One Day The Priest, Ever On The Beg, Was Anxious To Obtain Some
Article From Me, And I Determined To Give It Only On One Condition.
Being Anxious To Tell The People The Story Of Jesus, I Had Repeatedly
Asked Permission Of Him, But Had Been As Often Repulsed.
They did not
want me, or any new "words," he would reply.
Turning to him now, I
said, "Rocanandiva, if you will allow me to tell 'words' to the
people you shall have the present." The priest turned on his heel and
left me. Knowing his cupidity, I was not surprised when, later, he
came to me and said that I could tell them words, and held out his
hand for the gift.
After sun-worship next morning the king announced that I had
something new to tell them. When all were seated on the ground in
wondering silence, I began in simple language to tell "the old, old
story." My address was somewhat similar to the following: "Many moons
ago, Nandeyara, looking down from his abode, saw that all the men and
women and children in the world were bad; that is, they had done
wrong things, such as . . . Now God has a Son, and to Him He said,
Look down and see. All are doing wicked things! He looked and saw.
The Father said that for their sin they should have to die, but that
Jesus, His Son, could come down and die in their place. The Son came,
and lived on earth many moons; but was hated, and at last caught, and
large pieces of iron (like the priest's knife) were put into His
hands and feet, and He was fastened to a tree. After this a man came,
and, with a very long knife, brought the blood out of the side of
Jesus, and He died." Purposing to further explain my story, I was not
pleased when the priest stopped me, and, stepping forth, told the
people that my account was not true. He then in eloquent tones
related to them what he called the real story, to which I listened
in amazed wonder.
"Many moons ago," he began, "we were dying of hunger! One day the
Sun, our god, changed into a man, and he walked down that road."
(Here he pointed to the east.) "The chief met him. 'All your people
are dying of hunger,' said god. 'Yes, they are,' the chief replied.
'Will you die instead of all the people?' Nandeyara said. 'Yes, I
will,' the chief answered. He immediately dropped down dead, and god
came to the village where we all are now. 'Your chief is lying dead
up the road,' he said, 'go and bury him, and after three days are
passed visit the grave, when you will find a plant growing out of
his mouth; that will be corn, and it will save you!'" Then, turning
to me, the priest said: "This we did, and behold us alive!
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