Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1909-10-27
THE SUNDAY SCHOOL.
Lesson v.-Fourth Quarter, For
Oct. 81, 1909.
THE INTERNATIONAL SERIES.

Text of tho Lesson, Acts xvii, 1929
Memory Verses, 22-24-Golden Text,
Ps. xxxvii, 5-Commentary Prepared
by Rev. D. M. Stearns.
AS we hear Agrippa say privately to
Festus, This man might have been
set at liberty II he had not appealed
unto Caesar" (xxvi. 81. we are tempt
ed to feel a pang of regret that Paul
had thus appealed. but when we re-
member that his liberty would proba-
bly, have meant his death because Of
the Jews, who were watching their
opportunity to kill him. we are glad
that his life is still protected. Paul
and other prisoners were committed to
the care Of Julius, a Roman centurion,
and set sail for Italy. Aristarchus Of
Macedonia xix, 29) being one of the
company. We have no account Of fare
wells, as at other places. though we
cannot imagine that such were lack
ing, but we have quite detailed &C.
count Of the voyage. We note. with
gratitude to God, the centurion's cour-
teous treatment Of Paul and that when
they touched at Sidon lie was allowed
to go unto his friends to refresh him
self (verse p. We cannot but hope
that this centurion ere he parted COM
pany with Paul had received Jesus as
the Christ and thus become an heir OF
the inheritance and a joint heir with
Christ Himself.
After sailing by Crete they met the
storm, as Paul had feared, and for
two weeks they were exceedingly
tossed by the tempest. saw neither sun
nor stars in many days. and all hope
that they should be saved was taken
away. A glance at the map VIII show
that they had completed about half the
voyage from Syria to Italy before
they ran into this storm. I remember
thinking much about 1t as one beauti-
full day In the fall Of 1897 we sailed
across from Port Said, In Egypt, to
Brindisi, In Italy, and we passed close
by Crete. can never forget that
most refreshing sail across the Medl-
terranean after the heat Of China and
India and tropical seas and, last OF all.
the blue Red sea, which, the captain
said, may have been called red be-
cause it was so often red hot. We met
no euroclydon, and, though | have
been in some storms, yet never have
known anything like this that Paul
passed through Thank God for all
who know in storm and fair weather
the refuge and rest there are in the
Lord Himself and in the consciousness
Of His presence and care. He IS In
deed our refuge and strength, q very
present help In trouble, a refuge from
the storm Ups. XVI, 1; lisa. XIV. ~. He
was watching over his servant in all
this storm and probably comforted
him with the assurance, "The Lord on
high is mightier than the noise OF
many waters-yea, than the mighty
waves Of the sea" (Ps. xciii, ~. No
doubt the assurance in chapter xiii,
II, Thou must bear witness also at
Rome" rested Paul and made him be-
| lieve that there was some way out or
this, although the others had given up
all hope Well, there came day when
Paul stood forth in the midst of them
and, with a word about the mistake
they had made in loosing from Crete,
told them how a messenger from God
had come to him the night before and
had assured him that, while the ship
would be lost by being wrecked upon
some island, there would be no loss OF
any mans life and he added In the
words Of the proverbial saying, There
shall not an hair fall from the head OF
any Of you" Compare ! Sam. xiv, 45;
II Sam. xiv, II; Kings /. 50; Matt. K.
80; Luke xii, Z; xxi, 49, He exhorted
them to "be of good cheer" 90, %, 36),
and he was successful, for as he took
bread and rave thanks to God In the
presence of them all and began to eat
they also ate enough to strengthen
them and were all Of good cheer.
Thus one man helped 275 others by
hts confidence in God verses 1880.
What a beautiful Illustration Of I'm
quictness and IN confidence shall be
your strength" Elsa. XXX. 15). They
were Of good cheer not because the
storm had ceased. but because they
had words from heaven on which to
rest. No words of earth or Of mans
wisdom can give rest in time Of real
trouble, bu, we can rest quietly and
unwaveringly on the words Of Him
who died Cor US and rose again and
who has all power In heaven and on
earth Whether this was another APP
pearance OF the Lord Jesus Himself,
as on three previous occasions Tx. II;
xviii, 0; xiii. ~, or messenger such
as Gabriel, 1t was certainly message
straight from heaven reminding Paul
that he must be brought before Caesar