Mary Liddiard | Page 5

to try to serve and obey
and please Him!"
"Yes, indeed, Lisele, if you thus trust in Christ, if you believe that His
blood was shed for you, that you are sprinkled with it, you may be
assured that God has taken you into favour, that He has blotted out all

your sins, and that when you leave this world you will be received into
that glorious heaven which He has prepared for all those who love
Him."
"Oh, I am sure what you tell me is true," exclaimed the Indian girl,
clasping her hands, while a look of joy irradiated her countenance. "I
long to know more of that kind and merciful Jesus, and love Him and
serve Him. I must go and tell my father all you have said, and get him
to come and hear himself about Jehovah. Your religion is just what we
want in this country, for nothing else will prevent the people from
fighting and murdering each other, which cannot be pleasing to a good
God, though our priests tell us that our gods delight in war and in the
human sacrifices offered to them, and encourage our warriors to kill
and burn their prisoners."
"Our religion is not only suited to the inhabitants of these islands, but
to people of all countries, and at all times," said my mother. "It is the
only true religion, because it is the only one which God has given to
man, and He has sent us the Bible that we may learn what His will is,
and He pours out the Holy Spirit that we may understand and be
enabled to perform it. And the time will come when `all kings shall fall
down before Him; all nations shall serve Him,'" (Psalm 72 verse 11.)
All the other girls had returned to their homes. Lisele remained, eager
to gain more information about the wonderful things she had heard.
What a happy thing it would be if boys and girls in Britain were as
anxious to obtain spiritual knowledge as was the young savage girl in
that Pacific island!
CHAPTER TWO.
OUR STATION THREATENED BY HEATHEN
NATIVES.--LISELE, ACCEPTING THE TRUTH, DESIRES THE
CONVERSION OF HER FATHER, AND OBTAINS PERMISSION
FROM HER AUNT AND ABELA TO VISIT HIM.--I DESCRIBE
OUR VOYAGE, WHEN LITTLE MAUD WAS
FOUND.--CONDITION OF THE STATION AT THE TIME WHEN

MY NARRATIVE COMMENCES.
Our little Christian settlement was truly an oasis in the wilderness. We
were closely beset by heathens, and frequently we could see them
assembling on the hill side, performing their savage dances, or
threatening our destruction with fierce gestures--shaking their clubs and
spears, and shrieking and hooting wildly.
Most of the converts settled round us belonged to the tribe of Masaugu,
Lisele's father; for although he himself still remained a heathen, he did
not oppose those of his people who wished to lotu, or become
Christians.
Among them was Lisele's aunt, the sister of her mother, with whom she
resided, and through her influence Lisele had first been induced to
attend the school.
On the day I have spoken of, when it was time for Lisele to return to
her aunt's house, she invited me to accompany her, which my mother
gave me permission to do. She wanted me to assist her in persuading
her aunt to allow her to return to her father.
"I have been so long accustomed to speak falsehoods, that if I tell her
that I wish to go she will not believe my object," said Lisele. "Besides,
she will not think it possible that so fierce a warrior as my father will
consent to lotu; but I heard your mother say the other day, that with
Jehovah nothing is impossible, and therefore I believe that if I pray that
my father's heart may be changed, he will, notwithstanding his
fierceness, become a Christian."
"I am very sure that Jehovah will hear your prayers," I remarked, "if
you offer them up according to His own appointed way, through Jesus
Christ; but still He will take His own good time to bring about what
you desire. My father often says we must not expect to have our
prayers answered exactly in the way we wish. God knows what is best,
and oftentimes He does not accomplish that which we desire; and
though we cannot comprehend His reasons, still it is our duty to pray
on in faith, without ceasing. Jehovah, too, often allows those He loves

to suffer; and though they may complain that the sufferings are very
hard to bear, He will assuredly lift them up and support them, for He
has said, `My strength is made perfect in weakness,'" (2 Corinthians 12
verse 9). This conversation lasted till we reached the house of Abela,
Lisele's aunt.
Abela was a woman of