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T H E K I N G ' S B U S I N E S S
January, 1935
Junior K ING ’S BUSINESS B y M a r t h a S. H o o k e r
STALKED BY A LION B y E lbert L. M c C reery *
W e were,making our way from Doleib Hill to Nasser to take the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ to the Nuers, an African tribe. Dr. Lambie—another missionary—had been called back to Do leib Hill a few days before, and I had been proceeding as best I could, with the help o f the Abyssinian boys, towing the barge— “ The Evangel.” W e had hoped that we might be able to tie up beside a village that night, but dark ness overtook us before we had been able to free ourselves from the labyrinths of shell reefs in the river. The bank to which we tied up was for quite a distance entirely without any native huts. W e had been aware for several days that we were in that part of the country where lions might be expected, but as we lay down to rest after our evening meal, it was with little thought of what that night might bring forth. What would you think o f being startled out o f your sleep at two o’clock in the morning with the consciousness that some animal was stalking you only a short dis tance away? I awakened about that time with such a feeling; yet as I looked in the direction from which I had expected_the approach, I could see nothing. But, in a moment, from behind a clump o f grass, first from one side and then from the other, I saw the head of a lion. I kept per fectly still; and not noticing any movement on the boat, the lion raised up, looked out from the grass, and crept on. Will you tell me why I was awakened at that moment? Did you ever know a cat, as she stalks a sleeping mouse, fo make enough noise to awaken that mouse? I do not believe a cat will ever do it. I do not believe a lion, as he stalks a sleeping man, will make enough noise to awaken that man. What, then, is the answer? It came to me in the words o f Isaiah 50:4: “He t wakeneth mine ear to hear.” And I firmly believe that God awakened me at that mo ment. My first impulse, as I seized my rifle, was to fire at the lion’s head, but as I raised my rifle to my shoulder, I realized that in the darkness I could not make out the front sight o f my gun, so drew back for his shoulder and fired. He bounded away; and then all I could hear was the sound of gasping breath, and I realized that he was mortally wounded. And I be lieve that it was God who directed the bullet which stopped that lion when he was separated from me by a distance o f only six times the length o f my cot. Hearing my shot, the Abyssinian boys were aroused. On being told what had oc curred, they at once wanted to go off after the wounded lion, but I suggested that we would not venture into the tall grass in search of the wounded beast, but would wait on the boat until we had located him *Vice-President and Dean o f the Bible Institute o f Los Angeles.
or “in the solitary place” ] makest me dwell in safety;” At about three o ’clock on that mem orable morning, I again lay down to rest, with those words coming to mind with a new meaning. Dangers? Yes, there are; but the saf est place for any man or woman, for any boy or girl, is just where God wants that individual to b e ; and our greatest concern ought to be—to put our hand in His and say: “ I’ll go where you want me to go, dear Lord, O’er mountain, or plain, or sea; I’ll say what you want me to say, dear Lord, I’ll be what you want me to be.” Are you willing to say that to Him, no matter what the cost may be to you? It may mean that He will point you to A f rica or to India or to China; but remem ber that the safest place for you is in the very center of God’s will as concerns your life. “ Thou Art with Me” Again we are standing at the beginning o f another new year, three hundred and sixty-five days long. A new year is very much like a long, new road; isn’t it? When traveling, one always likes to talk with some one who has journeyed over the road, we needed to be encouraged by the Last summer, while taking an auto trip in Northern California, we heard of a new way to return home. W e read the signs at the entrance to the road, but even then we were not satisfied until we had heard— from some one who had traveled the very same road—that it was safe, and that there were many beautiful scenes along the way. Before we were ready to travel the new road, we needed to be encouraged by the words o f one who had journeyed there. And as we start out to travel the long, long road of 1935, we are glad to know of One who has gone all the way before, even Jesus, our Saviour. In John 10:4 we read: “When he putteth forth his own sheep, he goeth before." I am so glad for this precious message, aren’t you? And He who has gone ahead all the way has left us in His Word many promises of the safety o f the journey with Himself as our personal Guide—for not only does He go before, boys and girls, but He also journeys with each of us who has re ceived Him as Saviour. In Psalm 23:4 we read these precious words: “ Thou art with me." Let tis repeat them over and over—as we go to school, to Sunday- school, or are in the home, or wherever we are: “ Thou art with me.” Isn’t it wonderful to have a personal Guide to walk by our side and gently guide us all through the “ New Year” road o f 1935? —M, S. H.
and knew more as to the result of the shot. Going up to the roof o f the boat, we could hear in the stillness o f the night the heavy breathing of the beast, but we were unable to tell where he was. By climbing up on the ridgepole, I was enabled to look over the river bank. A short distance off, I saw a straw-colored object. Although it was a moonlight night, this spot was somewhat clouded over, and I could not see clearly. By the aid of my field glass, I was able to make out quite clearly the outline o f the lion and the position in which he was lying. From our place on the boat, we watched him for some time. During this time, other lions kept run-; ning in and out of the tall grass, scenting the air, evidently much disturbed at what had befallen their companion; then they would disappear into the heavy growth. After some time, a large hyena came out o f the grass and walked around the lion. As it is common for a pack of hyenas to follow a pack o f lions in their hunt, in order that they may clean up the bones after fhe lions have feasted on the flesh o f the carcass, we concluded that it might not be safe, if we wanted the skin o f this lion, to leave him there much longer. We felt quite sure that the lion must be dead, as no motion on his part had been noticed since we located him. Cautiously ap proaching him, we found the body already growing cold. The lion must have died almost instantly after falling in the place where we found him. The next morning, I found by his footprints and blood on the grass, that he was only thirty-nine feet from me when I shot him. A short time before this incident oc curred, when I had been reading in the Psalms, two verses somehow stuck in my memory. I did not then know why. I think I know the reason now. The first verse was Psalm 3 :5 : “I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for Jehovah sustaineth me.” The other was Psalm 4 :8 : “ in peace will I both lay me down and sleep; For thou, Jehovah, alone [the marginal read-
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