Gypsies are groups of families who roam the country in caravans. In years past, each family had a horse-drawn wagon with a little shelter built on top. At night the wagons grouped together in temporary camps, and each family set up a tent. Sometimes they stayed in one place for a number of days before moving on to another location.
Those of you boys and girls who go to Sunday school have probably sung the song about the Gypsy boy. It’s a favorite for many children. Here is the true story of that song. A preacher of the wonderful story of Jesus and His love told of his experience. It took place in England.
“Passing near a Gypsy camp, I went in among them. Some of the men were metalworkers, and I bought some of the skewers they were making.
“I learned that one of their children was sick, and I asked if I would be allowed to see him. The father asked if I wanted to talk religion to him. I said, ‘No.’ Then he asked what I wanted to talk to the boy about, and I said, ‘About Christ.’ Then the father said I could go talk to him but warned me that if I talked religion, he would set his dog on me.
“I found the boy alone and in bed. His eyes were closed, and he looked very sick and near death. Very slowly, I repeated this Bible verse in his ear: ‘God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (John 3:1616For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. (John 3:16)). I repeated it five times, but the boy did not seem to hear. When I repeated the verse the sixth time, he opened his eyes and smiled. Then, to my delight, he whispered, ‘And I never thanked Him! But nobody ever told me! I ‘turn Him many thanks. Only a poor Gypsy chap! I see! I thank Him kindly!’
“He closed his eyes with an expression of happiness. As I knelt beside him, I thanked God. His lips moved again, and I heard him say, ‘That’s it.’ There were more words, but I could not hear them.
“On going back the next day, I found that the dear boy had died eleven hours after I left. His father said he had been very ‘peaceable’ and died a ‘tidy death.’
“There were no Bibles or Testaments in the camp. I left one of each. The sad father wished me ‘good luck’ and gave me a little bundle of skewers the boy, Jimmy, had made.”
This was the first time that Jimmy had ever heard of God’s loving offer of salvation, and by faith he took God at His word. In his last hours of life, Jimmy thanked God that He so loved the world that He gave His Son for him— “a poor Gypsy chap.” In eleven short hours he exchanged the rickety Gypsy caravan for Jesus and heaven!
Boys and girls, how many times have you heard the story of God’s loving offer of salvation? Jimmy heard it just once and believed it. What about you?
Into a tent where a Gypsy boy lay,
Dying alone, at the close of the day,
News of salvation we carried. Said he,
“Nobody ever has told it to me!”
Tell it again! Tell it again!
Salvation’s story repeat o’er and o’er
Till none can say of the children of men,
“Nobody ever has told me before!”
“Did He so love me, a poor little boy?
Send unto me the good tidings of joy?
Need I not perish? My hand will He hold?
Nobody ever the story has told!”
Bending, we caught the last words of his breath,
Just as he entered the valley of death:
“God sent His Son! —Whosoever!” said he;
“Then I am sure that He sent Him for me!”
Smiling he said, as his last sigh was spent,
“I am so glad that for me He was sent!”
Whispered, while low sank the sun in the west:
“Lord, I believe! Tell it now to the rest.”
ML-03/03/2013