In this emergency proved to be that of Malta. the crew thought only of themselves, and endeavoured to take to the boats; but Paul pointing out that if they abandoned the ship there could be no safety for the passengers, the centurion interfered, and the boats were cut adrift. There was complete despair forthwith, in every quarter. Men ceased even to hope, and would have perished without an effort made to avert their doom, had not Paul assured them, that God had given all their lives to his prayers. It is astonishing how great an influence good men, in such circumstances, acquire, over the minds of others, provided they themselves be calm. The seamen returned to their duty. They guided the driving ship into a creek, and ran her on shore, by the stem; where the waves broke over her, and her stern soon went to pieces. But they were now within easy distance of the shore, and all who could swim being directed to throw themselves into the waters, the rest clung to planks and pieces of the wreck. The result was that the whole company escaped. Paul abode about three months in Malta. He performed many gracious acts there, healing the governor, with as many sick among the inhabitants as were brought to him; and on the return of spring proceeded by way of Syracuse to Puteoli, now called Pozzuoli, in Naples. A week spent here in the society of believers, greatly refreshed him; and at the end of it he took the road to Rome. His arrival was not unexpected. Rome could already boast of a large community of Christians, whom their correspondents in Jerusalem had informed of all that befell St. Paul; and he found on reaching a place called Appii forum, that multitudes were there, eager to bid him welcome. They conducted him to the capital of the world, where his innocence THE EARLY MARTYRS. 317 was soon established, and though placed under the observation of the police, he was permitted to dwell in his own hired house, where, for the space of two whole years, he received all that came to him, and preached Jesus Christ and his gospel. With the arrival of St. Paul in Rome ends what in strict propriety of speech deserves to be described as Sacred History. We learn, indeed, a great deal more concerning both St. Paul and the rest of the apostles, from other sources, which are worthy of all credit; but it would be unwise in such a narrative as the present to mix up the records of the most trustworthy of uninspired men with facts which come to us from the dictation of God's Holy Spirit. Enough, therefore, is done when I state that from day to day the Lord's personal followers, with others who received from them authority to preach, spread the knowledge of the Gospel of Salvation through the world. Many, too, sealed their testimony with their blood. James, the relative of our Lord, after long presiding over the Church at Jerusalem, suffered martyrdom there, A. D. 62. Andrew, also, about the same time was put to death at Patras in Arabia. Simon, the Canaanite, is said to have visited Britain, and perished there. Thomas was slain in Judæa; Philip at Theopolis in Phrygia; Bartholomew, otherwise called Daniel, in Armenia; Matthias in Cappadocia; Barnabas at Salamis; and Jude, the author of the Epistle which bears his name, in Persia. Concerning Paul himself, his own writings show that being discharged by proclamation in the year 63, he passed from Italy into Spain and from Spain into Judæa. Crete, Philippi, Macedonia, all saw him again; he visited Timothy at Ephesus, and left Trophimus sick at Miletus. Finally, travelling back to Rome, he made a convert there F F of the favourite concubine of Nero, who cast him into prison, where all except Onisephorus forsook him. Moreover, Peter shared this his last trial. After traversing the East and making converts from among his brethren according to the flesh, he, too, arrived at Rome, whence his general epistles are dated. The two apostles, we are told, held frequent and sweet communion together; and they died on the same day; Paul being beheaded, a favour which his citizenship procured for him, while Peter was crucified, with his head towards the ground. The best authorities fix the occurrence of this double martyrdom A. D. 66. The last survivor of all the Lord's personal attendants was John. He sheltered the Virgin Mary till the day of her death. He survived the fall and destruction of Jerusalem, A. D. 70. He was banished to the caves of Patmos by Domitian, A. D. 85; and was favoured amid their gloom with the visions which he has recorded in his Book of Revelations. In A. D. 96 he recovered his freedom and spent the residue of his days in peace, at Ephesus. John was 97 years of age when he wrote his beautiful Gospel. He died, in his bed, A. D. 100, in his hundredth year, while Trajan filled the throne of the empire. How the Gospel which these holy men preached has spread and is spreading over the world, my young readers need not be told. But let them always take care to keep in mind, that it serves to no purpose, anywhere or to any persons who do not learn from it to promote, by the piety and uprightness of their lives, "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace and good-will among men." |