CHAPTER XIV 



A CORN OF WHEAT 

 "In deaths oft" 



NOT a great deal has been said about Mr. Parker 

 in these pages. The reason, of course, is that 

 a young missionary cannot, in the nature of things, 

 at first figure in the active work of the Mission so 

 prominently as his elder colleague who has had 

 many years of experience. His time is necessarily 

 taken up with learning the language, the habits, 

 and ways of the people to whom he is sent. 



Mr. Parker, however, had made very rapid ad- 

 vance. On Mr. Peck's return from Kikkerton he 

 tells us that his companion is fairly proficient in the 

 language, and is able to take the meetings and 

 instruct the people. 



He had previously won his way to the hearts of 

 the Eskimos through his medical skill and sympa- 

 thetic manner. They called him " Lukta," which 

 was their corruption of our word Doctor. But 

 more than this, as he was somewhat short in stature, 

 they had bestowed upon him a diminutive of affec- 

 tion, " Luktakuluk," which is "the kind little 

 doctor." The native children had also become very 

 much attached to him. 



Altogether, he seemed to be becoming now daily 



m 



