anifested the greatest anxiety
to hear and learn all he could about this great salvation. At first he
had opposed me, and was annoyed at my coming among his people.
Ultimately, however, he became convinced of the error of his ways, and
was an earnest, decided Christian. When I arrived at his village,
whether by canoe in summer, or dog-train in winter, I was always
received by this venerable old man with great delight. Not satisfied
with attending all the services held, and being at hand whenever I
taught the Syllabic Characters, that the Indians might be able to read
the blessed Word, he used to follow me like my shadow, and listen very
attentively to all I had to say. It was rather startling, indeed, when
one night, after a hard day of preaching and teaching and counselling, I
kneeled down to pray, ere I wrapped myself up in my camp-bed to get a
little rest, to hear whispered in quiet tones beside me, "Missionary,
pray in Indian, and so loud that I can hear you." In the morning he was
there again, and as I bowed to say my quiet morning prayers there came
into my ears from this old man the pleading words again, "Missionary,
please pray in Indian, and pray out loud, so that I may hear what you
say."

Is it any wonder that I became very much attached to my old friend with
the snow-white hair, who was so hungering and thirsting for the
teachings of the Word? Only twice a year could I then visit him and his
people. I used to remain a few days at each of these visits, and very
busy ones indeed they were. For six months these poor sheep in the
wilderness had been without the Gospel, and as soon as I left they would
have to get along as well as they could on what they had heard. Now
that they had, under the good Spirit's influence, a longing desire to
receive the truth, can any one wonder at their anxiety to learn all they
could from the Missionary during his short stay among them? This
intense desire on their part filled my heart with thankfulness, and
amply compensated for all the sufferings and hardships of the long,
cold, dangerous journeys.

On my arrival at this place, as usual, the Indians had crowded around to
welcome me. I was disappointed at not seeing my old friend. So it was
that at our first meeting, held as soon as possible after my arrival, I
asked the question, "Where is the old man whose head was like the snow-
drift?"

To my question there was no response, but every head was bowed as in
grief