On the Indian Trail | Page 9

teachings. He had been loud and almost persecuting in his opposition to
the preaching of the Gospel among his people, and had refused to come
where the friendly Indians gathered under the trees to hear the Word
read and explained.
Indian-like however, he had been most observant, and it had not
escaped his notice that some cures had been effected by the pale face
that had been too difficult for the native medicine men. So, when he

saw his little boy getting worse and worse, in spite of all the yells and
antics of the conjuror, so soon as he had dismissed him, he came for the
missionary, and in a tone very different from that which he had first
used, almost begged him to come and save his little boy.
"I will do the best I can," said the missionary, who was thankful for an
opportunity thus, perhaps, to win his friendship and to lead him to the
cross.
When he examined the boy he found that it was a serious case of
inflammation, so he candidly told the father, that as the disease had run
so long it was hard to say whether he would be able to cure him or not,
but he would gladly do his best. The Indian father urged him to begin at
once to do all that was possible to save his boy; saying, that he would
be so glad if his child recovered, and would not blame the missionary if
he died.
Prompt remedies were applied, and with God's blessing, and careful
nursing, the child recovered, greatly to the joy of the father.
Not long after, as the missionary gathered the people together for
religious service, he was pleased to see, leaning against a distant tree,
the once stubborn old Indian whose son had been healed. It was evident
that he was anxious to hear what that missionary who had cured his boy
had to say, and jet, he was still too proud to come and sit with the
friendly Indians, who were anxious to learn about the message which
the Great Spirit had sent to the people. So he compromised by taking a
position on the outskirts of the audience.
Fortunately the missionary was gifted with a strong clear voice, so
without any apparent effort, he told the story of God's love in Jesus
Christ in a tone that could be distinctly heard by all, even by the distant
hunter leaning against the tree.
Very attentively did that Indian listen to all that was said, and so
interested was he, that at the next service he stood at a tree considerably
nearer the speaker. The next service he was in the midst of the audience,
and a few weeks later he was at the Cross, a happy converted man.

It was interesting and delightful to listen to his after apologies, and
chidings of himself for his stubborn opposition to that in which he now
so delighted. Among other things he would say:
"But missionary, you know that I was so foolish and stubborn. I was
then blind and deaf; but now I have rubbed the dust out of my eyes,
pulled the moss out of my ears, so now I see clearly and hear all right.
Then, I could only say hard things against the Book which I thought
was only for the white man, but now, I have found that it is for every
one, and I love to think and talk about the good things that it has
brought to us."
Long centuries ago Isaiah prophesied:
"Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened, and the ears of the deaf
shall be unstopped;
"Then shall the lame man leap as an hart, and the tongue of the dumb
sing;
"For in the wilderness shall waters break out, and streams in the
desert."
Here in this wild north land, as, thank God, it has been on many other
mission fields, this glorious prophecy had been, and is being, most
literally fulfilled. Eyes long spiritually blinded are now open to behold
the blessed light, deaf ears have been unstopped and now hear His
loving voice, and tongues unloosened by His power make the
wilderness vocal with His praise.
CHAPTER THREE.
PRACTICAL WORK IN INDIAN HOMES.
Since the opening up of the heart of Africa, by the indomitable courage
and zeal of such men as Speke and Moffat, Baker and Livingstone,
Stanley and Cameron, Bishop Taylor and others, perhaps one of the
least known portions of this habitable globe is the northern part of the

great Dominion of Canada. The discovery of the rich gold mines in the
great Yukon River district--the greater number by far being in
Canadian territory--is attracting attention to that part of the hitherto
unknown north-western portion of the great