Number 6. The Jungle.
PERHAPS some of the boys who have been reading these “Stories of India,” are beginning to wonder why they do not hear anything about tigers or elephants, or the other wild creatures which live in hot countries. Well, today we must talk a little about the jungle, and some of the fierce beasts who inhabit it. I do not think you would like to go into the jungle, the trees are tall and very close together, and big creepers grow everywhere, climbing from one tree to another, their thick stems, as large often as a man’s arm, making it almost impossible to walk along. Then all sorts of wild beasts are there, the fierce tiger who comes out at night to get his prey; elephants tearing down the tender branches of the trees for food, or bathing in the rivers, and streams; monkeys, oh! so many and so mischievous, springing from tree to tree, and always ready to rush into the cultivated fields or gardens nearby, and steal all they can lay their hands upon; for monkeys, you know, have no feet, but instead four hands. The people of India pay great respect to the monkeys; they consider them sacred, and though they chase them away from their crops, they would not shoot one for the world, so the monkeys become bolder and bolder, and do not mind how often they are chased away. Some very tiny boys in India have to spend the whole day watching the gardens, for fear the monkeys will come and carry everything off. The tigers do not come into the villages as often as the monkeys do, which is fortunate, as they are much more to be dreaded. But sometimes they do come, and carry off, not the garden fruits, but the men and women and children.
One day a poor woman who had to work in the fields, left her little two-year-old boy asleep on the grass, when suddenly she heard a growl, and looking up, there was a horrid tiger carrying the little fellow off. Perhaps Mr. Tiger was not hungry, for presently he laid the child down and sat opposite to him, looking very much like a huge pussy cat. The poor mother was distracted, and ran screaming for help, but just then up got the wee boy, and trotted back to the field, the tiger never offering to go after him. Who do you think was taking care of that little black baby, preserving him from danger and death? Was it not the same God, Who has so often cared for you, and kept you from harm?
One day some English soldiers had to camp near the jungle to have their dinner. They knew it was a dangerous place, so they made a barrier all round them of wagons and baggage. Just as everyone was busy eating, an immense tiger sprang over the enclosure, and seized the little drummer boy by the back of his coat, and springing back again, trotted leisurely across the little grassy slope, which separated them from the jungle. Everyone was horror-stricken; they had guns, of course, and could easily have shot the tiger, but then they were so likely to shoot poor little Johnny instead. Before anyone could determine what to do however, to the amazement of the whole party, the tiger suddenly fell dead upon the grass, and the boy got up and walked back to his companions. Eagerly they crowded round him, asking the meaning of what had happened. It was soon explained; the tiger had only hold of the lad’s clothes, and his arms were free. As soon as he realized what had happened, he noticed that his head was close to the heart of the great beast, and putting his hand in his pocket, he drew out a sharp hunting knife, and in a moment stuck it right into the creature’s heart.
A gentleman of whom I heard lately was not so fortunate as Johnny; he was out in the jungle shooting with a number of other officers, when they came in sight of a particularly large tiger. It was this gentleman’s turn to fire, but somehow, he delayed too long, and was seized in the same manner as the boy. Off went the tiger, with his poor victim knocking against the trees; his clothes torn off him by the thorny creepers; his legs scratched and bleeding. His companions followed for nearly a mile, when one of them got close up, and shot the beast in the head, and rescued the unfortunate man, who was quite unconscious. He recovered his health after a long time, but was never the same brave soldier again.
Now these two stories seem to me to teach us quite a useful lesson. Who is the roaring lion, we have to fight against, who is always waiting to spring upon us? Is it not the devil? And is he not just as able to injure us, as these fierce beasts did, the people I have told you of?
In both these stories, the victims were off their guard, and so they were easily caught. Are you sometimes off your guard? have you forgotten about your enemy, and does he lead you into sin and evil? Remember, the only way to stand against him, is to put on that wonderful armor we are told about in Eph. 6, and not to forget to take the shield of faith as well.
Another thing I want you to notice is the different endings to our two stories. The little boy succeeded in freeing himself from his captor, and we are plainly told how to make our enemy, the devil, run away from us, though we cannot destroy him. We are told to “Resist the devil and he will flee from us,”. Jas. 4:77Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7), and again in 1 Pet. 5:88Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: (1 Peter 5:8), “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, walketh about as a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour, whom resist.” Don’t let him have his own way with you, as the officer did, or the result will be, that he will make you a poor helpless captive, and do with you as he pleases; he knows that if you are a true believer in Jesus, if you have come to Him and had all your sins forgiven, the devil knows I repeat, that he cannot have you in eternity for Jesus has said, “None is able to pluck them out of My hand,” but, he can make you a poor miserable Christian down here, so let me warn you again to be on your guard, all the time, and not to forget to resist your great enemy if he comes to assault you.
“Take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:
ML 03/31/1912