Sketches from the Life of Paul (1883) — PDF Scan 277

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270 LIFE OF PAUL . proposal would have been executed at once,but for him to whom soldiersand prisonersalike owed theirpreservation. Juliusthe centurion knew thatPaul had beeninstrumentalin saving the livesof allon board,and he feltthat itwould be thebasestingratitudeto allowhim tobe put to death; and more,he feltconvincedthat the Lord was with Paul, and he feared to do him harm. He thereforegave ordersto sparethe livesof the prisoners,and directedthatallwho could swim should cast themselves into the sea and gettoland. The restseizedholdof planks and otherfragmentsofthewreck,and were carriedlandward by the waves . When therollwas called,notonewas missing. Nearly threehundredsouls,sailors,soldiers,passengers,and prisoners,stoodthatstormyNovember morning upon the shoreof the islandof Melita. And therewere some thatjoinedwith Paul and hisbrethrenin givingthanksto God who had preservedtheirlives,and broughtthem safetolandthroughtheperilsof thegreatdeep. The shipwreckedcrew were kindly received by thebarbarouspeopleof Melita. A rainhavingcome on,thewhole company were drenched and shivering, and the islanderskindled an immense fireof brushwood ,and welcomed them all to itsgratefulwarmth . Paul was among the most activeincollectingfuel. As he was placing a bundle of sticksupon the fire, a viperthat had been suddenlyrevivedfrom itstorporby the heat, dartedfrom the fagotsand fastened upon his hand. The bystanderswere horrorstruck,and seeingby his chain that Paul was a prisoner,theysaidtoone another, " No doubt thisman isa murderer,whom ,though he hath