The life and work of St. Paul

574 THE LIITE AND WOKK OF ST. PAUL.
derelict would have been more likely to bo robbed and murdered than received
with hospitality and compassion but ; these Maltese Phoenicians, nearly two
millenniums ago, welcomed the rescued crew with unusual kindneas. Heavy
showers had come on, and the shipwrecked men were half-benumbed with
fatigue and cold. Pitying their condition, the natives lit a huge fire of fagots
and brushwood, that they might dry their clothes, and gave them in all respects
a friendly welcome. Paul, with that indomitable activity and disregard of
self which neither danger nor fatigue could check, was busy among the busiest
collecting fuel. He had got together a large bundle of furze-roots, 1 and had
just put it on the blazing fire, when a viper which had been lying torpid, being
suddenly revived and irritated by the hoat, darted out of the bundle and
"fastened on Paul's hand." Seeing the creature hanging from hia hand,
and observing that he was a prisoner, thd simple natives muttered to one
another that he must be some murderer, rescued indeed from the waves, but
pursued by just vengeance even on land. Paul, quite undisturbed, shook the
creaturo oft into the fire, and was none the worse. 2 The natives expected
that he would suddenly drop dead. 3 For a long time they watched him with
eager eyes, but when they observed that no unpleasant result of any kind
followed, they, like the rude people of Lystra, gradually changed their minds,
and said that he was a god.
For three months, until the beginning of February opened the sea to
navigation, the crew lived in Malta ; and during that time, owing once more
to the inSuonce of St. Paul, he and his associates received the utmost kindness.
Not far from the scene of the shipwreck lay the town now called Alta Yecchia,
the residence of Pubiius, the governor of the island, who was probably a legate
of the Pi-aster of Sicily. Since Julius was a person of distinction, this Roman
official, who bore the title of Protos (" First ") a local designation, the accuracy
of which is supported by inscriptions* offered to the centurion a
genial hospitality, in which Paul and his friends wore allowed to share. Ithappened
that at that time the father of Pubiius was lying prostrated by
feverish attacks complicated with dysentery. St. Luke was a physician, but
his skill was less effectual than the agency of St. Paul, who went into the
side man's chamber, prayed by his beasido, laid his hands on him, and healed
him. The rumour of the cure spread through the little island, and caused all
the sick inhabitants to come for help and tendance. We may be sure that
St. Paul, though we do not hear of his founding any Church, yet lost no
opportunity of making known the Gospel. He produced a doop and most
(see Theophrast. Hist. Plant. 1, 4). Hence the objection that Bo3quetia,
tome distance from St. Paul'* Bay, is the only place where there is timber hi Malta, drops
to the ground, even if there were ever anything in it.
J The disappearance of the viper from Malta, if it has disappeared, is no more strange
than its disappearance from Arran. There is a curious parallel to ihe incident in tke
Greek Anthology. ('E/eTavt) Avypbs ex' rl fianjv jrpb KVJJLOLT' e,a