“Why didn’t you tell us soon­er?
The words came sad and low;
O ye who know the Gos­pel truths,
Why didn’t you let us know?
The Sav­ior died for all the world,
He died to save from woe;
But we ne­ver heard the sto­ry,
Why didn’t you let us know?

“You have had the Gos­pel mes­sage,
You have known the Sav­ior’s love;
Your dear ones passed from Chris­tian homes,
To the bless­èd land above.
Why did you let our fath­ers die,
And in­to si­lence go?
With no thought of Christ to com­fort,
Why didn’t you let us know?

“You say you are Christ’s dis­ci­ples,
That you try His work to do;
And yet His ve­ry last com­mand
Is dis­ob­eyed by you.
’Tis in­deed a won­drous sto­ry!
He loved the whole world so,
That He came and died to save us!
Why didn’t you let us know?

“O souls re­deemed by Je­sus,
Think what your Lord hath done!
He came to earth and suf­fered,
And died for ev­ery­one.
He ex­pect­ed you to tell it!
As on your way you go;
But you kept the mes­sage from us!
Why didn’t you let us know?

O hear the pa­the­tic cry­ing,
Ye who dwell in Chris­tian lands!
For Af­ri­ca stands be­fore you,
With plead­ing, out­stretched hands;
You may not be able now to come,
But some in your stead may go;
Will you not send us teach­ers?
Will you not let us know?