and earth for all the blessings we
receive," answered Mr Martin, who was the missionary Mrs Ramsay had
been so anxious should come to form a station near the fort. "I shall
be amply repaid if I am permitted to win souls to Christ in this
neighbourhood."

"It will be a hard task, for they are deeply sunk in heathen ignorance,"
observed Mr Ramsay.

"An impossible task, if man alone were to engage in it," said Mr
Martin. "Man, however, is but the humble instrument; God the Holy
Spirit is the active agent, and with Him nothing is impossible. Let us
labour on, confident in that glorious fact; and whatever may appear in
the way, we may be sure that the victory will be won, not by us, but by
Him, who is all-powerful."

Such was the faith in which the new missionary commenced his labours
among the savage Crees of the woods and plains who frequented the
neighbourhood of the fort. The glad tidings of salvation by faith in
the blood of the Lamb, shed for sinful man, sounded strange in their
ears. Strange, too, it seemed to them, when they were told of His great
love, which made Him willingly yield himself up as an all-atoning
sacrifice of His abounding goodwill; and stranger still seemed His law,
that man should not only love his neighbours himself, but should love
his enemies; should do good to those who despitefully use and abuse him,
and should willingly forgive all who offend him, as he hopes to be
forgiven by God for his offences.

Among his most earnest hearers on the first day he preached the gospel
to the Indians assembled in the fort was young Laurence. He had
sufficiently recovered to leave the house, though he was now always
unwilling to be absent from it longer than he could help. All the time
he was within doors he was endeavouring to learn to read that wonderful
Book, which God in His mercy has given to man, that he may know His will
and understand His dealings with mankind.

Laurence, however, as yet had made little progress in reading, but he
could listen to Jeanie and her mother read to him without ever growing
weary.

Still as yet his mind did not comprehend many of the more glorious
truths, and he held to the idea that he himself had some great work to
do, to merit the love of God and the glory of Heaven.

He asked Mr Martin how he was to set about the work. "I want to be
very good," he said, "and to do something with which God will be highly
pleased, and then I am sure I shall go to heaven when