Many years ago, during the years 1812-1814, Britain and the United States were at war. Often the Indians too were involved in the war, usually fighting on the British side. Most of the battles were fought along what is now the Canadian-U.S. border, and many sad and touching incidents occurred.
The story we want to tell you occurred at Fort Meigs, an American fort on the Maumee River just south of the western end of Lake Erie, near the place where the city of Toledo, Ohio, now stands. During the month of April, 1813, Major-General William Henry Harrison and his troops were camped there. The British were gradually surrounding him, hoping to attack with the help of the Indians. Harrison was badly outnumbered by the British and the Indians and was anxiously waiting for reinforcements from Kentucky. Their supplies of food and ammunition were low. In addition, he had not had time to dig proper wells inside the fort, and so his men had either to drink dirty water or risk going outside the fort to get water from the river.
Each night, Metoss, head chief of the Saul Indians, crossed the river from his tepee near the British camp and hid in the trees near Fort Meigs, hoping to shoot one of the enemy or take a prisoner. Well accustomed to the woods, he was able to creep around the fort unseen, sometimes even climbing into tall trees to fire down on the men inside the fort.
On one occasion, his 13-year-old son wanted to go with him, but Metoss urged him not to go. However, when the boy pleaded his father gave in, and so together they went over to Fort Meigs.
They went very close to the fort, thinking that no one could see them. This time, however, the Americans had spotted them. Suddenly a tremendous roar was heard, and a volley of grape shot ripped through the woods. Metoss was unhurt, but his young son was hit several times and died in his arms a few moments later.
Metoss was wild with anger and grief and thought only of one thing: revenge! The night before, he had captured a young American soldier who had risked going to the river. The young soldier now lay in Metoss’s tepee, securely tied so that he could not escape. Metoss picked up the body of his son and went back across the river in his canoe, intending to kill the young soldier with his tomahawk.
But someone else was at his tepee too. A British fur trader by the name of Robert Dickson, also an official of the British Indian Department, had heard the shots and seen Metoss quickly come back across the river. Guessing what had happened, he hurried to meet him. Dickson had been very good to the Indians over the years and had, more than once, gone without food himself in order to save them from starvation. He had earned their trust and respect as few others had. With great difficulty, he was able to persuade Metoss to turn the prisoner over to him. Later, Metoss’s young son was buried with full British military honors, but his father could not be consoled.
We are touched by this story, and many others like it could be told. Does it not remind us of how God sent His Son into an unfriendly world? Metoss and his son went over to Fort Meigs, intending to kill and to take prisoners, but God sent His Son that we might be saved. During His life, the Lord Jesus did nothing but good in this world, yet men took Him and crucified Him. But instead of judgment, which we all deserve, God showed mercy to us, and now we can be saved through the blood of His Son, the Lord Jesus. We read in 1 John 1:77But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin. (1 John 1:7), “The blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanseth us from all sin.” Metoss unwillingly gave up his prisoner and did not kill him, but he did not forgive those who had killed his son. He could not forget what had happened, and he continued to fight against the Americans for the rest of the war. But “God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:88But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. (Romans 5:8)). Robert Dickson was a kind man who was a go-between for the prisoner and saved his life, but he could not set him free. Although the soldier’s life was spared, he remained a prisoner until the end of the war. But God wants to free you from your sins now, through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. “He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life” (John 3:3636He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. (John 3:36)).
Has God forgotten what this world did to His Son? No indeed, and for those who do not accept the Lord Jesus Christ as their Saviour, there is a day of judgment coming. God must punish sin, and those who reject God’s offer of mercy must suffer in hell for all eternity. Why not come to the Lord Jesus today? He loves you and wants to be your Saviour.
ML-12/31/2000
Bible Stories