Far Off by Favell Lee Mortimer
page 125 of 243 (51%)
page 125 of 243 (51%)
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then place it before their tents for the wind to blow it about.
This is _their_ way of praying to their gods. And what, my dear child, is _your_ way of praying to your God? Have missionaries visited the Tartars? Yes; I will tell you of two German missionaries, who tried to convert a tribe of Tartars called the Kalmucks, living near the Caspian Sea and the river Volga. These good men were treated with great contempt by the Tartars. The missionaries translated the Gospel of St. Matthew into the Tartar language. One of the Tartars, instead of thanking them, observed, "I wonder you should take so much trouble to prepare a book that we shall never read." When the precious books were given to the Tartars, some of them returned the books; and when it was read to them, they scornfully said, as they turned away, "It is only the history of Jesus." At last one Tartar, named Sodnom, believed in Jesus. He said to the missionaries, "Now the Tartars, from my example, may turn to the Lord: for as, when sheep are to be washed, each is afraid to enter the water till _one_ has been in, so it may be with my countrymen." Sodnom read every evening in the Testament to his family in the tent. At first his wife was displeased, and said that her husband wasted the fire-wood in making a light to read a book that was of no use. But afterwards she listened, and made the children keep quiet. The neighbors also listened, and _twenty-two_ turned to the Lord! Then the prince and the priests grew angry, and said the Christians must |
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