The Catholic bulletin. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1911-1995, 1913-08-02

manner whatsoever. But the ships Of
ancient Rome plying on the Mediter-
ranean were of different build, long
er probably in shape and usually carry
ing oars.
But the 274 passengers were not, of
course, and could not be, accommo-
dated, according to the ideas we have
today of cruise in the Mediter-
ranean. But there are people travel
ing on the sea even today whose ideas
of seafaring and of comfort, whether
at sea or at home, are very different
from ours. There are, in fact, many
steamers, plying between various
ports on the Mediterranean today,
whose third class ticket entities the
bearer simply to supply of fresh wa
ter and a tent shelter on deck at
night. Everything else the passenger
must provide for himself, buying the
necessaries aboard or bringing them
with him.
On the ship on which we went down
from Malta to Alexandria were some
such passengers and they slept at
night on the main deck under an
open tent made by throwing a large
canvas across the crane beam. In
the Furmoir one evening we were dis
cussing this very voyage of st. Paul,
when someone raised this same ques-
ton, as to how 274 persons were ac-
commodated on the ship that brought
him to Malta. A Scotchman, who had
spent his life in the East, said the
question was not so very difficult in
that the people of the East even to-
day differ from us entirely in their
ideas of accommodation.
In illustration of this, he referred
to many things which l did not fully
appreciate until l had spent some
time in Egypt, and especially in coun
try places; for it is the country PEG
pie who have preserved the old ira
ditions, and customs of the Orient
Such things as chairs and tables are
really an encumbrance to these PEG
pie. If they want to rest they will
sit down on the fiat ground. They
would no more think of using chail
to rest than we would of using g
roost When they want to sleep they
will stretch out on the bare ground
or on a piece of sack or rug. And, Of
course, to eat, they never think o.
using a table. They sit around in {
circle, usually outside the doors O.
their little houses, or in the shade o.
tree; the bread is passed around IL
chunks, and whatever else is take1
with it is placed in common disl
in the center. The drink is served
from a common jug, and the same
cup or glass will be used in turn BY
a dozen persons. If we transfer these
| ideas to a ship on the Mediterranean
1850 years ago, we can more easily
form an idea of how the 274 persons
were accommodated
How the Apostle spent his time OF
these voyages, whether in fair wealth
er or during the storm, is a question
which will suggest itself to the mine
of any Catholic passing over the SAM
course on the Mediterranean. W.
may be sure that great part of tn
time was spent in meditation, an
even in vocal prayer. We canno
doubt that the two saints prayed fel
vently and constantly. We canno
doubt that the Apostle, who has war;
ed us to "be constant in prayer" wa
not unmindful of his own precept, or O
} the precept of his Divine Master, VIII
| has commanded us to pray always
} and not to faint" (St Luke 28). Dul
ing the storm, which lasted for flu
, two weeks, he prayed for the saliva
ton of the ship and of the soul
| aboard ST. Luke tells us in the Act
/ how it was finally revealed to st. Pat
/ that, although the ship was doomed
5 every soul on board would be saved
and it may be piously believed tia
the vision was an answer to, and
: reward of, his fervent and constaI
2 prayers and penances.
: To the thoroughly Catholic min
e one of the saddest features of moder
/ travel on the sea is the apparent a.
e sence of all thought of God, and {
C our total dependence on His Divi1
/ Providence. To be seen prayin
s would be shameful. To pray in
q storm or to refer even indirectly
: any fear of danger would be weakness
i or cowardice. Such catastrophes {
S the loss of the Titanic bring home
j lesson which is too soon forgotten. Y
: we are willing to quote the poet WI
l. said there are more things wrougl
!, by prayer than the world knows G
S But that is poetry. Of course it woul
d be superstition to insinuate that thel
e may be many lives lost for want
o prayer, or that some of the world
j. calamities may possibly be punis
!, ment for our neglect of God, for OIL
|. want of prayer and of humility to rea
y ize our dependence on his Divir
C Providence.
e What prayers were those most fr
quently said by the Apostle and h
S companion? Undoubtedly the Lord
# Prayer took first place. The creed
/ some form, if not exactly as we hay
l. it today, was surely made as a pr
:, fession of the Divine faith the Apo
o tie was travelling to spread over Il
S world. The psalms were certain
e daily recited. That was the custo
d with all pious Jews and with the ear
o Christians. 1t was this custom TIL
e gave form to the divine Office recite