Could I Keep the Good News?

From: Messages of God's Love: 1904

A NEW Zealand girl was taken to England to be educated. She became a true Christian while there. When she was about to return, some of her play-mates tried to dissuade her. They said, “Why go back to New Zealand? You are accustomed to England now. You love its shady lands and clover fields. It suits your health. Besides, you may be shipwrecked on the ocean. You may be killed and eaten by your own people; everybody will have forgotten you.”

“What,” she said, “do you think I could keep the good news to myself? Do you think that I could be content with having got pardon, and peace, and eternal life for myself, and not go and tell my dear father and mother how they may get it, too? I would go if I had to swim there.”

The dear girl was obeying the Lord Jesus, when He said, “Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee; and hath had compassion on thee.” Mark 5:19¹⁹Howbeit Jesus suffered him not, but saith unto him, Go home to thy friends, and tell them how great things the Lord hath done for thee, and hath had compassion on thee. (Mark 5:19).

Now, O Lord, we ask Thy blessing,

On the words which we have read:

Precious words! on which Thy children

Have, by Thee, been often fed—

Feed us, likewise,

For we have to Jesus fled.

Should a heart before Thee, Father,

Know not Thee, or Thy sweet love,

Oh, attract that heart to Jesus,

Never more from Him to rove—

Gracious Father,