The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-10-29

VII IhAo pAA~'
Lure Of the Sea.
Its all-encompassing embrace, It's
mystery, its calms, its storms, Its rest
less motion, its heaving tides, its eter-
nal secrets have allured and bafhed
the minds of men. Mythology has
peopled It's depths with gods and god
desses; ignorance and superstition
have made 1t the abode Of enhancing
sirens and seductive mermaids. Art
lists have raved over 1t, poets nave
sung its praises, scientists have writ
ten learnedly of its value, explorers
have pushed their prows !nto its bays
and inlets, or dropped their sounding
lines and dredges into its fathomless
depths, commerce has vhitened It's
bosom with the sails of its merchant
men, and countless uuitltudes have
pitched their tents upon its beach In
search Of health and visor, or, crowd
ed its floating palaces OF light, which
by day and by night, pant their way
through its healing waters.
The Bible is full of references to
the sea, and some Of its most drama
tic incidents relate to that natural
wonder David, who perhaps never
saw the ocean in a storm, in one OF
his Psalms has one of the most vivid
descriptions of mid-ocean hurricane
that has ever been penned. One OF
the books of the Old Testament,
around which the fiercest criticism
has centered, deals with the interrupt
ed voyage of preacher on the stormy
Id; ND
and vivid story of shipwreck was
ever written than the account by the
Amanuensis Luke, of the laundering
of the corn ship off the island OF
Melita, ON which the apostle Paul was
being conveyed, prisoner to Rome.
Up to this, time Paul had been
land traveller. On foot, he had
tramped all over Asia. with only &C.
casional excursions by water on short
trips from shore to shore, but his ap-
peal to Caesar, at his farcical trial
at Caesarea, made it necessary that
he should appear at the capital at
Rome. That meant long and dan
gerous voyage in the winter season
through sea, swept by equinoctial
storms, in merchant vessels, and any
and every sort of crazy craft, whose
owners dared or could be persuaded
to take the risk OF tempest and break
ers.
Ancient and Modern Ships.
In these days of swift ships and
modern improvements Il voyage to
Europe is about as pleasant at one
season as another. The accommoda.
tions are palatial. every comfort and
luxury of life is provided, every wish
is gratified, there is instant and con-
stant communication with the hemi
spheres ahead and astern, the news OF
the world is found at the breakfast
table in a newspaper damp from the
press, and it is only little matter OF
four days and half from the shore
of America to the shore of Europe
5000 miles apart. But Paul had nc
such conveniences on his historic
voyage, 1000 years ago. He was 8
prisoner under guard Of a Roman
soldier. The fare was of the coarsest
the accommodations were of the poor
est, herded with the imperial prison
ers from all parts of the empire, be
ing transported to the capital to an
swer for their crimes, TO considera
ton was shown the man whose nam,
was destined to endure forever; il
hunger, cold, and WEAKNESS this dis
tinguished prisoner took his Mediter
ranean voyage from Caesarea tt
Rome.
Personal Influence.
And yet before that voyage wa
ended, that solitary man, little, ant
prematurely old. was providentiall
put into a position, where his person
ality and influence, parmeated an
controlled the whole situation. L
the midst of fourteen days cycloni
tempest, the captain lost his head, tn
sailors were panic-stricken, the SO
diers were ready to assassinate thei
prisoners, riot and utter absence c
discipline prevailed. Al that jun,
ture, when all hope of being save
had expired in every breast, thi
landlubber unknown and unskilqed 1
sea craft, assumed command of tn
ship, put heart into the hopeless, b
his calmness soothed the panic of tn
hysterical, and stopped their a
tempts to abandon the passenger
gave directions about life-preser
ing methods when the ship struC
the beach and began to go
pieces under the pounding of IL
waves, and by his christian fortitud
calm trust, cheerful words, sensib
directions, and general, all-arouI
manhood brought passengers al
crew all safe to land without the lo
pt q soul =