An old Christian black woman was going along the streets of New York with a basket of apples that she had for sale. A rough sailor ran against her and upset the basket, and stood back expecting to hear her scold frightfully; but she stooped down and picked up the apples, and said, “God forgive you, my son, as I do.”
The sailor saw the meanness of what he had done, felt in his pocket for his money, and insisted that she should take it all. Though she was black, he called her mother, and said, “Forgive me, mother; I will never do anything so mean again.” Ah! there is a power in a forgiving spirit to overcome all hardness.
There is no way of conquering men like that of bestowing upon them your pardon, whether they will accept it or not.—TALMAGE.
