THE DIVINE RULE; OR, AOLA.
QUESTION III. _What do the Scriptures principally teach?_
ANSWER. The Scriptures principally teach what man is to believe
concerning God, and what duty God requires of man.
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MR. DERMOTT was the wife of a merchant residing in the suburbs of a
large city. Her husband was frequently called from home for several
months together; and she, in accordance with his wishes, had taken
up the doctrines and duties of Christian faith, with the endeavor to
render them both simple and attractive to her children. Thus far her
efforts had been attended with unusual success, and the little ones
looked forward with impatience for the evening when the lessons should
be continued.
All being in their places, and the answer repeated with which this
chapter commences, the lady inquired, "Did you notice, Walter, into how
many parts the teachings of Scripture are divided in this answer?"
After a moment's hesitation, the boy replied, "Into two parts: what we
are to believe, and what we are to do."
"Very well, my dear. In the first place, the Bible teaches us to
believe; or it presupposes the existence of God, the Creator of all
things. He made the world and all that is therein; the sun to rule the
day, and the moon and stars to rule the night. The beasts of the field,
the birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, even the little insects
which swarm in the air, were all fashioned by his forming hand.
"But what is of more importance to us than all else, is the fact
contained in Scripture, that God sent his only Son to provide a way of
salvation for poor, guilty sinners.
"This is what we are to believe concerning God. The duties required
of us are comprehensively and beautifully summed up in the ten
commandments. These relate both to our duties toward God and our duties
toward our follow-creatures.
"The Bible teaches little children to whom they are indebted for life
and all that makes life pleasant, and it also teaches them to obey
their parents, and how to treat each other."
"The Bible says, 'Little children, love one another,'" urged Helen,
speaking quickly; "now, mother, will you tell us a story?"
Mrs. Dermott smilingly assented, and commenced. "Far, far away among
the Rocky Mountains, many hundred miles beyond where the foot of
the white man had ever trod, there once lived an Indian maiden, the
daughter of a sachem. She married one of the young warriors of her
tribe, and for many years followed him from one hunting field to
another, her heart kept warm by her love for him and for her papooses.
This is the Indian name for children, of which she had four.
"At length her husband grew sick, and, according to the custom of
the poor, deluded tribe, Nola presented offerings to their idols in
his behalf. But, notwithstanding her sacrifices and her prayers, the
warrior grew rapidly worse, and soon died.
"Aola was now a widow, and had no one to draw the bow for her, except
her eldest son. In a few months, he returned hurriedly from the chase
to his mother's wigwam, and throwing himself upon his father's hunting
robe, said, 'I am sick.'
"'This time,' said Aola, 'I will surely appease the wrath of our gods.'
"She deprived herself of many comforts to offer more costly sacrifices;
but all in vain: her first-born soon breathed his last.
"Before twelve moons had waxed and waned, two more dear ones, precious
remembrances of her past joys, had sickened, and in spite of her
agonizing prayers to the idols, had passed forever from her sight.
"At length her sweet little Lola, who, in her repeated trials, had
entwined herself closer and closer to her heart, grew wan and pale,
like the others who had preceded it to the world of spirits. Aola, in
her anguish, beat her breast. Suddenly she grew more calm, and, taking
Lola in her arms, hastened to a huge pine tree near her wigwam. She
seated herself on a little mound at the foot of the tree, and began to
look into her own heart."
[Illustration: "I will pray to the God of my Lola."]
"'Aola,' she asked herself, 'where is the God who gave you your
papoose?'
"She gazed far into the deep, dark forest, then up toward the bright
blue sky, and a voice whispered to her soul, 'I am God, who made the
heavens and the earth. Plead your cause with me.'
"With streaming eyes Aola replied, 'I will no longer bow down to the
gods who would not hear my prayers. I will pray to the God of my Lola.'
"She then laid her babe upon the soft grass at her feet, and
prostrating herself upon her knees, with her lips touching the ground,
her cries and her supplications ascended to the Most High. He heard her
prayer; and when Aola returned to her wigwam, it was with a smile of
hope upon her lip.
"Fourteen years later, when Mr. Kingsbury, one of the first
missionaries to the Indians, reached her tribe, and began to talk about
the white man's God, Aola, catching her child by the hand, led her to
the good man, exclaiming, in her native language, 'White man's God my
God, Lola's God too.' And then began to tell him that for fourteen
years she had prayed to the good Being who had whispered to her heart,
and who had saved the life of her child.
"A station was subsequently established at that place, and Aola was
received into the Christian church. Lola was taught to read the Bible;
and O, how eagerly did her mother drink in the precious words which
revealed to her so fully the greatness and goodness of that gracious
Being, whom, not knowing, she had loved!
"But her history is very unlike that of most of the heathen. It teaches
us of what the power of conscience and the light of nature are capable,
and confirms the words of the apostle:
"'The invisible things of God, from the creation of the world, are
clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his
eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse.'
"The multitude of them have 'changed the glory of the uncorruptible God
into an image made like to corruptible man, to birds, and four-footed
beasts, and creeping things.' They need the Bible to teach them what
they ought to believe concerning God, and what duty God requires of
them."