Mayme

A hundred and four years ago William and Armenta (he from Kentucky, she from Iowa) were the proud parents of a baby girl, Mayme Emeline. We find them in the 1910 census next door to a couple that could William’s parents, on a farm in Missouri.

This past Saturday, Mayme (the last of my Beloved Husband’s living aunts) passed away. Her husband of 34 years preceded her in death in 1969. She lived longer without him than in marriage with him.

We spoke to them of our church work and the children’s activities, but I never asked about their relationship to God. I never heard her testimony, her witness of her faith, though I had known her for fifty years. Without that information I cannot know if we will meet again.

Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: (Matthew 28:19 KJV)

And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. (Mark 16:15 KJV)

And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. (Luke 24:47 KJV)

Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you. (John 20:21 KJV)

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. (Acts 1:8 KJV)

Where, in any part of the Bible, does it say: Go and tell, except for family and friends? Speaking about religion might offend them, so don’t bother them?

Instead, we are instructed: But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: (1 Peter 3:15 KJV)

God has instructed us to speak of Him, providing answers as to why we hold our faith. He also gives us reasons: The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9 KJV)

Writing of His promises comes easy to me. Speaking of them within the church comes easy, too. Asking the question of relatives, though, is difficult. Yet Christ knew that His words could be considered offensive: Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it? When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you? (John 6:60-61 KJV)

We fear the same results: From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. (John 6:66 KJV)

I’ll not go back, but continue to walk with Him. Please, join us.