The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1909-11-13
Paul a Prisoner
The Shipwreck


| Dry verses. 8, TO-
| GOLDEN TExT.-'The Lord redeemeth
| the soul of his servants; and none OF
| them that trust In him shall be desolate.
| Pisa. 34:22.
| ITINERARY In November, A. d. 50 or
| o.
| PLACE.-St Paups bay On the north
| east shore of the Island of Malta, in the
Mediterranean sea, $50 miles southwest
Of the most southerly peint Of Italy.
Suggestion and Practical Thought.
What the storm and wreck revealed
as to the character Of Paul, the mis-
sionary Hero:
For nearly seven months we have
been studying the character Of Paul
under a great variety Of circum-
stances. We have found him con-
scientious, consecrated to God, de-
voted to the good and the salvation OF
his fellow men, energetic, wise. cour-
ageous, joyful, faithful, persevering,
independent, unselfish, courteous, Of
strong feelings, but self-controlled,
sanity and true. We have seen him
chiefly at his missionary work.
In this storm and wreck we see him
from another point of view, connected
with bodily interests, physical needs,
things pertaining to ordinary human
life, as \ man among men, not, as one
has said, "a long-distance pastor" but
In close touch with humanity.
| /. The Manly Authority of a Tested
Character.-Vs. 1872. THE four
teenth night" w. I'D from the time
they left Fair Ravens in Crete, when
the storm began. Driven up and
down." tossed by the waves and
borne along" ''in Adria," not the
Adriatic sea, but the name then given
to the central basin of the Mediter-
ranean. The shipmen deemed that
they drew near to some country"
20. "They cast four anchors out Of
the stern" Anchoring from the stern
is unusual, but much the best under
the circumstances, for it would leave
them free to sal. to either shore when
daylight come. During the dreary
waiting. while they wished for the
day." the sailors tried to save them
selves at the expense Of all the rest
by means of the boat, the one visible
way of reaching the shore. But Paul,
noticing the plan, appealed to the
centurion and the soldiers to put a
stop to it. The sailors had the boat,
J but the soldiers had the weapons and
the power. Paul therefore appealed
to the soldiers, for he saw clearly that
". 81 except these abide in the
, ship, We cannot be saved" as had
| A,on ubo vuou< n.
the boat would doubtless be drowned,
and even if they reached the shore,
there were none left to manage the
ship, especially II the officers of the
ship were among those who planned
so selfshly for their own safety.
Il The soldiers put an end to the plan
, by cutting the ropes and setting the
boat adrift.
Nothing was too good for Paul
after that, and when at last the ship
: broke, and the roll call was made on
land, every man, soldier, and sailor
sang out cheerily. Here And when
, at last Paul got to Rome, Capt. Julius
} and his soldiers did not soon tire of
telling to wife and child and sweet.
!, heart how the little preacher had
saved them from the angry Deep"
{ II. Care for the Physical Comfort
r and Health of His Comprehensive.
1888. while the day was coming.
AS soon as it was light enough to find
I food Continued fasting" took no
regular meals.
"a. Il pray you take some meat, =
food; "for your health" safety, they
would need to put their bodies in the
. best condition to give them the
strength needed to reach the shore.
, 35. HE began to eat" To lead
them on by his example, he himself
q did what he advised them to do.
SO. Then were they all of good
cheer" THE hearty cheerfulness (is
: it too colloquial a phrase to say the
( 'pluck?) of the apostle had communi
Gated itself, as by kind of electric
sympathy. to his companions"
III. Paul Doing the Commonest Du
ties to Help his Companions.-Acts
q 2s:1-e. 1. They knew" recognized
that the island was called Melita,'
1 now shortened into Malta"
w. Paul Healing the Sick.-vs. ITO
. Publius, the governor of the island
living not far away. entertained the
{ company for three days till they had
time to make other arrangements.
+ The father of the governor lay crit
ically sick of dysentery. Paul prayed
9 for him and laid his hands on him
e and healed him. This gave Paul al
q opportunity to preach the gospel. Fol
Paul had no credentials that would b
of use. and as prisoner suspicion
& would be cast upon him. So that Got
4 himself gave him the best credential'
by bestowing on him miraculous pow
: er. Paul healed many others; and a