A FRIEND of ours who labors in the gospel was telling us, some little while ago, about the Red Indians who dwell in parts of Canada. “I was working," said he, “near an Indian settlement, when I was asked by a chief to visit his son, who was dying of consumption. This chief was a Christian man, and his earnest desire for his son was that he might be saved.
"For some time I endeavored to set before the young man the glad tidings of salvation, but apparently met with no response. On leaving, I felt it right to tell his father so. With much emotion the chief replied, I no scholar—me can do nothing—but me sure Jesus, He do something.'
"The young man was a scholar; he had come home from college; for many of the younger Indians in certain districts are educated. Indeed, I could take you to some of their poor huts, where, if you were to speak about the truths of Scripture, the Red Indian would take down his Greek Testament, and discuss the force of the words with you from the Greek! But, though this young man was well educated, he did not know the Lord Jesus Christ. But his father had faith in the Lord for his son's salvation— ‘but me sure,' said he, Jesus, He do something.'
"Now the Lord delights to answer the faith of His people: the chief could not be sure that Jesus would do something for him and be disappointed.
“Some time after I paid the young man another visit, and it was to rejoice over the sheep that had been lost, but was now found.
The young man had received the word of life, and he loved to gather all his relatives and friends around his bed and to speak to them about the Saviour he had found.
“His mother was one day weeping by his bed, and only those who have been much in the company of the Indians can enter into the meaning of such a remark. ‘A mother weeping! ‘Yes; the Red Indians are taught not to weep. They are taught never to betray a sign of what they feel. But she was weeping, and a tear dropped upon her son's brow. Looking up, he said, “Mother, why do you weep? Because I shall be so happy.? I'm going to be with Jesus. I am afraid you are not sure you are saved. But if you are saved you will soon come too—to heaven, where I am going."
“One of his dying requests was that his body should be borne by four Christian men to its last resting-place, and that a hymn should be sung at the side of the grave.
"Need I say this request was carried out?
" The young Indian now rests a little while, his spirit absent from the body, present with the Lord; for soon ' the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible,' and all who belong to Christ shall leave this earth for the Father's house on high. Many a Red Indian will be found amongst the number of God's people in that day, for many of these people have learned to know the Lord Jesus as their Saviour, and God the Father as the true God. They have turned to God from idols, to serve the living and true God, and to wait for His Son from heaven. Where will you, dear young reader, be found on that day?