In northern Canada Mr. Evans, the apostle to the Indians there,
induced a large number to become Christians, and said to them,
“Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.” At this time all
the furs were carried by brigades of Indians, and the exchange
cargo taken away by them. The Indians had been in the habit
of traveling seven days a week, but when the mission was
established, the observance of the Sabbath began. At once there
was opposition from the Hudson Bay Company. They argued “Our
summer is short, and to lose one day in seven is a terrible loss
to us. We will run you missionaries out of the country if you
interfere with our business.” There was downright persecution
for years, but there is none now, for it was found that the
Indians who traveled only six days and rested quietly on the
Sabbath made a journey of a thousand or fifteen hundred miles
without a single exception in less time, and came back in better
health than those who did not observe the Sabbath rest. (Text.)
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* * * * *
The last sermon that was preached by Rev. J. Hudson Taylor,
the founder of the China Inland Mission, was one which the
_North China Mail_ characterized as “a mile long.” He was
under appointment to preach that same day at a station one
mile distant from his home. He was too feeble to walk that
distance without rest, and he was unwilling to be carried in a
sedan-chair because he feared the evil influence of what would
have been--to him--perfectly innocent. So he made the journey
on foot, helped by his son, who carried a stool. Every few rods
the stool was placed and Mr. Taylor sat on it and rested. The
attention of the Chinese, Christians and Confucianists alike,
was attracted. Every little while some one would ask: “Why
does not the old man ride?” “Because he will not make any one
else work on the Sabbath day.” “Why not?” “Because God said,
‘Remember the Sabbath day and keep it holy,’” was the reply
(Text.)
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See PRINCIPLE; SUNDAY RECORDED.
* * * * *
The true philosophy of religion invariably teaches that we act wisely
when we conform to the requirements of Sabbatic rest from toil. Such
conformity is simply the recognition of a beneficent natural law.
In 1909 Mr. Selfridge, of Chicago, established a great American
store in London. It immediately became a great popular success.
Speaking to an interviewer, Mr. Selfridge said: “I am a business
man, and not a preacher, but still I feel strongly that fair
dealing is not only right, but wise--to put it on the lowest
ground. If you treat people fairly, you will be fairly treated
by them in return, and somehow or another the religious method
of carrying on business has not failed in the case of Marshall
Field. I will give you one curious instance of this. Our house
never advertises in the Sunday papers, with the extraordinary
result that we prospered in direct consequence. Many warned us
that we were holding to a suicidal policy, for in America Sunday
papers are the chief means of publicity. Our method turned out
most effective, because it forced itself upon the notice of
every woman in the United States that Marshall Field & Co. did
not advertise on Sunday, and that fact was a great advertisement
in itself. But who--out of a religious tract--would ever have
dreamed of such a topsyturvy result?” (Text.)
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