The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1916-10-27
LESSON FOR OCTOBER 20
THE VOYAGE.
iSiat

Paul sailed from Caesarea August,
"A. D. 80 (Ramsey). a few days after
bis address before Agrippa. he
reached Malta about November Is.
Paul knew how to meet mobs,
but none Of his adventures are more
outstanding than the one We are
studying today. Luke. his physician,
was companion, and the historian,
Josephus, states that on board the
ship there were more than 600 people
travelling with Paul. Paul was man
Of distinction, Roman citizen. He
had his own hired house in Rene.
Aristarchus may possibly have teen
bis servant to furnish comfort for
tho journey. Ramsey believes Paul
bad received hereditary property. thus
making him Roman citizen Of rank,
OF learning and Of standing fnan.
cially.
!. Fair Weather and Contrary Winds
wv. 1-12). Siion was about 10
miles north OF Cacsarea on the coast
Of Palestine. Here Paul received lib
erty to go ashore and visit his Chris
tan friends. Afyra Is in Asia Minor.
It requires IA days to reach this point
from Sidon. a distance of about 400
miles. Here. instead Of going I'D the
Aegean seq route, often used In going
to Rome, the centurion found a grain
ship bound from Alexandria to Italy,
and put his prisoners on board. Sep
TENDER l they started for Itnly. The
direct course would have been west.
ward, but the wind was contrary, and
the progress was slow. On the 23d
they were opposite Cnldus. the south
west point Of Asia Minor. 100 miles
from Myra. September rs they
entered the harbor of Fair Haven,
near the middle Of the south shore
Of the island Of Crete. The fast day,
October 8. the day Of the great atone
ment, was observed In this place. The
question Of going farther was de-
batable one, yet the commander per-
listed. and about the 10th Of October
they sailed for Fair Haven.
10. The Hurricane wv. 1920. Ink.
Ing advantage Of gentle wind they
put out of Fair Haven, and almost
Immediately encountered the ,hurri.
cane. It was perhaps hard for Paul
during those IA days to discern the
wise. gentle hand Of God. (Jonah
~. Gods most faithful servants do
not always dnd smooth sailing. (Phil.
N:6, Z; Isninh 26:8; John IS 1897, but
they may, no matter how fercely tenn
pest tossed, know that God has not
ceased to look upon them with favor.
Sometimes the best thing for us to
do, when thus tempest tossed, is ITO
tighten the ship" ". 1S).
III. The Message Of Cheer: " Be.
lleve God" wv. 20-26). Neither sun
nor stars having shone for many days,
and all hope that any should be saved
seemingly taken away. yet God is able
TO save IN the darkness rs well az in
the sunshine, IN the tempest as well
rs In the calm, and there was In that
boat one man at least whose hope was
not gone, for God Lad said to him,
Thou must bear witness at Rome
also (ZSl1). PaufS message OF
cheer in the midst Of this despair and
after they had been so long without
food, Immediately stamped him as q
leader Of wisdom and power.
Paul could make this promise be-
cause IAN angel Of God whose I nm
and whom I serve" had come to him
and assured him that God would re-
deem the promise made two years be-
fore. This implies that Paul had given
himself to prayer. Observe how one
cody man can save many ungodly
men tGen. 1s:22-s3). Gods vision
came to Paul, but Paul used 1t for the
COMFORT and cheer OF the whole ships
company (11 Cor. 1-Q. A modern IL
4ustraton OF similar experience was
mat OF Mr.. Moody and General How.
ard, returning from Europe on the
steamship Spree In 1892.
General Howard relates that Mr..
Moody did great deal to cheer the
passengers. by both his words and his
actions. during those days Of stress
ana storm. The darker and stormier