Part 4.
I HAVE told you how poor little Henry was brought to know the Lord Jesus, and I am sure you would like to hear that poor Boosey, his faithful bearer, gave up his false gods, and became a follower of Christ, too. Henry wished for this more than for anything else, and he often talked to Boosey, and begged him to throw away his gods of wood or clay, and to believe in the one true God, and His Son, Jesus Christ. But Boosey, although never ill-humored or disrespectful, to his little master, did not want to listen to Henry, when he talked about Jesus. He loved his idols, and he was very much afraid of offending his “Gooroo” or religious teacher. Sometimes he would say, “There are many brooks and streams, but they all lead to the sea at last, and there are many religions, but they all lead to heaven in the end.” This sounds very clever, perhaps, but we know it is not true, for God has plainly told us that, “There is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved,” and that name is the precious name of Jesus. What does that precious name mean? It means “Saviour.”
Poor Boosey did not know how foolish and wrong he was, but we must not blame him too much, for he had been taught these things all his life, and everyone around him believed the same. Henry was not easily discouraged. When he did not know what to answer, he would be silent, but he soon began again, and many, many times in the day, he prayed to God to save his dear, kind bearer. Sometimes he would get close to him, and say, “Poor Boosey, you are going the wrong way, and will not let me set you right. There is but one way to heaven; our Saviour the Lord Jesus Christ is ‘the way,’ and no man cometh unto God but by Him.”
Now about this time, the lady in whose house Henry lived had to go to Calcutta and she decided to take Henry with her, and of course Boosey went too. It was a long journey by boat, and they only traveled in the day time. In the evening the boat would anchor and then Boosey would take little Henry for lovely walks among the fields and villages. This they both enjoyed exceedingly and often during their rambles Henry would speak of God who had created all the beautiful things around them. But, at last, after a month’s journey, they reached Calcutta, which as perhaps you know, is a big city, and here they stayed at the house of a gentleman called Mr. Smith.
This gentleman was an earnest Christian, so you can imagine his pleasure and surprise, too, when one morning, he found little Henry sitting in his favorite place between his bearer’s knees, reading the Bible, and trying to interpret it to Boosey. As soon as he could get an opportunity, Mr. Smith called the boy to him, and had a long talk with him. Henry told, him all about the kind young lady who had been used of God to teach him the truth, and then he told him of the great longing he had that his faithful bearer should share this knowledge, but, he added, “Although I have been talking to him about God for many months, he still will have it that his own idols are true gods.” Then Mr. Smith told Henry, that if he would be willing to learn to read the Bible in Boosey’s own language, her would procure for him some parts of the gospels in Hindustani, and then he said, “You can read God’s word to your bearer in his own tongue.” This suggestion pleased Henry very much, and he soon began to learn to read Hindustani from Mr. Smith. After every lesson Henry would try to teach his bearer what he had learned himself, so by the time they had to leave Calcutta, which was not for over a year, they could both read fairly in the new Bible.
“Now, my boy,” said Mr. Smith, as he gave it to him, “do not trust to the words of your own wisdom, but to the word of God. Hold fast to the Scriptures, and you will be safe. Be not impatient, if the seed you sow should not spring up immediately. God will answer your prayers, and bless his word to the conversion of your faithful servant.”
ML 12/09/1906