The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1860-05-22
An Exact.

4 unto others as we wou!haye Others do unto
MS" Now, much nlisclf may be done by the
manner in which. the inty of forgiveness is
taught from the. pulpit It's commonly said
that Christians are bou-, at once and without
reserve, TO forgive allwa injurc them, however
nalicionsIy and wantof, in their good name,
property or person. lis duty thus taught is
at onge impossible, q, in high degree,
absurd. This is eyidlt wher we consider
what is impNd in tho9rgivencS$s of another
1t is.to restore him to .;T regardNs II lie were
innocent. lsIs it not sd Surely 1T Is, tor we
are ,sry required to foreigdotAenS,-rev as God,
i for Christs sake. hath tgiven u.s. and wher.
God torgivcs, Lie restof us to His tavor, ana
treats us as if we had been guilty. Now
to say that we are Mudi forgive and nothing
else. amounts TO toroi hess in the sense Of
scripture. One who has ne, and IS stiIi do'h2s,
all he can to destroy Ipeacc, deprive us OF
what is Justly our own, ga detame tic conduct
of ourselves and our deYst connections, what
is it but to say that wlff bound to GO What
/ it is impossible wc eaalo, anc what, if we
i could do. would be unrl tura,,blc and unjust.
i say unrcasouabIe.aEi wond conlound all
distinctions bctweellgd and evil unjust, be-
cause thereby men of IL best and Of the worst
conduct would. so f;lf9s depends on us, be
placed upon footing xact equality.
81 knew" says one, "a young man lmany
years ago) Of capacity3H promise who was
awakened to seriousat]1ghts about rcIlg'oh,
and was absolutely IEcn from embracing
Christianity because III could not adopt tie
duty OF forgiveness cxpandrd III the manllcr
have ncntoncdn 1lheSord's Prayer proves
this position correct :8isFurgve lis our tres
passes as we forgive tlIes who tTespass against
us" As we torgye,-shd how: is that! Ac-
cording to / he usual noion OF forgiveness, inc
petitioncan mean noting bnt tins: we 1or-
give all who trespass ssalnst us, whether tl'ey
repent or not; Hr,rJoysiorgiyc us our unrepcli-
ted sins" But if such;Epelition would be an
audaciolls insult to Gosthe notim OF forgive
hess from whiclisit isissIly deducible rAst be
false. "Old rHugh.Lsffer' who. was burned
at the stake, lnartN, IN Engand) sa!d
".Tllerctorc prove tllyse4p this wise: here Is
man who has done mel &ong has taken away
INV living or nv roodflnc; he has slandered
me- or otherwise hn,s les::s nov, at length
he comes unto Inc anifa ,nowlcdgcs his faults
and trcspassrs, and;desA me to forgive INN.
If | now feel myself req and willing to Tor,
give him tionru..d... b! JIM Of my heart, all
things that hel5 doneES Sainst me; then may
be assured that Illi;Ne elively faitll-yca, 1
may be assured that will forgive me my
sins for Christ His Soas sakc sllcre man
might. ask a. aqliestiou. ting; what if a nIan
has offended me grieSeE and has hurt me
in INV eoo,ls.or slaHdt I'D me, and is sturdy
in it; if lie stands lhsds Aicc of himself and OF
his own wickedncss; AMI .swill NOT acknowledge
lilnself shall !. torgiyE him2 Answer-truly,
God Himself does netsa he torgiycth not sins
except the sinncraes eseSsled9SsHl HlIEseIl confess
his wickeducss, and 75 E3eSlaw; y,
| am sure God reqr 21 6 sE'
He Himself Dc &
At the same tiiilA IS S'|R
.bs*ed that no ,enconrs 8
nnforgivcn. Many pei es seem to think that
not to forgive and to G!Slrc vengeance arc one
and the same, thing Pnt this is great error.
Christians are elnpV Vteally. warned against
yindictivencss. "AveHge not yourself Why?
sVcnecance is mine saith the Lord; will
repay And; 50 far from seeking revenge,
Christians are required to return good for evil;
to be ready at ell times to hcipin their need
not only friends, Eindled and. strangers, but
enemies also. BY tile grace of God We may
do Ills, and in SO doing f"we shall heap Goals
of fire on their lead.n Yet all this'col. duct
docs notilnplY forgiveness
! Our Saviour, on lsssaaMolnt, recommends
this conduct by the example Of Gods goodness
in sending rain upon tie unjust as well as the
just; yet he does not forgive the unjust. e.,
the sinner who docs mol repent, for we are told
that GOD. is:angry with the wicked every
day."
/ Upon the Whole, il Seems to me plain that
forgiveness Of. injuries IS due from Christian
only rpon the repentance Of the offender
while vengeance Tor s;tiSGction) is absolutely
prohibited to ninswlatever b.,he provocat'on );
and, oil the contrary, he is required, ii his
enemy hunger, to feId him; if he thilst, to
give linn drink and this return, upon suitable
occasions, Of good for evil b the oniy 'ere,;gc
to which a Christian may resort We often
hear folks sag, 81 can forgive, but cant for
get" This is nothing more than halfway
forgiveness and is.a gradgirg Of virtue which
lis allowed .hy the head but touches not the
heart. TIE rohlcst revenge is to have the
po,ge, to punisL those who offend lis by injury
TO ourselves, but to have the Godikc spirit mol
to use that power! This may he Il DEPRESSION
from tie main subject, but trust the eXplalia-
ton has not been modifying. l.
E.ma the Record.
F DEXri: FROM WnlsNY.-On Tuesday morn
-.