The Nursery Book of Bible Stories  by Amy Steedman

St. Paul, the Servant of Christ

Part 2 of 2

After many perilous journeys to and fro, St. Paul at last returned to Jerusalem, where, among his own people, he might have looked for safety and peace. But the Jews were more furious with him and his preaching than ever, and were determined to kill him, and would have torn him in pieces had it not been for the Roman soldiers, who rescued him out of their hands, and sent him away secretly to another place.

Then, after a weary time of waiting, he was at last brought to trial, and Festus, the governor, asked him if he would rather be sent back to Jerusalem to be judged by his own people.

But St. Paul answered boldly and decidedly: "To the Jews I have done no wrong: I appeal unto Cæsar."

It was a bold appeal, and meant that the prisoner demanded to be taken to Rome; but it was an appeal that every Roman citizen had a right to make.

"Hast thou appealed unto Cæsar?" asked the governor. "Then to Cæsar shalt thou go."

Autumn was coming on, a time when wintry storms swept the seas, and St. Paul's voyage to Italy was a rough one indeed. He had spent much of his time among ships and sailormen, and this was not the first time he had battled through a storm; so he knew, as they tore in front of the shrieking wind, and were carried mountains high upon the green waves, that shipwreck was surely ahead. In vain the sailors threw all they could overboard to lighten the ship, and cast out anchors as a drag: they were drifting on the rocks, and nothing could save them.


[Illustration]

St. Paul's Voyage

The men began to lose heart, and to think it was no use struggling any longer, and then St. Paul took command. He told them God's angel had showed him in a vision that they would all be saved, and he bade them steer the ship into a little bay off the island of Malta, which lay ahead of them. The sailors listened to his encouraging words, and did as he said; and though in the end the ship was lost, every man on board was saved.

So at last, after many adventures, St. Paul arrived in Rome, the city of his dreams. But here again there was nothing but delay and weary waiting, while he lived the life of a prisoner, chained to his guard. Many were the letters he wrote in that weary time of waiting to the friends he had left behind; and he was also allowed to preach to the Christians who gathered around him, and that cheered him most of all.

Nothing certain is known about his death; but that he gave up his life in his Master's service is sure, and his triumphant words ring out to-day as clearly as when he uttered them: "I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith."