The American Missionary — Volume 54, No. 02, April, 1900Various
Religion
The American Missionary — Volume 54, No. 02, April, 1900
Various
Congregational churches -- Missions -- Periodicals; Home missions -- Periodicals
His home was ten or fifteen miles up the winding river, with two
fording-places between. We found at the first a broad, swift stream,
swollen by a recent rain. We were glad we had made preparations
before starting in, for the water flowed six inches deep over the
buggy floor. At the village beyond, Cross-Bear advised us to return
by another road, as the river was still rising. Long-Feather, with
whose family we also stopped to shake hands, gave the same advice,
saying that he would see us safely over the next crossing, but that
he was just starting on a long drive in the opposite direction.
Good-Boy, who lived near the fording-place, would help, he said. So,
following directions, Good-Boy was found. His pony was quickly
saddled, and galloping on ahead he piloted us not only to the
river-crossing, but all the way to Little Dog's, some miles beyond.
Mrs. Little-Dog and ten-year-old Martin greeted us at the door, and
inside the house we were cordially welcomed by the blind and almost
helpless sufferer. The wife said, "I wanted to go and get medicine
for him, but there was no one to take care of him while I was gone."
They were miles from the nearest neighbor. And the sick man added,
"I didn't like to have our little boy go so far alone." When the
physical pain and needs were relieved so far as possible, I asked if
there was a Bible. In answer the sick man turned and reached under
the pillow at the farther corner of the bed, from which he drew out
a little bag, and from that he carefully--almost tenderly, it
seemed--took his Dakota Bible and handed me. Such times of drawing
near to God, in the homes of sick or sorrowing ones, mean quite as
much of added strength and cheer to the white visitor as to those
who are visited, and we always come away feeling so glad that we
went. Tears were in the woman's eyes as the good-byes were said; and
the little boy, with his pony saddled, watched us out of sight, to
be sure that we were started on the right road home, as we had been
directed.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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