He was a celebrated divine who had heard the circumstances of the man's
death and who had journeyed a hundred miles to offer his services at the
burial.
"'My good friends,' the stranger began, 'I have come to rectify a great
mistake. This poor fellow mortal whose body you are committing to its
last resting place mistook the full measure of God's compassion. He
believed that he had committed that sin for which there is no
forgiveness. In his extreme anxiety to atone for his former crime, he
was led to commit another, for God requires no man to commit suicide,
and his Word expressly forbids it. My friends, I am here to-day to tell
you that there is _only one sin for which there is no forgiveness, and
that is the sin which we do not repent. That alone is the unpardonable
sin._ This man was sincerely sorry for his sin, and I am as certain that
God has forgiven him as I am that I am standing here by his grave.'"
As the old Squire spoke, Rufus raised his head, and a ray of hope broke
across his woebegone face.
"Now the question is," the old Squire continued, "are you sorry for what
you did?"
"Oh, yes, Squire, yes! I'm terribly sorry!" he cried eagerly.
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