The History of Christianity - John S. C. Abbott (bookstand for reading .txt) 📗

you, but of the ship. For there stood by me this night the angel of God, whose I am, and whom I serve, saying, Fear not, Paul; thou must be brought before Cæsar: 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 must be cast upon a certain island.”164

Fourteen days had now passed, during which the ship had been driven hither and thither over the foaming billows of the Adriatic Sea. About midnight of the fourteenth, the sailors saw some indications that they were approaching land,—probably by the roar of breakers, which a practised ear will discern even amidst the wildest tumult of a storm. Upon sounding, they found twenty fathoms of water. Soon sounding again, they found but fifteen fathoms. Thus warned of their danger of being hurled in midnight darkness upon the rocks, they cast four anchors out of the stern, and waited impatiently for the dawn.

Some of the sailors, as usual, were disposed to get out the only boat and escape to the shore, leaving the others to their fate. They pretended that it was their object to cast some more anchors out of the foreship. Paul, perceiving this, said to the centurion who was in command of the guard of soldiers, “Except these abide in the ship, ye cannot be saved.”

The soldiers, in prompt obedience to military command, cut the ropes, and the boat drifted off into the darkness of the stormy sea. As the day was beginning to dawn, Paul entreated them all to refresh themselves with food, saying that this was needful to strengthen them for the fatigues still before them, and assuring them that they should all be saved without the slightest bodily harm. It is very evident that the exalted Christian character of Paul had given him great influence with all on board. “He took bread, and gave thanks to God in presence of them all; and, when he had broken it, he began to eat. Then were they all of good cheer.”

Further to lighten the ship, that they might draw nearer to the shore, they threw out the remainder of the cargo of wheat into the sea. With the early dawn, they saw the outline of an unknown island at a little distance before them. As the light increased, they saw a small bay, or indentation of the shore, where there was some slight protection from the violence of the sea. Raising their anchors, and spreading their mainsail, they ran the ship as far as possible upon the land. The bows struck the sand; while the stern, still floating, was tossed up and down by the surging billows; and thus the ship was rapidly being broken to pieces. The soldiers, with their characteristic recklessness of human life, proposed that the prisoners should be put to death, lest they should escape by swimming; but the more humane centurion, cherishing kindly feelings for Paul, gave liberty to each one to save himself as best he could. Passengers and crew all now made for the shore. The strong swimmers sprang boldly into the sea; others, on boards or fragments of the ship, reached the land. Thus they stood upon the beach, drenched, and shivering in the cold wintry wind, having lost every thing, their lives only being preserved. The storm still continued, and the rain was falling.

Some of the natives of the island soon collected around them, and informed them that they were upon the Island of Malta, in the Adriatic Sea, about four hundred and eighty miles from Crete. By the aid of the inhabitants, a fire was soon kindled, and they all assembled around it. As Paul gathered some sticks to throw upon the fire, a viper, one of the most venomous of reptiles, whose bite was deemed certain death, fastened itself upon his hand. Paul shook the reptile into the flames. They all looked to see him drop dead, supposing him to be a murderer who could not escape divine vengeance; but soon, seeing no harm befall him, they went to the other extreme, declaring him to be a god.

The shipwrecked company remained for three months upon the island before any opportunity was presented to leave it. That Paul devoted these three months to energetic efforts in the service of his Master, no one can doubt; but we have no record of the incidents he encountered, or of the results of his labors, with one exception. In the narrative of Luke we find the following brief statement:—

“In the same quarters were possessions of the chief man of the island, whose name was Publius; who received us, and lodged us three days courteously. And it came to pass, that the father of Publius lay sick of a fever and of a bloody-flux; to whom Paul entered in and prayed, and laid his hands on him, and healed him. So, when this was done, others also, which had diseases in the island, came, and were healed; who also honored us with many honors; and, when we departed, they laded us with such things as were necessary.”165

A ship from Alexandria by the name of “Castor and Pollux,” which had wintered in the isle, was to sail with the returning spring for Rome. The shipwrecked prisoners, with their guard, were taken on board, and the sails were spread. They touched at Syracuse, the capital of the Island of Sicily, which was on their direct route. Here they remained three days; and then, weighing anchor, they directed their course towards the Straits of Messina, and landed at Rhegium, on the southern extremity of Italy. Thence, running along the western coast of the Italian peninsula, they came to Puteoli, about seven miles south-west of the present city of Naples. Puteoli was then the principal seaport in Southern Italy.

Here they found Christian brethren; but it is not known by whom the gospel was brought to their region. Paul was permitted to tarry with them seven days. Thus there was opportunity for the tidings to reach Rome (which was but fifty-six miles distant) of the approach of the renowned apostle. The Christians in Rome were doubtless pretty well acquainted with Paul’s career. His Epistle to the Romans had been written about five years before this.

Leaving the ship at Puteoli, they commenced their journey by land to Rome. When they had advanced about ten miles on their way, they came to a place called Appii Forum. Here, and at another place a few miles farther on called the Three Taverns, they found brethren from Rome who had come to meet them. The cordiality with which the Christians greeted the venerable prisoner so cheered him, that “he thanked God, and took courage.”

Upon Paul’s arrival in Rome, he was surrendered to the custody of the captain of the pretorian cohort. His name, according to Tacitus, was Burrhus Afranius. This officer kindly allowed Paul his liberty, save only that he was always chained to a soldier, who accompanied him wherever he went. After Paul had been in Rome three days, he invited his brethren (the Jews) to meet him, and thus addressed them:—

“Men and brethren, though I have committed nothing against the people or customs of our fathers, yet was I delivered prisoner from Jerusalem into the hands of the Romans; who, when they had examined me, would have let me go, because there was no cause of death in me. But, when the Jews spake against it, I was constrained to appeal unto Cæsar; not that I had aught to accuse my nation of. For this cause, therefore, have I called for you; because that for the hope of Israel166 I am bound with this chain.”

The Jews replied, “We neither received letters out of Judæa concerning thee, neither any of the brethren that came showed or spake any harm of thee. But we desire to hear of thee what thou thinkest; for as concerning this sect, we know that everywhere it is spoken against.”

A day was accordingly appointed, when they met Paul at his lodging; and he expounded to them the principles of the Christian religion, and of the kingdom of Christ, “persuading them out of the law of Moses and the prophets from morning till evening.”

Some believed, and some believed not. A very animated debate arose between the two parties, and they retired disputing vehemently. Paul regarded the result as a rejection of Christ; for, quoting against the unbelieving Jews one of the denunciations of the prophet Isaiah, he added, “Be it known, therefore, unto you, that the salvation of God is sent unto the Gentiles, and that they will hear it.” Luke concludes his interesting narrative, which the Holy Spirit superintended, with the words,—

“And Paul dwelt two whole years in his own hired house, and received all that came in unto him; preaching the kingdom of God, and teaching those things which concern the Lord Jesus Christ, with all confidence, no man forbidding him.”