The prison mirror. [volume] (Stillwater, Minn.) 1887-1894, 1889-09-12
Forgiveness.

OF tongue or pen, the saddest are these:
1t might have been.'" This truth has
been echoed by countless numbers of
aching hearts. and would be an appropri-
ate epitaph for the going out of many a
wasted life. AS read these words my
heart involuntarily turned in mute protest
and l sought for the sweetest words of
tongue or pen. l could think of none
sweeter than forgiveness.
TO grasp more fully the breadth of mean
ing embraced by this word we must study
it a little. Pardon" is Norman French
noting to ''give back" Pardon looks more
to outward things or consequences; thus,
magistrate may issue a pardon, but for
giveness points to an inward feeling and
supposes alienated affections. Now we can
better appreciate our subject. All human
ties. the destinies of all men. depend, to a
great extent. upon affection. Take love
out of your life and what remains? Then
picture some bond of Jealous attachment,
fOstered by years of love and unbrOken in
tercOurSe, and how wonderful it becomes.
1t is part of your daily life. part of
your very being. Then, alas. comes sin,
the grim destroyer of all sacred ties, and
ruthlessy tears the bond asunder. The
once loving friends or relatives are es-
tranged. and each wounded heart draws in
it's bleeding tendrilS and endeavOrs to for
get its sorrow. How futile the attempt!
AS the years 20 on the yearning for a rec
Oncliation grows stronger, the injured
one forgets the injury. the erring one re-
pentS the sin, forgiveness is extended, and
the sorrow of years is forgotten in the Joy
of reunion.
Forgiveness. to come to full fruition, must
be accepted as we'll as extended. Of neces-
sity, forgiveness must come from the in
jured person; and therefore, to forgive is
said to be divine attribute; and OF all at
tributes, divine or human, can think of
none other that carries with it such
wealth of blessing. If the friends and loved
ones of many OF the inmates here could
read their hearts and know how eagerly
they long for this human sympathy and
forgiveness feel sure that aching hearts
would soon be eased, and l know of no
stronger barrier to sin than reunited affec-
tiOns-fOrgivenesS
A few days ago the P. M. stopped at my
door with letter in his hand. Referring
to it he said: Il am always glad to have
letters to give to the boys. but here is one
that will never accomplish it's mission. The
one to whom it is written looked anxiOusly
for it for nearly two years. He had written
home. but no answer had ever been re-
ceived. The weeks and months went by,
but every day he was waiting for me, and
as l saw the look of sadness grow deeper
and despair gradually displace expectancy,
it became very sad duty for me to pass
his cell. AS the expiration of his sentence
drew nearer he became bitter and reckless
and on the last morning he said to ME:
1t is all over now, my childhood and my
childhOOd's home are gone. 1 guess my
folks never want to hear from me again,
and they never will He left the prison
yesterday and to-day this letter came. It
contains several family photographs and
undoubtedly loving letter, but it came one
day too late. Is not it sad case?" AS
the p. NJ. ceased speaking could not help
exclaiming, "a sad case indeed. and the
unfOrgiving silence of these two years may
have hardened that young mans heart and
given him an impetus on the downward
road that he can never recover FROM"
Yes" assented the M, ''he certainly
cared very little what became of him and
he told me that he was going west and
would keep on going. that his only desire
was to get away and lose himself. to forget
his own Identity"
There is no temptation that can so ire
sistibly urge man to ruin. that filings so
widely open the gates of degradation and
wretchedness. and hurls the victim SO surely
to moral death, as the despair consequent
upon severed affection and a refusal of tor
giveness. especially if the latter has been
earnestly sought. Who can say what was
in this young mans soul when he crossed
the threshold of this prison? We can only
imagine a hardness and bitterness un-
speakable. Il guess they don't want to