Forgiven

Letter, no date.

Mrs. Prekmus(?),

Since I have no time soon where I can sit down and talk to you so I decided it would be just as well to write.

When you brought up my writing in your classes, I began thinking about those years. The Lord was really working in my life because when I got home, the notebook on the Bill Gothand (?) meetings was out. Out of interest I began reading in the various sections -- such as the ones on conscience, etc. As I read, I was quickly reminded of a specific instance which occurred when I was either in the 4th or 5th grade.

On a memory verse test, we were given a passage of about 3 or 4 verses, and I had asked my mother to type out the verses on a note card. Since I hadn't memorized the passage well, as the last minute I became scared and I decided to keep the card out, beneath my paper "just in case I needed to use it." Since I had never cheated on tests, assignments, etc. before -- and haven't since then, this one incident has remained in my mind for quite some time. At the time I felt it was too small to worry about, for I had copied very little. But as time has passed, I have realized that regardless of the "size" of a wrongdoing, it is very important, and shouldn't be overlooked. Although I asked forgiveness for it, I now know that I will never have real peace until I am completely forgiven.

I know that you will understand how I feel in this matter, for I have learned a great deal through it. I will always be thankful to you for all that you taught me in those two years, and I consider myself pretty lucky to have you as a teacher for two years out of the ten I spent at Faith Baptist. Thank you again --

Sincerely

Susan

P.S. I'll try to stop by to read some of those papers of mine some time!

Found in "Black Voices" edited by Abraham Chapman. Published by Mentor, 1968.