“A Forgiving Boy.” “Mamma,” said little Charley, “now I’ve got a new sled, what shall I do with my old one?” Presently he added, “Mamma, there’s a chance to do something real good.”
“What is it, Charley?”
“Why, you see, mamma, if there’s any boy I hate, it’s Tim Tyson. He’s always plaguing and teasing me and all the other little boys. It never does any good to get cross, for that is just what he likes: but then Tim likes sledding very much and he has no sled. I’ve a notion to give the old sled to him. It will show him that I forgive him. It might make him think, and do him good. Mightn’t it?” “Yes, it might,” said the mother.
So Tim got Charley’s sled. The kind, forgiving spirit of the little boy he had teased so much touched him greatly. It made him think. It did him good. After that Tim never teased Charley again, or any of the other little boys.
“How a Bishop Taught Forgiveness.” There was once a good bishop who lived at Alexandria in Egypt. One day a nobleman came to see him. He told the bishop about a person who had done him a great wrong. He got very angry about it. “I never will forgive him,” said he, “as long as I live.”
Just then the bell tinkled for prayers in the bishop’s private chapel. He rose to go into the chapel and asked the nobleman to follow him. The bishop kneeled at the railing of the little chancel. He asked his friend to repeat the Lord’s prayer after him, sentence by sentence. This was done till they came to the sentence “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.” When the bishop had offered this prayer he waited for the nobleman to say it after him, but he was silent. He said it again but there was no answer. Then the bishop was silent and gave his friend time to think. Presently the nobleman rose to his feet and said:
“I dare not offer that prayer, while I feel as I now do. It would be asking God never to forgive me. I must forgive if I expect to be forgiven.”
Then he left the chapel, sought out the person who had injured him, and told him that he freely forgave him. After this he went back and finished his prayer with the good bishop.
The lesson of forgiveness, is one lesson taught us by the crucifixion of our Saviour.