LIX.

THE STORM AT SEA.

Acts, xxvii. 13-26.

THE soft south wind was soon changed for a very high and terrible north-east wind.

And now the ship was tossed up and down, like a mad thing.

In all haste the sailors got her under the shelter of a little island (named Clauda), and then tried to get up the boat, which floated after them tied by a rope. It was hard work to get this boat on board. When they had got it up, they wound the rope round the ship to keep it together, for they were afraid the boards would split and the ship go to pieces. What straining of arms! what pulling! what dragging! were seen that day on deck, as the wretched crew bound the ropes around their battered vessel ! The tossing of the waves continued

till the sailors thought they must make the ship lighter, by casting away all heavy things; so beds and boards, chains and poles, were thrown into the sea. But the ship seemed nothing the better for it all, as the wind was as furious as ever.

And now the men on board began to give up all hope of being saved. But Paul knew that he himself could not be lost, because God had declared to him long ago that he should see Rome. But this was not enough for Paul; his loving heart desired that all in the ship might be saved, and he made continual prayer to God for every one.

And God answered him by sending an angel in the night to comfort him. For some time past the sun had never been seen in the sky, through the dark clouds overhead; nor had the moon or stars appeared.

No one could sit down to take a meal,-all were too wretched and too

ill.

Even Paul did not eat, for his heart was full of care for the rest.

One day he stood up on deck in the midst of the trembling troop of sailors and soldiers, and spoke. Midst the howling of the winds and roaring of waves he spoke, and all now listened to every word,Sirs, you should have listened to me, and not have left that haven in Crete. But now, be of good cheer; there shall be no loss of any man's life among you, but only of the ship; for there stood by me this night the angel of God (whose I am and whom I serve), and said, "Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cæsar : and lo, God hath given thee all those who sail with thee." So, sirs, be of good cheer, for I believe God, that it shall be as it was told me, only we must be shipwrecked upon an island.' Paul knew not the name of that island.

All the ship's company now saw

that Paul was a prophet. We may be sure that he told them of Jesus, who died for them and rose again; for Paul never forgot he was God's servant, as he said, Whose I am, and whom I serve.'

"They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths.' -Ps. cvii. 26.

LX.

THE LAST NIGHT OF THE VOYAGE.

Acts, xxvii. 27-38.

DAY after day the ship continued to be tossed about by the waves.

Fourteen days had now passed away since the ship had left the Fair Havens in Crete. All this time it had been rolling upon the moving ocean, the crew not knowing when it would reach land. The sailors often let down the plum

met to measure the depth of the ocean. This plummet was a rope, with a stone or some weight at the end. The sailors knew that if land was near, the sea would be less deep.

One night when the plummet was let down, the sailors found that the sea was not very deep. When let down again, they found the sea was still less deep.

They now hoped that land was near. They were glad, yet they were frightened, for there are often rocks near the shore. They dreaded lest the ship should be dashed against rocks and broken to pieces. So they thought it best to make it stop its course. They let down four anchors to hook it fast to the bottom of the sea; for one anchor would not have been strong enough in such a rough sea.

After this was done the people in the ship longed very earnestly for the sun to rise.