Mexico Missouri message. (Mexico, Audrain County, Mo.) 1899-1918, 1916-11-02
LESSON FOR NOVEMBER 5.
sHIPWREcKED AT MELlTA (Mslta)
LESSON TExT-Acts 27:ss-2S:1O.


them that take refuge in him shall be
condemned.-Ps. A:22.
Paul was at Malta three months,
from the last of November to the last
of February, A. D. 80. A bay on the
north shore is still called ST. Paul's
bay. Much help on this lesson can be
secured by reading Mr.. James Smiths
book on the "Voyage and Shlpwreck of
st. Paul." Sir William Ramsey's, "St.
Paul, the Traveller" and Everyday
Men," by Robert Elliott Thompson.
!. Paul safely ashore (27 :3s-44). AS
the day dawned the ship was lightened
for third time to enable them to APP
proach nearer to the shore. This time
the main cargo of wheat was thrown
out, heretofore having been saved as
long as possible. The sailors We're IA
miliar with Malta, but not with this
part where the ship now lay. Discov-
erlng small creek, they perceived a
certain bay with a beach upon which
they might run the ship, and hold it
without its going to pieces before they
could land. 1t would have been i'm
possible to escape if they ran upon the
rocks in a heavy sea. The words
"taken up anchor" ". 40) indicates
that the sailors had cast them over
| board, but attached to the ship. Now
! they cut the cables and permitted
| themselves not to be anchored but to
! blow with the storm that they might
land upon the beach. Approaching the
inlet, where the waters of the bay
met that of the sea, "where the two
! seas met" the vessel would not an
swer to it's helm. The ship probably
drew about IS feet of water, and the
| bottom stuck in the clinging mud and
clay, and the forepart began to break
away from the rear, due to the vio-
! lence of the waves. Here Paul had his
| most narrow escape ". 42). Not
alone was he on the point of losing
his life by the sea, but the sword hung
over his head, not that of lawful ex-
cutioner, but of selfish murderer.
Before it was danger from the sail
orS; now it is the soldiers, but the
centurion proved true, and all of the
|
1t would be interesting speculation as
! to how many of those saved realized
that they were not for Paurs sake, but
for the sake Of his Savior, and how
many of them were duly grateful. On
this second stage of the journey, after
having left Caesarea with the larger
ship, there were probably 276 persons,
by Gods guaranty was "there shall
be no loss of any mans life" and his
word is sure.
II. Paul's continued service (2S l.
10Y. This island is today and has
been since 1900 under British rule. It
was then governed by the Romans.
(D Comfort wv 1, p. The term
barbarian" does not indicate rudeness
or uncivilized people, but merely those
of nOn-Greek birth. These people kim
died a fire because of the cold and of
the rain. They received everyone,
prisoners and soldiers like brothers,
and, in the persons of Paul and Luke,
they certainly entertained angels una
wares. (Heb. 1922. (2) Cooperation
". 81: The fire would need continual
replenishing. Again Pauls energy is
conspicuous. Though the greatest of
men then living, he was ready to do
the humblest duty. Whether COUNSEL
ing about difficulty or comforting I'M
der dangers, he was ready to relieve
distress at all times, and thus held up
the banner of the cross and proved his
Christian spirit.
As Paul gathered the roots and put
them upon the fire there came out q
viper, probably benumbed by the cold,
which fastened itself upon his hand.
There are now no venomOus serpents
in Malta, but this is no reason to be-
lieve that in the earlier days, when
sparsely inhabited, this common Eu-
ropean serpent, known as the viper, or
possibly the Egyptian asp may not
have been here. 1t was natural for
superstitious nations to expect that
this was the vengeance of a god
brought upon Paul because no doubt
he was murderer. Having escaped
from the wreck, Paul could not escape
from the sword of divine justice, and
the goddess of justice, Nemesis, the
avenger, suffered him not to live.
With perfect composure, doubtless
arising from Gods promises that Christ
had made to his servants mark 10
IS; Luke 10:19), and also the promises
that he should preach the gospel in
Rome, Paul shook the viper from his
wrist. They then changed their minds,
thinking that he must be a god (see
Acts 14:S-19l.
No reference is made to Paul's
preaching, though, of course, that is
taken for granted.
His words and deeds went along
with his preaching.
They honored him with many hon.
b ors, and loaded them with such things
as were necessary, such as clothing
and provisions, not of necessity, but
out of kindness and love.
Service is one of the ways by which
we pon show IN tha world our life M