M. Apparently eleven days; for it was on the third day that St. Paul brought them the words of the angel, and not till the fourteenth from their leaving Fair Havens, that, being driven up and down in the Adriatic, they began to perceive that they were approaching land.

E. I fancied they were more in the Mediterranean than the Adriatic?

M. That name used to comprehend not only that part of the Mediterranean which bears that name, but all the sea lying between Sicily and Crete. As soon as there was reason to believe that they were in the neighbourhood of some shore, the sailors began, as they do now, you know, under similar circumstances, to sound continually; and when they got within fifteen fathoms of the shore, they were so alarmed lest they should fall upon the rocks, that "they cast out four anchors out of the stern," and earnestly longed for the break of day, that they might see better what to do!

E. Cast anchors out of the stern! That must be a mistake, Mamma. I have often watched sailors drawing up and throwing out their anchors, and it is always from the prow or head of the vessel.

M. No, Edward, this is not a mistake; it rather stamps the narrative with additional marks of veracity; for it is well known that the custom of dropping anchors from the stern, frequently prevailed in ancient times; and we are told, that even the modern large Egyptian vessels called saiques, always carry their anchors at their stern, and never at their prow. You must look to some of your books about ancient ships, and you will satisfy your mind on this subject.

The danger of going upon the rocks was still so great, that the sailors were now about to abandon the ship; but St. Paul would not suffer it, assuring the men that "except they remained in the ship, they could not be saved."

E. But God had promised to preserve them all!

M. And this is a remarkable proof that God works by means; and expects us to use the opportunities which He puts in our power. St. Paul had been highly favoured, and he was firmly assured of the safety of the whole party; but he had not become presumptuous. He knew that whatever God might do in the event, it was most clearly His will that men should use their own best endeavours to save themselves from impending destruction. God helps us, not to set aside, but to encourage our exertions. Accordingly we find the Apostle using his best exertions to prevent the sailors from accomplishing their selfish purpose, knowing that, humanly speaking, if these men did not lend their aid, all must be lost. Accordingly he set them an example of activity; for he trusted God, but would not tempt God by neglecting his own exertions. Truly good men have a support in time of danger, which none but they can have; a calm reliance on God's providence; calm, yet active; quieting their fears, but not paralyzing their exertions.

For the interesting particulars of St. Paul's escape, together with his companions, from their perilous situation, it will be necessary, Edward, to wait until another evening, as we have talked long, and it is already late.

See Acts xxvii. 1-32.

306

TWENTY-NINTH SUNDAY EVENING.

ST. PAUL'S SHIPWRECK AND ARRIVAL AT ROME.

E. I have been so impatient for this evening, Mamma! It was very tantalizing to leave St. Paul in such an anxious situation. Pray go on with the narrative, and do not hurry over any of the particulars: let me hear every thing that happened.

M. I think we dwell sufficiently on every part of the sacred story: I know how much young people enjoy full accounts of interesting events; and I will not, therefore, hurry over the remaining particulars of St. Paul's eventful history; but I warn you fairly, that it is drawing very fast towards a conclusion.

The serenity, composure, and presence of mind evinced by the Apostle, on an occasion so trying and perilous, was of the utmost service to the whole crew. He not only exercised a judicious authority, so necessary at such a time, but he continued to cheer them with the solemn assurance, that "not a hair should fall from the head of any of them;" and perceiving their weak and exhausted state, both in mind and body, he persuaded them to take some sustenance; for during the fourteen days which the storm had lasted, they had been so anxious as to take very little food. Then knowing that example goes further than exhortation, "he took bread himself, 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, and they also took some meat."

E. How many persons do altogether in the ship?

you suppose there were

M. More than you have imagined, I think; for there were "two hundred threescore and sixteen souls." A large crew, you see; all kept under order and discipline by the calm influence of one good man, and he a prisoner, without any authority in the ship, and without any influence excepting that which strong and good minds have over the weak and undisciplined. As soon as the sailors were refreshed by food, they renewed their exertions for saving the vessel, lightening it again by throwing out the remainder of the cargo, which seems to have been composed of wheat; for this was a vessel of Alexandria, carrying wheat to Rome, as was frequently done.

E. And the morning had not dawned yet, had it? M. No; but it was now near at hand: and as soon as the welcome light arrived, they clearly perceived the land, but knew not what shore it was they were approaching. They discovered, however, a creek which promised to suit their purpose, and they tried to run the ship into it; and taking up the anchors, and loosing the ropes which had confined the rudder, or rudders, as I believe it is in the original, (and we know that the ships of the ancients had frequently more than one rudder,) they ran the ship aground in a place where two seas met, and the forepart struck, but the hinder part was exposed to all the fury of the sea, whose waves were dashing violently over it.

E. What a dangerous situation for the crew!

M. Their peril must now have been at its height. There was no longer any safety in remaining in the vessel; the only chance now was in leaving it, and trying to reach the shore. At this critical moment, the soldiers proposed to the captain the most cruel and

ungrateful counsel; "to kill the prisoners, lest any of them should escape!"

E. And St. Paul was one of them! After all that he had done for them! What disgraceful ingratitude! M. The centurion would not listen to it for a moment: he could not forget that they all so far owed their lives to his heroic captive; and he kept the soldiers from their purpose, and commanded that all which could swim, should cast themselves into the sea, and go to land. And this they did; and the rest also reached it safely, some floating on loose boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship. "And so it came to pass, that they escaped all safe to land," according to the word of the Lord by the mouth of his servant Paul.

E. And what land was it they had reached?

M. They found that they had been cast on an island called Melita, generally supposed to be the island in the Mediterranean now called Malta; a place celebrated in modern history, from its having been possessed by the knights of St. John of Jerusalem, who are often called "the knights of Malta.” It now belongs to the English, though it is chiefly occupied by Roman Catholics. You have heard, I dare say, that it owes its name to the abundance of honey found there, and that it also produces a great quantity of cotton. You may imagine with what interest the Christian traveller dwells upon the circumstance, which there seems so much reason for believing, of St. Paul having been shipwrecked there.

E. Yes; and I hope I may visit it some day. But was the island inhabited in St. Paul's time?

M. It was; and the inhabitants seem to have been