March 1926
T H E K I N G ’ S B U S I N E S S
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of enthusiasm. Best of all, he was an earnest, intense Chris tian, and in his zeal for developing the old farm, he did not intend to forget the development of the souls of the Indians he would need to help him carry on the work. To reach the plains above, William and his companion chose the easier of two paths, one of which wound leisurely up the mountain, the other led up the face of the rock down which tumbled the foaming white cascade. The view was magnificent, when once the plateau was reached. A forest of low, bushy scrub covered the mountain side. Through this bushy scrub the path led along a narrow sheep trail, sometimes high above gloomy ravines to stumble into which would mean certain death before reaching «the bottom. Finally, climbing higher and higher they reached the punas or uplands whereon herds of sheep, cattle and llamas were grazing. Climbing still higher they reached the lake, clear and cool, from which the prince brought his stream of water. There are the walls and the sluice-gate, still testi fying to the heroic love of the young prince who tried but lost. Here, at a height equal almost to that of Mont Blanc, was a group of huts where lived the tenders of the herds of alpacas. The beauty and grandeur beggared description, as the two young men gazed about them from the heights. A land of promise it became to them, a promise of much harvesting of souls for the Lord. The work as they were planning it, would bring to them great- numbers of the Indians, and their foremost concern would be telling them 'the good news of salvation. “ The time will come," said William, “ when this will be but one of many farms reclaimed for the Lord and His work." ___ ..... . .. ___ ■¡■Jri. ' ’ • ... CHAPTER 20 WILLIAM ATTACKED HE little band of isolated missionaries worked through the days with joy and enthusiasm. They seemed to forget the mud houses in which they were living, the lonely Isolated life which lay before them, the hard work, the sorrow, the trials that would come to them, for the discovery of a diamond mine could not bring such a radiant joy to faces as shone through theirs. It was not recklessness, nor insensibility to depriva tion and isolation, but the joy of seeing, by the eye of faith, Him who is invisible, and having His fellowship in a daily walk with Him. There is nothin# of earth joys that can compare with this. Two yeafrs, and then three, slipped by on the farm of Romance, and much progress was made. Mr. Foster was capable, both in his chosen work and in his dealings with his Indian helpers, so the work of developing the farm grew amazingly, faster than one could well account for, had he not known of the modern machinery for cultivating the farm that one friend and then another sent to Peru for such use. As was expected, the Indians were attracted to the farm, heard the Gospel preached, and began to accept the good news. Numbers were saved, and were eager now tp learn more of the Bible. Bible 1 classes, accordingly, were established, and to this work Rose devoted much of her time. Indians and Cholos children began to come to them, orpjhans, some of them, and some were motherless. So an orphanage became a necessity. Mrs. Foster undertook this work, and gathered the children in just as fast as there were accommodation and support for them. Always the number wishing to come was far in excess of the accommodations for them. It is one of the great griefs of the missionary life that one’s work is thus limited, and usefulness hindered, (Continued on Page 172)
and clear as the snow above, and thus he brought the waters to his loved one’s home. But alas for him, his brother had accomplished his work first, and became the accepted lover of the Nuesta. This settled the affair so far as the general was concerned, but It was not settled between the young princes. So each summoned troops, and a number of bloody lights were entered into, which ended in the defeat and death of the prince who had undertaken the harder task. History tells that Nuestra married the young prince and lived happily with him, but the Indians tell a different tale. As the Indian passes what remains of the Nuesta’s house and bath today, he takes off his hat, and his story is that the beautiful Ima-Sumach loved the unsuccessful suitor. This is probably more nearly right; it sounds more truly feminine than the other. Ima-Sumach, so the Indian ver sion ijuns, was hoping and praying for the success of the one she loved, and when he failed she could pot bring her self to accept his rival. So as she stepped from her home one morning to greet the Sun-god, and to pass on to her bath, she prayed for deliverance and sprang into the water. Here, legend avers, the Sun-god answered her prayers and changed her into a great rock, that she might forever be true to her dead love. The Indians show the rock at the foot of the knoll, where stands the ruins of the old bath, and they say that therein dwells the spirit of the Nuesta. It has been surrounded by a wall, in which are little stone cells where unfortunate and sorrowing ones came to pray to the spirit of the lovely maiden. Even today Indians bring their gifts to this place, which they have made a shrine, and guidance is sought of the Nuesta’s spirit when they find themselves in difficulty. Ima-Sumach, her father, the princes, King Rocca— all are gone, and only the legendary story remains, pleasing in its quaintness and romance. But the terraces are there and the mountain lake fed by snows still waters the old-farm, and the ruins of the old buildings are still in evidence. The old farmhouse stood on a bluff commanding a beau tiful view of the valley, and although it had been designed for a magnificent place it was unfinished and uninhabitable when the missionaries reached there. Those who lived there before the purchase of the farm by the mission occupied a little mud house which for the time being furnished a habi- tation for the Fosters and Rose Emmett. Amy Foster and Rose began at. once to make the place homelike and to plan for the completion of at least a por tion of the substantial old stone house. It would take time and money, but it was an occupation of no little interest to plan for the home they knew they must ultimately have if they were to do effective work. William and Mr. Foster spent days going over the farm and planning how to utilize the land to the best advantage as a farm, as well as a lure for drawing Indians within Teach of the Gospel. In front of the house along the river front lay flat land descending by terrace steps to the river. Here were at least a thousand acres of land suitable for corn and pasturage. The ground they found was well watered the year around by the two streams brought to them cen turies ago by the two lovelorn princes. Only the most primitive methods of work had been car ried on, in times past, on the old farm. Threshing was done by the oxen treading out the grain. Winnowing was done by letting the grain fall from the shoulder in a sack, the wind carrying away the chaff. There was no machinery of any kind on the farm. Donkeys, llamas and men had been the burden bearers for ages. “ But we will change all that as fast as we can," said Mr. Foster. He had spent his early life on a farm, and was full
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