fulfilled throughout the record. If this be so, the dispensation that was ushered in at Pentecost remained unchanged.

Healing, as well as immunity, was promised in Mark 16, and both are found in Acts 28.

Luke's accuracy is again attested, by archeological proof that has been forthcoming, that the title of Publius

used, in the narrative, of `the chief man of the island' was one actually in use at the time. An ancient inscription

found at Civita Vecchia uses the title Protos Melitaion, even as Luke uses protos for the title of Publius.

The Anglo Saxon rendering dysentery, for the Greek word dusenteria, in the words describing the illness of the

father of Publius, viz., `a fever and of a bloody flux', robs the miracle of something of its power. The hand of Luke

the Physician is evident in the narrative. Where other writers use kausomai and its derivatives, he had already used

the medical term therme for `heat' in verse 3. He now observes that the dysentery from which the father of Publius

suffered was `in an aggravated form', being accompanied by fever. The healing miracles of Scripture are of an

evident nature. Always, the person healed was conscious not merely of a strange undiagnosed pain, but was either

blind, lame, deaf, or leprous; sometimes even dead. Today it is exceedingly difficult to get first-hand evidence of

specific healing of diagnosed disease, but, as the apostle said of the testimony generally, in New Testament times

`these things were not done in a corner'. The miracle then was an undoubted one. Seeing it, others who had

diseases, also came, and they, too, were healed. Thus three months went by before the apostle left the island, a

period giving full opportunity for the cures to be tested.

Coupled with the persistence of these prominent miracles is the fact that `the hope of Israel' was still entertained

by the apostle (Acts 28:20). These two factors of kingdom witness steadily lead the reader to the conclusion that

until this point in the narrative the dispensation had not changed, and the Mystery had not been revealed. This,

however, comes before us in full strength in the last section of the Acts, namely at chapter 28:23-31.

We must now resume the narrative of the apostle's journey to Rome. The three months' sojourn in Malta end

with the opening of the seas for safe navigation in February, a date confirmed by both Pliny and Vegetius. The

centurion found another grain ship, which had wintered in the island, and on this he embarked with his company.

This ship was named after the mythical twin sons of Zeus and Leda, and the twin-stars in the constellation Gemini

were regarded as the patron deities of sailors. We can readily believe that the name of this ship had been recorded

because of the suggestion it conveys that the heathen world was about to be brought into subjection to the gospel by

the ministry of the poor Jewish prisoner. The writings of Paul and Luke give evidence that they would not be above

remarking upon the appositeness of such a feature. Perhaps having said so much we must say more.

The constellation Gemini, `The Twins', preserves the ancient Hebrew name thaummim, which means `united', a

word which occurs in the original of Exodus 26:24, `coupled together'. The old Coptic name of the constellation

Pi-Mania conveys the same idea, `United as in brotherhood'. The apostle, who was being borne by this vessel on

his journey to Rome, carried in his message the most marvellous `coupling together' of those previously divided,

that even the Scriptures contained, and, knowing this, we cannot imagine either Luke or Paul to have been so

dull-witted as not to perceive the appositeness of the sign, without, of course, endorsing its Pagan associations.

The distance from Malta to Syracuse is less than one hundred miles. Upon arrival, the apostle and his fellows

were permitted to land, and they tarried there for three days: `And from thence we fetched a compass'. The Greek

word perierchomai occurs in Acts 19:13, where it is translated `vagabond', and means `To come or go around'.

Here, Lewin remarks:

`As the wind was westerly, and they were under the shelter of the high mountainous range of Etna on their left,

they were obliged to stand out to sea in order to fill their sails, and so came to Rhegium by a circuitous sweep, or

as it has been translated, "they fetched a compass"`.

James Smith's view, that the word perierchomai means simply `beating', in the nautical sense, is probably more

correct. At Rhegium, `The Twins' would have been forced upon the apostle's notice once more, for Castor and

Pollux were the patron divinities of the city. Here they tarried but a day. We learn from Josephus that the Emperor

Caligula had projected a port here for the protection of Alexandrian corn ships, but had died without bringing it to

completion. Mr. Smith computed that these vessels would travel at the rate of seven knots, and this well agrees with

the distance covered according to Luke.