The 1880s were a revolutionary time in international transportation. The railroads were spanning country to country. The Orient Express line opened. Ocean transportation was becoming commonplace. The Suez Canal opened. This emphasis on speedy international travel catapulted an obscure book into popularity. Written in 1873, Jules Verne's Around the World in Eighty Days was capturing the imagination of everyone.
Application: Paul speaks of mysteries that can only be made known through revelation. There are many ways the wonders of creation are revealed to us.