Dear Boys and Girls,
Many years ago, a young man who was an American, came to know the Lord Jesus Christ as his Saviour, and the joy that this brought him made him very anxious that others should know of the Saviour too. David Brainerd, for that was his name became determined to take the gospel to the Red Indians of North America.
Those red-skins of that time were very fierce and had many strange customs. Above all else, they were very suspicious of the "pale-faces", as they called the white skinned people. It would be very dangerous for this young man to go into their country. However, so great was David Brainerd's love for the Lord Jesus that he prayed earnestly that he would be given strength and courage for the task.
You know, boys and girls, God never leaves us to our own strength when we seek to do His work in telling the gospel to others, and David Brainerd found this out in a very special way.
On his first journey to the forks of the Delaware River a strange thing happened. He had been told of a very ferocious tribe of Indians who lived in the forests of New Jersey, and he made up his mind to take the gospel to them. So, off he went, and as he approached their settlement he saw the smoke of their camp fires. It was evening, so he decided to wait until morning before going into the settlement. Before going off to sleep, David got down on his knees as usual to ask God's blessing and help for all that was before him the following day. As he kneeled in prayer, a rattlesnake crept to his side, lifted its horrible head as if to strike, flicked its forked tongue almost in his face, and them, without any noticeable reason, glided swiftly away into the brushwood.
Now as David Brainerd was on his knees, thinking that he was alone with his God there were others present – Redskins! They were silently watching all that took place and were amazed at the rattlesnake's behaviour. "The great spirit is with the paleface," they said; and they gave him a prophet's welcome, and listened to all he had to tell them about God and His Son Jesus Christ the Saviour.
Surely God answered his prayers in a wonderful way.
