poor and needy." She thought she would read on just there, and see
what it said; and imperfectly, and after long endeavors, she made out
this verse, "Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord:
though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow;
though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool."
Then she glanced at a verse above, "Wash ye, make you clean:
put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil;
learn to do well."

These verses conveyed to her dark, unin-structed mind two very
clear ideas. One was that she was to forsake every thing that
appeared to her like sin, and to do right in future; and the other,
that she was permitted to reason with the Lord about the sins she
had committed; both which she at once resolved to do.

Her prayer now was changed. Before she had begged, entreated the Lord
to forgive her sins; now she brought arguments. "Am I not a
poor slave, Lord," she cried, "that never has known nothing at all.
I never heard no preaching, I never had nobody to tell me how to be saved.
I have done a good many wicked things, but I didn't know they were
wicked then; and I have left undone many things, but I didn't know
I ought to be so particular to do them. And, Lord, out of your
own goodness and kindness won't you forgive this poor child.
You are so full of love, pity me, pity me, O Lord, and save my poor soul.
I will try to be good. I will try to do right. I'll never,
never dance no more. I'll try to bear all the hard knocks I get,
and I won't be hard on them that's beneath me, and I will pray,
and try to read the Bible, and I'll talk to the rest of the people;
only, Lord, forgive my sins, and take this load off that's breaking
my heart, and make me feel safe and happy, so I won't be afraid