d ask her forgiveness. I will first be
reconciled, and then come and offer my gift."

She went to Mary's room, and putting her arms around her neck, she said,
"Dear sister, I cannot ask God to forgive me my trespasses this night
until I have told you how sorry I am that I treated you so unkindly this
afternoon. You are a good, affectionate sister to me, and I am very
ungrateful. Will you forgive me? I will try to check my impatient
feelings in future, and I hope to try in better strength than my own."

"I am quite ready to forgive you," said Mary, affectionately: "the
offense to me is but a trifle; it is not that I regret. It is the sin we
commit against God, when we give way to improper feelings of any kind,
we should mourn over. He has commanded us to be patient and forgiving;
and it makes me sad to think how often we grieve his Holy Spirit by
doing what we know is wrong."

"It is a source of daily sorrow to me," replied Isabella, "that I cannot
cultivate the temper of mind which is pleasing to God and man."

"I have rejoiced lately, dear Isabella, to see you bear many little
disappointments patiently; and until yesterday I have scarcely heard a
hasty word from you for some time. I hope you will persevere, and that
we shall both of us grow better as we grow older."

"Yes," said Isabella, "I have endeavored lately to subdue my evil
temper, which is the source of so much trouble to me, I had hoped that I
had in some degree succeeded, for many a time when I have felt an angry
passion rising, I have tried to lift up my heart to God, and to say,
'Lord, give me strength to resist this temptation;' but to-day I have
gone very far back, and how can I be forgiven for thus breaking the
solemn resolution I made on my birth-day?"

"Do not say so, Isabella. Humbly confess your fault before God: he will
forgive you according to his promise through Christ Jesus, and encourage
you in your renewed efforts. God seeth not as man seeth: he knows how
frail and weak we are, and he sees every penitent tear, and rejoices
over every effort we make to overcome besetting sins. Our Lord Jesus
Christ should be our example of forbearance. No angry words were ever
heard from him, and he is not willing to hear them from those who call
themselves his followers. Let us pray, my dear sister, 'that the same
mind may be in us that was also in Christ Jesus.'"

"I hear kind instructive words from you, my dear sister, and from my
parents, teachers, a