THE STORY is told of a young Indian who lived alone in the Selkirk Mountains. His family had all been killed by a band of white hunters and he grew up a wild man.
One winter a Christian trapper, a white man, came to the mountains to live and trap. He was very kind and patient, and gradually the wild youth learned to trust him.
Slowly the Christian told him the story of Jesus — of the love of God who gave His only Son to die for a poor Indian. The youth believed it, he was saved, and the love of God was shed abroad in his heart.
What, he then wondered, could a poor Indian give to God in return for such amazing grace? Love gave the answer.
One moonlit night on the top of a mountain peak, the young Indian dressed himself in all his best native finery. Taking his friend’s hand he knelt and prayed. Then suiting actions to his words, he said something like this:
“For Jesus....
Indian lay down blanket,
Indian lay down pipe,
Indian lay down tomahawk,
Indian lay down Indian.”
ML-04/21/1974