The Acts of the Apostles (1911) — PDF Scan 449

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THE VOYAGE AXD SHIPWRECK 443 Taking advantage of a hill in tlie tempest, Panl stood forth on the deck, and lifting np his voice, said: "Sirs, ye shonld have hearkened nnto me, and not have loosed from Crete, and to have gained this harm and loss. And now I exhort yon to be of good cheer: for there shall be no loss of any man's life among yon, bnt of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Panl ; thon mnst be bronght before Caesar: and, lo, God hath given thee all them that sail with thee. Wherefore, sirs, be of good cheer: for I believe God, that it shall be even as it was told me. Howbeit we mnst be cast upon a certain island." At these words, hope revived. Passengers and crew ronsed from their apathy. There was mnch yet to be done, and every effort within their power mnst be pnt forth to avert destrnction. It was on the fonrteenth night of tossing on the black, heaving billows, that "abont midnight" the sailors, hearing the sound of breakers, ''deemed that they drew near to some country; and sounded, and found it twenty fathoms : and when they had gone a little further, they sounded again, and found it fifteen fathoms. Then fearing," Luke writes, ''lest we shonld have fallen upon rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and wished for the day." At break of day the outlines of the stormy coast were dimly visible, but no familiar landmarks could be seen. So gloomy was the outlook that the heathen sailors, losing all courage, "were about to flee out of the ship," and feigning to make preparations for casting "anchors out of the foreship," they