As he said this he pointed to the top of the great flat iron stove in which a fire was burning, for it was in the depth of winter. Of course the missionary was informed of this daring brother’s unbelief, and a good lesson in geography had to be administered to him by means of the map of the two hemispheres hanging on the wall. He manfully acknowledged to the missionary his error, and promised to make it right with the audience the next time he stood up to address them. This he endeavoured to do in the following manner:
“Brothers, I made a mistake when I last addressed you, when I said I did not believe that the world was round. It is round. I have seen it. It is like two moons flattened against the wall.”
Of course this would never do, and so the missionary had to take him in hand again and give him another lesson. This time he used his large ball-like globe, swung on its axis in its frame, which was supported on three feet. Patiently the minister showed him how the world was like a great ball, round in every direction. Attentively the Indian listened, and carefully examined the globe and the frame in which it hung.
“Yes,” he said to his teacher, “I was wrong. I have it now. I will explain it to the people.”
When the first opportunity offered he was as good as his word, and so he thus addressed them:
“Brothers, I seem to be hard to learn, but I have got it now. Yes, the world is round every way. It is not flat even one way. It is round. Yes, it is round, but then it stands upon three legs.”
So another and even more thorough lesson was needed to knock those three legs away.
As a general rule the Indians who were appointed to speak kept within their own depths, and very sensible and appropriate were their utterances.
Christmas Day and New Year’s Day were great times of feasting and gladness at the mission village among the Christian Indians. On Christmas Day
