The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1888-06-07
THE LAW OF FORGIVENESS.
An Impressive Sermon at tho Citadel
Square Baptist Church.

LA W
An Impressive Sermon at tho Citadel
Square Baptist Church.
There was, as asual, large and inter.
ested congregation at the Citadel Square
Baptist church yesterday morning, and
DR.. Ford, who has just returned from the
Southern and Northern Baptist Conven'
ton, preached one of his eloquent sermons.
While absent from home DR.. Ford was
invited to preach at one of the largest
Baptist churches in Brooklyn, N. Y,
yesterday, but he thought it his duty to
be in his own ulpit.and he consequently
declined the invitation.
DR.. Ford preached yesterday most
eloquent and..-- profound sermon. He
spoke on ''Christ's law of forgiveness" !"
as taught in Matthew iv, 14:15.
He said the text was Christ's explana.
tion Of the prayer for forgiveness. In the
prayer Christ put sign of equality
between the forgiveness We accord others
and the mercy we receive from our
Heavenly Father. Then at the close of
the prayer be returned to the truth and
again enforces it. Then in the parable
of the unmerciful servant Christ says |:
"so likewise shall NV Heavenly Father do
also unto you, if ye from your heart for.
give not every one his brother his tres.
passes" Thus Christ's law is, except we
from our heart forgive men their sins
against us, God will not forgive our sins
against Him.
On the authority Of Christ We accept
this law. By it we shall stand or fall in
that day. Yet the law is not arbitrary.
Christ refuses to forgive the unforgiving,
because such heart can neither receive
nor understand forgiveness. The law of
forgiveness is stated like the law Of mag
netism. Power to attract iron reveals a
certain character in the substance that
attracts. So power to be unforgiving
reveals a certain character in the one
who is unforgiving. In view of this
character Christ uttered His law of par.
don. To this character we direct attention.
We ask: What does an unforgiving
spirit indicate? |? first, in reference to the
character of him who possesses it, and,
second, in reference to his present, past
and future relations to God?
An unforgiving spirit indicates a hard,
grasping, exacting nature. For the
things that give offence are for the most
part trivial, things in which the wrong
is mutual, in many cases imaginary. TO
be vengeful because of such things shows
a nature cruel, hard, unchristlike. Two
pictures drawn by master artists place
such people in their true light. Shakes;
peare's Jew, shylock, with his cry, "I'li
have my bond," angry, not because of
wrong done him, but because his
ing for his debtors blood because such
pure life and unssl6sh character were
perpetual reproach to his own hard
nature; answering all appeals for mercy
With fendish "I'll have my bond, I'll
have my pound Of Aesh," is one picture
drawn in its bare ugliness, without refer
ence to his relation to God.
The other picture is that of the unmer.
ciful servant, drawn by Christ himself.
In it the moral depravity of the unforgiv-
ing heart and Gods dealing with it are
clearly indicated. The servant, just
forgiven an immense debt, goes forth to
find a fellow.servant who owed him a
paltry sum, and taking him by the
throat fercely demands pay and thrusts
him in prison for fault. Was it strange
that his fellow.servants were grieved? Is
it strange when the Lord knew he took
back the pardon already extended? Who
questions the relations of character here
made? But so and more do We disclose
inward unloveliness who, receiving
pardon from Christ, are yet unforgiving
toward our brethren.
Under the second head DR.. Ford
showed that an unforgiving spirit indica-
ted a heart yet untouceed by saving grace.
For forgiveness involved new heart,
which is Christ in US. Ee said the
Christ. life in us will do what it did in
him. Thus we have constant test
of our hope. In conclusion he asked If
professed Christians could afford to cher.
ish unforgiving feelings for such paltry
offences, where by so doing they only
closed heaven and opened hell before