'Tell me, Miss Anne, what will He do for me
besides forgiving me?'
'Look, Stephen,' she replied, pointing to the distant sky where the sun
was going down amid purple clouds, and bidding him turn to the grey
horizon where the sun had risen in the morning; 'listen: "As far as the
east is from the west, so far hath He removed our transgressions from
us." And again: "He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He
will subdue our iniquities; and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the
depths of the sea." And again: "For I will be merciful to their
unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no
more." This is the forgiveness of our Father, Stephen.'
'Oh, how different to mine!' cried Stephen, hiding his face in his
hands.
'Yet,' said Miss Anne, 'you may claim the promise made to us by our
Lord: "If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will
also forgive you," in a far richer measure, with infinite
long-suffering, and a multitude of tender mercies.'
'Lord, forgive me, for Jesus Christ's sake!' murmured Stephen.
But the dusk was gathering, and the others were returning to them under
the old yew-tree, for there was the long ride over the hills to
Danesford, and the time for parting was come.
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