The Boys Who Could Not Sleep
One cold winter day the missionary, with Pinky, his Gospel Husky, arrived in Chitina. It was only four o'clock, but already it was pitch dark. They had traveled many miles for several days. In some places the creeks had overflowed from the glaciers, making the icy trail so slippery they had to crawl on hands and knees.
They passed the place where a year before they had met a bear which had sat down upon his haunches and stared at them as though his curiosity had overcome his fear. Then suddenly he had scrambled to his feet and run. But this time they had seen no bears, for it was too cold. They had already found their dens in which to hibernate for the winter.
All was quiet in the little town of Chitina, far up in the cold interior of Alaska. The missionary had seen the thermometer drop down to eighty-seven below zero there, but there were heart-warming believers in the Lord Jesus Christ living in this town, and more who were eager to hear the story of salvation.
Copper River Indians who prefer being called "natives" live through this part of Alaska. There are three main native races in Alaska: the Eskimos who inhabit the northerly parts and the Bering Sea, the Indians scattered throughout much of the country, and the Aleuts, who live on the Aleutian Island chain.
The missionary and Pinky made their way through the dark village to the home where two young missionary women lived. A bright light shone out, welcoming them across the snow, reminding the missionary of the gospel light these two brave women were seeking to hold high in this lonely spot.
What a glad sight awaited him in the warm house! A big group of Indian boys and girls were there, studying their Bibles. They had come right from school, and, most of the children evidently were eager to know more of the Savior. They looked up with shy smiles of greeting as the missionary and Pinky came in.
Quite a few of the boys were not yet saved, and after a few moments the missionary noticed two of the older boys who did not seem to be interested in the class. They whispered to one another and giggled. Sometimes they would say something aloud in an undertone that he could not quite hear, but he knew they were making fun of the Word of God. His heart went out to these boys; he prayed that the Holy Spirit of God might do a mighty work in their hearts, and in all the village.
That night they had a meeting in the little log chapel at the top of the hill, and the children were all there again, with the grown-ups of the village. It was such a bitterly cold night that the cold was causing the ice on the lake to contract with a booming sound, yet even very elderly people braved the cold, and walked long distances to the meeting.
What a good time they had singing! Then it seemed God was really working in the hearts of the listeners as the missionary spoke. After the meeting when nearly all had left the log chapel, a ten-year-old boy, who was the son of a trapper, still waited. No one paid particular attention to the boy, as the missionaries did not realize why he was lingering.
"I want to be saved!" he suddenly burst out in almost agonizing earnestness.
The missionaries spoke to him, and as they quoted Scriptures concerning the Lord's death for him, and His love for him, they seemed to sink right into his very heart. When he realized that the Lord Jesus had finished the work of redemption necessary for his salvation when He died on the cross for him, and that all he needed now to do was to trust in Him, his face fairly glowed with joy.
The very next day this trapper's son shared this glad news with his friends, and another boy just his age came to the missionaries' home that afternoon after school, saying that he wanted to be saved, too.
These two boys brought the two unsaved boys with them that night who had made fun at the class in the missionaries' home two days before. The missionary spoke again of salvation and also told of the Lord's second coming for all who were saved.
The two unsaved boys went home that night, but they could not sleep. What if the Lord should come that night? They knew that they were not ready, and it would mean that they would be punished forever.
They were so miserable that they got up out of bed, and one boy peered out of the dark window.
"Look! Their lights are still on," he cried. Through the dark night they could see the lights in the missionaries' home still shining, so they quickly dressed and trudged over through the snow.
When the missionaries answered the knock on their door, they were surprised to see the two boys with earnest faces standing on their step. "Is something the matter?" they asked.
The boys were not laughing or making fun now. With tears in their eyes, they told how they wanted to be saved, and soon they were all rejoicing together with tears of joy, as they opened their hearts to the Lord.
Never again will these two boys make fun of those who believe-for now they, too, are telling other boys and girls about the Lord Jesus.