The Tupelo journal., 1903-06-05

- - 49,.
Bleaching the ship...............Acts 21:33-4l.
odIe 10 2i:42-i4.
TIME.-A. D. 6O-61.
Observation-Disclosures sea.
NOTES AND COMMENTS.
In the lesson for two weeks ago Paul
was a prisoner at C~aesarea, where he
had been confined for two years. He
had appealed his case to the emperor,
n was waiting to be sent to Rome
for trial. In this lesson the voyage
begins.
In studying this voyage, remember
ing that he was a prisoner, think what
kind of a man Paul must have been
to have gained such influence on board
the ship. Paul was one of a number
being sent to Rome under guard at
this time. At Myra the convoy of pris-
oners was transferred to one of the
Alexandrian grain ships bound for
Rome. The ship encountered head
winds most of the time.
THE Fast" (day of Atonement) was
late in September or early in October,
according to the year. During the
winter, navigation was discontinued
entirely. Note several things in verses
9-12 showing that a meeting was held
to discuss what was best to do. Paul
was an important man and a great
traveller for those days, and was pres
ent at the council. ~"Euraquilo" is
from Euros, the east wind, and Aquilo,
the north wind. Compare our express
sion, a "no~rtheaster." "The boat ".
16) was the small boat towed behind
the ship. For lowered the gear" we
should say Shortened sail" 1.-THE
Syrtis" was the much dreaded quick
sand along the African coast.
The storm had lasted nearly two
weeks. Officers and crew had given
themselves up for lost, and were do
ing nothing when Paul came to the
rescue. and, calm, clear-headed and
confident, succeeded in rallying the
men to renewed effort. Notice how
Paul seems to stand head and shout
ders above all the rest on the ship.
How do you account for it?
1t was now a question of where to run
the ship aground, and in order to
choose as favorable a place as pos
sible it was necessary to have day.
light. Paul's vigilance prevented the
desertion of the crew, without whom
it would have been hard to beach the
ship successfully.
Picture to yourself the scene on the
ship in the dusk of the morning, es-
pecially the part Paul played and the
heartrending effect of his words and
example. Throwing out the wheat"
The lighter the ship was the closer
could she run to shore before striking
bottom. "Loosing the bands of the
rudders:" The "rudders" were two
enormous oars worked by hand from
the stern. They had been pulled out
of the water for fear the waves would
break them. The revised version is
more accurate here than the common.
Note the differences, specially in verse
40: "Where two seas met" This was
probably a bar such as often runs be-
tween two neighboriEg islands. Ram.
say believes that finding this was a
piece of extraordinary good fortune.
"Kill the prisoners" If a Roman
soldier could not produce his prisoner
when called for, he forfeited his life.
Was Paul's influence on this voyage
due simply to his strong personality
and good judgment, Or was it largely
due to the fact hat he was a man of
God? What idea of Christianity do
you suppose Paul's shipmates carried
out into the world with them, as a
result of what they saw of it on the
voyage?
PRACTICAL SUGGESTIONS.
In time of danger a Christian has a
source of strength and cheer that 9TH
ers do not have.
In time Of danger a Christian will in
tercede for others as we'll as for him.
self.
In time of danger a Christian will try
to comfort and encourage others.
In time of danger a Christians faith
in God will be most conspicuously
shown.
1t is idle to predict disaster for the
women's daily paper in Chicago. It
may get to be all the style.