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were cheered by his words, and ate also. It was then determined to try and effect a landing, but the ship ran aground, and was broken by the force of the waves.

The hard-hearted soldiers would now have killed the prisoners, lest they should escape; but the centuturion, wishing to save Paul, kept them from their purpose, and commanded all who could swim, to throw themselves into the sea, while the others fastened themselves to boards, or other broken parts of the ship; and they all got safe to shore.

Thus were Paul's predictions proved true; they lost their lading and their ship, but there was no loss of any man's life; and they were cast upon an island.

CHAPTER XXVII.

Paul's Adventures in the Island of Melita. His Voyage to Rome.

THE island on which Paul and his companions in danger were cast, was Melita. The inhabitants shewed them great kindness, kindling a fire for them, because it was cold and rainy.

A remarkable circumstance which now happened to Paul, attracted their attention. He had gathered a bundle of sticks, and as he lay them on the fire, there came out a viper

and fastened on his hand. Now when these poor uncivilized people saw the venomous creature hang on his hand," they said among themselves, no doubt this man is a murderer, whom, though he hath escaped the sea, Divine vengeance suffereth not to live." But Paul was miraculously preserved from the bite of the venomous animal; "he shook it off into the fire, and felt no harm." According to his Lord's assurance to his faithful followers, that “ they should take up serpents, and if they drank any deadly drink, it should not harm them."

The islanders, however, looked at him, expecting to see him swollen or fallen down dead. But after they

had looked a long while, and saw no harm come to him, they changed their minds, and said that he was a God.

Paul and his friends were hospitably entertained by Publius, the chief man of the island. And while they were in his house, Paul worked a miracle on his father, who lay sick of a fever, and restored him to health.

After three months' stay in this island, they got a passage on board a vessel bound for Italy. On their way thither, they touched at Syracuse in Sicily, and afterwards making for the coast of Italy, touched at Puteoli, now Puzzeoli, a sea-port in the kingdom of Naples. They found here some Christian brethren, with whom they were permitted to remain

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a week; after which, they proceeded towards Rome.

We may easily imagine Paul's feelings as he approached this great capital. Persecution and suffering had met him in every city he had ever entered; now he was already in bonds, and about to plead his cause before the Emperor,-one who knew little of Christians, but as a despised sect among the Jews, whom he had once permitted his subjects to persecute. Very cheering it must have been then to him, when he was met at a little distance by a number of Christians, who went out from the city to welcome the holy stranger. He returned thanks to God, we are told, and his heart took courage.

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