immediately, but the big white commissioner did not arrive. One day passed, then another, and the Indians were hungry. The food was there in tantalizing abundance, but the commissioner did not come to distribute it. The young Indians came to their chief and said, "Pakan, our wives and children are crying for food; will you not open the boxes and give us enough to satisfy them?" "No, my children," said the chief, "I have never broken a word of treaty and I do not want to do it now." Another day passed and the commissioner did not come. The young Indians' eyes began to flash forth something that boded trouble, but the old chief answered, "Have patience a little longer, my people," and he called on an Indian who had a splendid horse to accompany him to find and hurry up the dilatory commissioner. About noon they met the commissioner with a large retinue and a company of his friends coming leisurely along, stopping for sport where the country abounded in game.
They were just halting for such an afternoon's sport when Pakan rode up. "You have broken your promise to my people," he said solemnly. "You were to have met with them three days ago. Don't stop here, my people are hungry. Come with me and give them food."
The commissioner replied with an easy smile, "Oh, Pakan, I'm glad to see you. Come and dine with us. Meet my friends; have an afternoon of hunting and then tomorrow I will go with you."
"No," said Pakan, "to-morrow is the Sabbath. I and my people have been taught to keep the Sabbath, and hungry as we are, unless you come to-day, I and my people will wait until Monday for the supplies."
The commissioner quailed before him, and sent a sub-officer back with him to open the supplies. The next day the commissioner rode into camp. He expected the Indians to meet him with firing of guns and waving of flags, but no one came to receive him, and no guns were fired. The only wigwam where a flag was flying was the place where the people were meeting to worship God. The commissioner called a council, but not an Indian responded. The commissioner wanted Pakan to dine with him with other guests that day. It is a great honor to dine with a royal commissioner; but Pakan said, "I dine with my family quietly on the Sabbath day, for God has said, 'Remember the Sabbath day to keep it holy.'"
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SABBATH, THE, FOR MAN
Among those who opposed and criticized
Father Mathew were the Sabbatarians, who
opposed the holding of temperance meetings
on Sunday. Father Mathew replied: "They
must well know that if we did not assemble
on the Lord's day, we could not hold our
meetings at all, for the great majority of
those who compose our society are from
that useful and virtuous body, the operatives,
who on every other day labor from the
rising to the setting sun. The temperance
cause is the work of the Most High God,
and it is admirable in our eyes."
(2802)
Sackcloth—See Bible Customs To-day.
SACRED THINGS
A Scotch preacher tells this story. He
said that he was going through the highlands
of Scotland when a storm came on.
He stept out of his carriage, and went up to
a little Scotch hut. He was invited to enter
by the woman whose home it was. In one
corner of the room there stood an old rocking-chair,
and he was just going to sit in
this, when the Scotch woman made one
spring, and stopt him. She said: "No, no.
Do not sit there." And the preacher said:
"Why?" "Well," she said, "look." And
round about it was wrapt a scarlet cord.
She said: "It was a year ago this week,
sir, when our good lady, her Majesty Queen
Victoria was driving along this road and a
storm came on. She came in, and we gave
her this chair. And when the Queen went
away, we said, 'We will put a scarlet cord
around it, and nobody else shall ever sit in
it. It is the Queen's chair.'"
(2803)
SACRIFICE
John B. Kissinger submitted to the bite of
a yellow fever mosquito in the interest of
science while in the army in Cuba and was
for years almost helpless.
Kissinger was bitten by mosquitoes carrying yellow fever germs and was then treated by the best medical experts in the army. It was supposed he had recovered his health and that as a result of the experiment yellow fever could be guarded against, but he later suffered a breakdown and became a physical wreck, unable to use his feet and legs.
Is not the willingness to suffer for
man the very spirit of Christ? (Text.)
(2804)
