“Surely this opened the eyes of the Megs,” said Alicia.
“These poor weavers showed more intelligence than superstitious Hindus usually do,” observed Mr. Hartley. “They did not at once fall down at Maston Singh’s feet and worship him as a god. They said to the impostor, ‘You have indeed dug up Hinduism and Mohammedanism by the roots, but you have not given us one ray of light.’ The honest people thereupon consulted together, and after three days of warm discussion they thus gave Maston Singh their decision in regard to his blasphemous claim:—
“‘We ask you to satisfy us just on one point. You say that there is no being in the universe greater than yourself. Now, if you will give us some proof of your power to create and give life, we will be content to follow your teaching. We do not ask you to make a camel, or buffalo, or an elephant, but only a little worm. You can make this of clay; but make one, be it ever so small, and give it life, so that it shall go, and we will believe.’”
“Well done, weaver philosophers!” laughed Robin. “Your proposition was a poser indeed. One would have liked to see the atheist’s face when he was asked to create a worm.”
“The poor weavers’ test was a good one,” remarked Harold,—“the Almighty having reserved the power of giving life to Himself.”
“I hope that the wretched Maston Singh was kicked out of the village by the Megs!” exclaimed Robin.
“No,” replied his father: “deceived and robbed as they had been, the weavers behaved as Christians might have done. Their spokesman thus rebuked the deceiver, who had betrayed their trust and fattened on their bounty: ‘You have said there is no God; we can never receive this. There is a Creator who made the earth and the heavens.’ Then the weavers, without injuring him, sent the false guru away; and Maston Singh departed—I hope with sorrow and shame—from those whose simple faith he had vainly tried to destroy.”
“And did no Christian come to tell these dear people the true way to salvation?” exclaimed Alicia.
“The messenger of Satan was followed by the messenger from God,” replied Mr. Hartley. “The gospel was preached with success to the weavers. They learned not only to revere the divine Creator, but to adore the blessed Redeemer, who from the fallen worm—man—could raise the renewed man, indued with life, and that life everlasting.”
“Oh, it is a grand thing to be a missionary, a real missionary!” cried Alicia Hartley.