then place it before their tents for the wind to blow it about.

This is _their_ way of praying to their gods.

And what, my dear child, is _your_ way of praying to your God?

Have missionaries visited the Tartars?

Yes; I will tell you of two German missionaries, who tried to convert a
tribe of Tartars called the Kalmucks, living near the Caspian Sea and the
river Volga. These good men were treated with great contempt by the
Tartars. The missionaries translated the Gospel of St. Matthew into the
Tartar language. One of the Tartars, instead of thanking them, observed,
"I wonder you should take so much trouble to prepare a book that we shall
never read." When the precious books were given to the Tartars, some of
them returned the books; and when it was read to them, they scornfully
said, as they turned away, "It is only the history of Jesus."

At last one Tartar, named Sodnom, believed in Jesus. He said to the
missionaries, "Now the Tartars, from my example, may turn to the Lord:
for as, when sheep are to be washed, each is afraid to enter the water
till _one_ has been in, so it may be with my countrymen."

Sodnom read every evening in the Testament to his family in the tent. At
first his wife was displeased, and said that her husband wasted the
fire-wood in making a light to read a book that was of no use. But
afterwards she listened, and made the children keep quiet. The neighbors
also listened, and _twenty-two_ turned to the Lord!

Then the prince and the priests grew angry, and said the Christians must
leave the camp. Where could the Christians go? There was a village called
Sarepta, where some Germans lived. There they determined to go, though it
was two hundred miles off. One of the missionaries led the way on
horseback; the Tartars followed on foot: then came camels bearing the
tents and the women, while a bullock-cart contained the young children.
The flocks and herds were driven by the bigger children.

The good Germans in Sarepta received the Tartars with great joy. One
gray-headed man of eighty-three came to meet them, leaning upon his
staff. He said he had been praying that he might see a _Christian_ Tartar
before he died. He heard these Tartars sing hymns to the praise of
Jesus, and he felt his prayers were answered. Two days afterwards he
died. Like old Simeon, he might have said, "Lord, now lettest thou thy
servant depart in peace, for mine eyes have seen thy salvation."

The Christians went to liv