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Of All Sad Words - Too Late

  • Author: Unknown
  • Editor: B-7413
  • Newspaper: The Umpire volume 5
  • Page Number:
  • Date: 1 19 1916
  • Tags:
  • advice
  • forgiveness

OF ALL SAD WORDS—TOO LATE There comes to hand the story of a man in an adjoining State who ran away from his family some twenty odd years ago and who has just returned to the home of his youth. When he left home he was a mere lad of tender years; now he is a man, mature and repentant. On each day of mail delivery since the youth flushed with anger and bitter retort, hurried out of the house to be heard from no more, his father, with sorrowing heart, went to the village post office and asked in anxious voice, "Have you a letter for me from my son?" As day followed day, the answer was always a gentle negative, and as the great leveler, time, moved on apace, the father in drooping spirits, saddened and died a heartbroken old man. The son, who was living in a distant city, happened to see the notice of his father's death in a newspaper recently, and he returned to the home of his boyhood, too late to retract the words spoken in the heat of anger. Truly, "how great a fire a little matter kindleth." From some trivial offense a quarrel took place that wrecked the peace and happiness of the home all these years, and in silence the parents suffered at the absence of their boy. What a splendid chance there would have been to show the spirit of forgiveness—but a few words were needed to set everything right, to still the aching hearts—but the few words were never spoken, for a false pride aida hardened heart had prevented their utterance. At last the heart was softened by death, but it was then too late to speak, too late to ask forgiveness. This case may not be unlike others; but there are many who still cherish a past grievance and nourish a spirit of resentment that might better be wiped away and buried in a forgotten place. Is there a better time than now to speak the words of repentance, to ask forgiveness, to effect a reconciliation with a warm hand clasp, and no not wait until it is TOO LATE?