Sad to say, years ago Indian children who were orphaned or unwanted and abandoned were considered unadoptable. These children often were sent to Indian reservations by train, and anyone who wanted a little child could take it. Boys were in the greatest demand, especially on the farms.
In 1910 there was a whole trainload of babies, not one over three years old, taken from New York city to Houston and San Antonio, Texas. Prospective parents were to meet them at the train station, and each had been given a card calling for one baby. In another case, babies were auctioned off to the highest bidder. One woman discovered, many years later, that her father had been auctioned off for ten dollars!
One boy of eight was given to a German family. The family spoke only German, and the little fellow was made to learn Bible verses in German, even though he had no idea what he was saying. But, as time went on, he learned German, and at the end of his short life, he told his adopted family that he knew that the Lord Jesus would take him to heaven.
Another little boy was offered an ice cream cone, and when he took it he became the adopted child of the man who bought it. That boy grew up unloved and neglected. He soon became involved with the wrong people and began to use drugs and alcohol.
One day this young Indian met a missionary, and he thought he might make money through religion. After the gospel meeting he announced that he was saved. He began to come to the meetings regularly, and one day he went to the missionary and offered to go with him to visit the different Indian tribes and tell them about his salvation—if the missionary would pay him enough money. When he found out that no money would be given to him he turned away in anger. He even said that he didn't believe there was a God, and he went back to his old ways seeking his pleasure in this world. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" Matt. 16:26.
How dreadful it was that these little ones should be so mistreated! But God cares about them, and God sees and knows all. He saw it and allowed it, and we can be sure that He loved every one of them.
Will they all be in heaven then? We cannot say, because we do not know which ones believed and received the Lord Jesus Christ as their own Savior. All must repent of their sins and turn to the Lord Jesus as Savior, just as you and I.
Many children from fine Christian homes, who have loving parents, and who have gone to Sunday school all their young lives, may grow up and be on their way to hell. Why is that? John 20:31 says, "These are written [that is, the Bible] that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name."
"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved." Rom. 10:13.