Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-12-27
GAS We Forgive Our Debtors"

Wnen our lhuef Nlaonh Nhnhl
Lake the sunshine and the flowers.
GAS We Forgive Our Debtors"
When a mere lad was struck with the
remark of an eminent physician, and have
thought of It hundreds Of times SINCE His
collector, in making returns, reported as
valueless an account against a gentleman
who had recently failed in business.
"This bill is good for nothing" said the
collector. "M--- has sunk everything, and
is now with his family on the world pen
niless."
The physician tool the bill, quietly tore
1t into pieces, and then, turning TO the an
fortunate debtors account, wrote across it
Settled"
"Rather losing business that" remarked
the collector.
al hope to be able to say the Lords
prayer as long as l live," was the physicians
calm reply. "Forgive us our debts as we
forgive our debtors When we say that
prayer, my friend, it behooves us to look
into our hearts, and ask ourselves how we
forgive our debtors. with what meas
ure ye mete, it shall be measured to you
again."
Hundreds of times since then, in my
world experience and contact with men,
have 1 thought of the physician's remark.
But very few have | met, who, like him,
could say the Lords prayer without asking
for curse instead of blessings for If the
Lord forgave their debts as they forgive
their debtors, their chances for eternal saliva
tion would not be worth fraction of
mite.
This defect of forgiveness is not confined
to the n-professor,-to him whose lips re-
peat not daily the holy words of that holy
petition. So far as my experience and OBJ
servation go, they who profess to have had
much forgiven, because they had sinned
much," are as rigid in their exaction of the
uttermost farthing, as the men who assume
no sanctity of life or conversation. Self
love and self.interest blind us all. They
blinded Mr.. Harvey Green, notwithstand-
ing he had passed from death unto life,"
and had the evidence Of the change in the
fact that he loved the brethren"
Harvey Green was shrewd man of bust
ness-honest in all his dealings, yet ever ex-
acting his own. He took no advantage of
others, and was very careful not to let 9TH
ers take advantage of him. While acting
on the precept, "Owe no man anything"
he never lost sight of debtor, nor rested
while the obligation remained in force. A
very natural result was that Harvey Green
prospered in the things of this world-not
that he became very rich, but so well off as
to leave no reasonable want unsupplied.
1t so happened few years ago, that a
man named Wilkins, after an unsuccessful
struggle with fortune, continued through
six or seven years, failed in business Few
men had toiled harder or suffered more;
and when at last he yielded to the pressure
of iron circumstances, he sank down for a
season, prostrate in mind and body. Every
thing he had was given to the creditors
the property paid but small percentage on
their claims,-and then he went forth into
the world, all his business relations broken
up, and under the heavy disadvantage of
his situation, bravely sought to gain for his
large, dependent family things needful to
their sustenance and growth in mind and
body.
Among his creditors was Harvey Green.
Now Mr.. Wilkins belonged to the same
church that numbered Mr.. Green among
its members. When the latter heard of the
failure, he was a great deal disturbed al
though the sum owed to him was not over
three or four hundred dollars. On refec-
tion he grew more composed.
"Mr. Wilkins is an honest man." said
he to himself. "He'n pay me sooner or
later"
1t did not take long to sell off at sad sac
rifce the stock of goods remaining in the
hands of the debtor for he threw no imped-
iment in the way of those who sought to OBJ
tain their due.
"Ah, my FRIEND" said the latter on
meeting with Mr.. Green few days after the
closing up Of his insolvent estate, "this is
sad business But if God gives me strength
will pay off every doller Of this debt be-
fore die. An honest man can never sleep
soundly while he owes his neighbor far
thing"
"The right spirit, Brother Wilkins" an
swered Mr.. Green ; I" the right spirit Hold
fast to that declaration, and all will come
out straight in the end. Though l can't
very well lie out of my money, yet will
wait patiently until you are able to pay
me. | always said you were an honest
man and am sure you will make good
my words"
"God helping me will" said the debtor
his voice trembled, and his eyes grew moist.
Oh, how dark the future looked What
a cloud was on his path What weight
of grief, modification and dependency on
bis heart
The two men parted, and each took his
homeward way, the one with countenance
erect, self-complacent feelings and elastic
step; the other, sad and depressed.
That night Mr.. Green prayed, Forgive
us our debts as we forgive our debtors"
Yet scarcely had the words died on his lips
ere he was musing on the chances in favor
of his ever receiving from the penniless Will
kins the few hundred dollars owed him by
that unhappy individual. There was no
sympathy for him in his heart, no thought
of his terrible prostration Of spirit, nothing
of pity and forgiveness. A selfish regard
for his own interest completely absorbed all
human considerations.
Time passed on. Mr.. Wilkins was no
drone. An earnest, active man, he soon
found employment-not very remunerative
at first, but sufficiently so as to enable him
to secure many comforts for his family, and
to provide for their education.
One, two, three years glided by. With
the growth of his children his expenses
increased, and kept so close tread upon
his income that he had not been able to
pay off any of the old obligations; al
though he had never lost sight of them, and
never ceased to feel troubled on account OF
their existence.
"Oh, debt, debt, debt !" he would often
sigh to himself. What would not give to
be able to say, owe no man anything.
But with my large family and limited in
come, what hope is there2 :"
This was his depressed state of mind one
day when MIR. Green called in TO see him.
Many times before this the unhappy man
had been reminded of the debt.
"llow are you getting on ?" inquired the
creditor, fixing his eyes steadily upon poor
Mr.. Wilkins, who felt sense OF suffocation,
and slightly quailed before his tyrant.
81 have much to be thankful for"
meekly answered the debtor. "My health
has been good and | have had steady en-
ployment."
"You are living very comfortably"
"And we are grateful to a kind provi-
dence for our blessings"
"Your salary is one thousand dollars"
1t is; and have six children to sup
port"
You ought to save something I've been
easy on you for long time it's three years
now, and you haven't offered me one cent.
II you'd paid me five or ten dollars at
TINA the debt would have heen lassened I