Miss Lilly Ryder Gracey, in _The Missionary Review of the World_,
in a sketch of the life and work of the Rev. Egerton R. Young, in the
land of the Cree and Salteaus Indians, of Canada, gives this incident:
“Missionary,” said a savage, stalwart-looking Indian to him,
“gray hairs here, and grandchildren in the wigwam, tell me that
I am getting to be an old man; and yet I never before heard such
things as you have told us to-day. I am so glad I did not die
before I heard this wonderful story. Yet I am getting old. Gray
hairs here, and grandchildren yonder, tell the story. Stay as
long as you can, missionary; tell us much of these things; and
when you have to go away, come back soon.”
“He turned as tho he would go back to his place and sit down,”
said Dr. Young in narrating the story, “but he only went a step
or two ere he turned round and said:
“‘Missionary, may I say more?’
“‘Talk on,’ I replied; ‘I am here now to listen.’
“‘You said just now, “Notawenan” (Our Father).’
“‘Yes, I did say, “Our Father.”’
“‘That is very new and sweet to us,’ he replied. ‘We never
thought of the Great Spirit as Father. We heard Him in the
thunder, and saw Him in the lightning and tempest and blizzard,
and we were afraid. So, when you tell us of the Great Spirit as
Father--that is very beautiful to us.’
“Hesitating a moment, he stood there, a wild, picturesque
Indian; yet my heart had strangely gone out in loving interest
and sympathy to him. Lifting up his eyes to mine again, he said:
“‘May I say more?’
“‘Yes,’ I answered; ‘say on.’
“‘You say, “Notawenan” (Our Father); He is your Father?’
“‘Yes, He is my Father.’
“Then he said, while his eyes and voice yearned for the answer:
“‘Does it mean He is my Father--poor Indian’s Father?’
“‘Yes, oh yes!’ I exclaimed, ‘He is your Father, too.’
“‘Your Father--missionary’s Father--and Indian’s Father, too?’
he repeated.
“‘Yes, that is true.’
“‘Then we are brothers!’ he almost shouted out.
“‘Yes, we are brothers,’ I replied.
“The excitement in the audience had become something wonderful,
and when the conversation with the old man had reached this
point, and in such an unexpected and yet dramatic manner had so
clearly brought out, not only the fatherhood of God, but the
oneness of the human family, the people could hardly restrain
their expressions of delight.
“The old man, however, had not yet finished, and so, quietly
restraining the most demonstrative ones, he again turned and
said:
“‘May I say more?’
“‘Yes, say on; say all that is in your heart.’
“Then came his last question, which millions of weary souls
dissatisfied with their false régimes are asking:
“‘Missionary, I do not want to be rude, but why has my white
brother been so long time in coming with that great Book and its
wonderful story?’”
(1074)
=Father’s Sake, For=--See LOVE MAKES PATIENT.