Ceredo advance. [volume] (Ceredo, W. Va.) 1885-1939, 1897-11-03
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
International Lessop for Novemk Der
=. 1sO7-PauI I'm Meiita and Home-


that love God.-Rom. s:2S.
THE LESSON.
/. Kindly Reception by the Inhab-
itants of Malta.--Vs. /. .. In our last
lesson we left Paul and his 275 COM
panions in a terrible storm. escaping
from a wreck through waves and rain
10 an unknown shore.
/. They Or. ", WEI knew" from the
natives, or from previous experience
Of the sailors, as soon rs they saw the
place by daylight. THAT the island
gas called Melita." of which Malta"
Is shortened form. This is a small
island 60 miles south of Sicily.
2. And the barbarous people" Tor.
"barbarians." as in -. So the Greeks
md Romans called other nations than
themselves, especially when speaking
another language. 1t means here moth
ing more than natives" Showed us no
little kindness:" NO common kind
ness" would be more correct trans
iation.
ii. Paul's Credentials.-Vs DC. First.
Paul had gathered bundle of
sticks. Paul. though the greatest man
then living, was ready to do the hum
blest duty. He knew the greatness OF
serving.
,. There came n viper out of the
heat" from among the fagots already
on the fire. whose increasing heat
nwaked it from its torpid state and
drove il forth. "And fastened on his
hand" rs he was laying his bundle on
the fire
:. mo doubt this man is n murderer:"
Paul was prominent prisoner, accused
OF some crime unknown to them. and
they naturally attributed to him the
greatest crime. Whom vengeauce:"
The God of Justice. Nemesis. the Nven-
ger, sutTereth not to live Paul had
escaped from the wreck. but he could
lot escape from the sword of Divine
justice.
3. And he shook off the beast into
the fire." With perfect composure.
doubtless arising from the two prom
ises. On that of Christ TO His disciples
concerning serpents Mark 16:1S; Luke
1o:1o). and (2) the promise that he
should preach the Gospel in Rome. and.
therefore. he could not die before he
reached that city.
6. They looked when" Uhey expect
ed that "he would have swollen" etc:
This was the usual effect of a viper's
bite, making itself apparent in very
short time. "Or fallen down dead sud
denly" Sudden collapse and death
ensue often from the bite of serpents.
NO harm come to him." but only by n
miracle. They changed their minds.
and said that he was a god" because
only Divine power could have preserved
him from harm.
Ill Pauls Three Months Mission i'm
Malta.-Vs. 10. 7. I'm the same quar-
tcrs." in that neighborhood The ira
ditioual place is Citta Necchia. where
is the country residence of the present
British governor. Were F"ssessions:"
He probably lived on more than one es-
tate. as do the English nobility.
Lodged us" Entertained at his home.
probably julius and his prisoners.
$. THE father of PubliUs lay sick of
Il fever and Of a bloody huX:" Literal
ly. with fever and dysentery, both
words being used by st. Luke with pro-
fcssional precision. ITO whom Pau!
entered i'm" The report of his miracu-
lous escape from the bite of the viper
would direct the attention of Publius
to Paul rs a remarkable man: and Paul
repaid his kindness by restoring his
father to health. And prayed" To
obtain the blessings from God. with
the wisdom needed, and to show the
people that all his power came from the
same God whose Gospel he preached.
And laid his hands on him:" 1t is re-
markablc, that so soon after the "tak-
ing up Of Serpents," we should read OF
Paul having laid his hands on the sick
and they recovered" (sce the two i'm
close connection. Mark lG:1s). And
healed him:" St. Luke was phy-
stefan. but his skill was less efYectual
than the agency OF ST. Paul. who went
into the sick mans chamber. PRAYED
by his bedside. laid his hands on him
and healed him.
o. Others also which had Diseases"
The original is more extensive: all the
rest. Nothing is said of Paul's preach.
ing. for that is taken for granted. Paul
could not neglect such golden opportu.
rites Of preaching the Gospel.
II. The Journey 20 Rome.-Vs. 1916.
10. "IIorored us with many honors:"
They paid him every possible attention
trying r. ~c-s their respect aud graf
itude. 'Ladcl us with such things as
wer" rc""s any not as pay. but ont Of
kindness and 'oso. We must remember
that they bad .osj everything by the
wreck This was entirety JfTe~ettt g.,