The teachers of the Seminary enjoyed very much the visits of the
early inquirers from Geog Tapa, in the summer of 1845, most of whom
became hopefully pious the following winter. Let us look in on one
visit made towards the end of May. A pupil announces that two women
below wish to see Miss Fiske; and a middle-aged stranger is shown
into her room. In answer to the usual inquiry, "From whence do you
come?" she replies, "I have come from Geog Tapa, for I have heard
that you have repented, and I want to know about it." She has walked
six miles on purpose to make the inquiry. "I wish that you, too, had
repented," calls forth the reply, "Alas, I have not! I am on my way
to destruction." Feeling that the Bible was the safest guide for
such an inquirer, Miss Fiske reads appropriate portions, explaining
as she reads. The visitor shows a great deal of Bible knowledge for
one who cannot read, indicating that she had not been inattentive to
the faithful instructions of Priest Abraham and Deacon John, and her
questions are numerous and intensely practical. Among other things,
she asked, "Is it true, that for one sin Adam and Eve were cast out
of Eden?" and on being told that it was so, "There," said she,
turning to the unconcerned neighbor, who had come with her, "do you
hear that? What will become of you and me, who have sinned so
often?" At length prayer was proposed, to which she eagerly and
tearfully assented; and though the tongue that commended her to
Jesus, in that strange language, might have faltered, the heart did
not share in the embarrassment.
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