Our illustration will show one of my methods used at Burntwood River far
up in the Nelson River country. I had the honour of being the first
missionary who ever reached the Indians of that section and preached to
them the Gospel. They are a fine company of Indians, and I found, that
with the few exceptions of some old conjurers and medicine men and
polygamists, the people were not only glad to see me, but anxious to
hear and accept the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. I visited them
twice a year and began the work; but to my beloved first colleague, the
Rev John Semmens, was given the work of establishing the mission. On
my visits, which as usual were made with my dogs in winter and by canoe
in summer, I had to gather the Indians for religious services as best I
could. The large kitchen of the Hudson Bay Company's trading post was
put at my disposal by the officer in charge, who was ever kindly
disposed toward the good work. In this, as well as in the poor wigwams
of the natives, we met, and sang, and prayed, and explained to them as
well as possible the plan of salvation--God's great love toward them.
In the short brilliant summer the work was very much more pleasant.
Then, under the beautiful trees, or where the great rocks rose up around
us and cast their welcome shadows, we could gather the people and talk
of the loving Heavenly Father; not only of His Creative power, but of
His redeeming love in the gift of His beloved Son.
In my missionary experiences I have found, that the majority of men are
sick of sin. Down in the human heart there is a longing for something
which is only really satisfied by the acceptance of the Lord Jesus
Christ. It is true that these inner feelings may be long hidden from
outer vision, or there may be an endeavour to satisfy their cravings by
the vigorous exercise of all the religious ceremonies that have been
revealed to them in their idolatrous or pagan surroundings; but when
they can be induced to speak out and unburden their very souls, their
bitter wailing cry is one of dissatisfaction and unrest. Happy is the
missionary who can so win the confidence of a people thus dissatisfied,
that they will reveal to him their heart's burdens and longings. His
victory is more than half assured. Christ in His fulness, lovingly
presented to such, and accepted by them, is soon in their hearts a
satisfying portion.
The missionary ever finds among all classes of pagan people that the
Book is always considered a mysterious and wonderful volume. Its
marvellous incidents ever attract. They never tire of the services
where it has a prominent place. Sermons, even though hours in duration,
if full of its truths, will be attentively listened to.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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