished by sinking n
loop under the bow, securing the two ends
on deck, or taking a half hitch in the cable
and repeating the operation until series
of loops had been passed around the YES
sci. The operation is easily illustrated
with bit of cord twisted about ones fin
ger. Drawn taut, such a cable would
strengthen the vessel against the strain
which threatened to spring her planks
apart, just as a split telegraph pole or
AK helve is strengthened by winding wire
about"it. Clearing lest they should fall
into the quicksands" is better translated
fearing lest they should be. cast upon the
Syrtis." The Syrtis was "A great quick
sand on the north shore of Africa
several hundred miles from Crete.
But northeast gale would not take many
days to drive the ship under full canvas
such distance. Hence the sail was low,
cred.
''They lightened the ship: throwing
overheard some of the heavier freight,
spare tackle, etc. The main cargo, grain,
was not sacrificed until the last (verse 3S).
''We cast out with our own hands the
tackling of the ship: the meaning of this
is doubtful as the word Is again doubt
full, or rather is probably n nautical term
with which we are not perfectly familiar.
1t may mean articles of furniture, spare
anchors, etc; or it may mean the great
main yard, which with its rigging was
very large and heavy.
The long continued clouds prevented the
seamen from taking any observation of
the sun and stars, hence they were in
total ignorance as to their position.
II will never do to stop this shipwreck
story in the middle. We must see Paul
safe on dry land before we leave him
even for n week. A teacher who Is so
dull that he leaves the class willing to
break off this tale of adventure in the mid
die without protest does not know his
business.
In the morning, after breakfast, the
crew determined to beach the ship in an
inlet where there was a bit Of smooth
sand between the rocks. They succeeded, |
but as the stern began Immediately to
break up in the surf, they were obliged
to lose no time in reaching the shore,
which they did by swimming and by float