irsf ihmgs rirst 
A BOOK on my shelves which I like to take 
down and read sometimes is called by the 
queer name of Mountains in the Mist.'* It was 
written by one of God's good men who lives neither 
in England nor Africa, but right at the other side 
of the world. In one part of that book he reminds 
his readers of a story told by Isaiah about a bush- 
man who made a forest clearing. V/ith the big 
tree he had felled he decided first of all to cook his 
food, THEN to replenish the fire and make himself 
warm and comfortable, and lastly, with what was 
left, to carve an idol. Food, comfort, religion, that 
w^as the order in which he placed them. Was he 
right? The Bible says not. The w^ord of Jesus 
is very plain. Seek ye first the kingdom of God 
and His righteousness, and all these other things 
shall be added unto you.*' Where the Syrian back- 
woodsman of Isaiah's story failed, the Enk bush- 
man succeeds. Before he saw the missionary, or 
heard the words of Christ, he put first things 
first." As far as he knew how, he put religion in 
the first place. Shall I tell you how I discovered 
it? I had noticed a number of things from time 
to time which made me feel certain that he placed 
a very high value upon his religion, but one day I 
saw something that told me everything, so to speak. 
A married man had determined to live in a house, 
or compound, of his own. He was tired of sharing 
