Too Good to Keep

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 19, 1885

Too Good to Keep.—A New Zealand girl was brought over to England to be educated. She became a true Christian. When she was about to return, some of her playmates endeavored to dissuade her. They said: "Why do you go back to New Zealand? You are accustomed to England now. You love its shady lanes 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. Every body 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 can get it too? I would go if I had to swim there! Do not try to hinder me, for I must go and tell my people the good news."

A FRIEND of ours was passing a large public school for girls in this city [Boston] just as the pupils were coming out. Near by stood a man distributing copies of a certain story paper, which most of the girls readily accepted. Our friend secured a copy, and found the sheet to contain parts of six serial stories by one author, all of a highly objectionable character. They were not openly and grossly immoral, but dealt with such themes as the revenge of a beautiful woman for real or fancied wrongs, and by their vulgar sensationalism and blood-thirstiness were almost as dangerous as if they had been.

The paper was far from being what careful parents permit their children to read, and such parents need to maintain a careful oversight upon their boys and girls lest the work of corrupting them be advanced before the fact becomes known of its having been attempted.—Congregationalist.