Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-06-06

Elind the msan things that have been
done him
On the other hand. you can find here
and rhsre man or Woman tfor there
are not many Of thenl whose disposition
Is genial and summary. Whyf Have
they always been treated welis On, no.
Hard things have been said against
them They have been charged with
oficiousness; and their gene-osities have
been set down 10 desire for display,
snd they have many time been the
subject Of IItie-tsSlle, and they have
had enough small assaults like gnals
and enough great attacks like lions TO
have made them perp-tually miserable,
II they would have consented 10 be mis-
cradle.
But they have had enough divine phil
osopby 10 cast Of the annoysnces, and
they have kept themselves In the sun
light OF Goa's favor. and have realized
that these oppositions and hindrsnces
are part of a mighty discipline, by
which they are 10 Be prepared for use
fuiness and heaven The secret Of il all
Is. they have by the help Of the eternal
God learned how to forget
FORGIVE AND FORGET.
Another practical thought-whsn our
faults are repented Of let them 60 out Of
mind. IL God forgets them. we have q
right TO forget them. Having once re-
pented Of our infelicirios and misde-
msanors. there Is no need Of our repent
ing Of them again. Suppoee / owe you
a large sum of money. and you are per-
suaded am incapacitated TO pay, and
you give me acquittal from that obhga-
ton. You say; Il cancel that debt
All is right now. Start again" And
the nextday come in and say: "You
know about that big debt l owed you.
have come in 20 get You 10 let me of.
fe / so bad about it ! cannot rest. Do
let me Of" You reply with q little i'm
patience: Il did let You of. Don't
bother yourself and bother mo with any
more of that discussion"
The following day come in and say:
my dear sir, about that debt. can
never get over the fact that owed you
that money. II is something that weighs
on my mind Ike q milestone. Do for
give me that debt" This time you clear
lose your patience and say: ''You are q
nuisance. What do you mean by this
reiteration Of that AFFAIR." am almost
sorry forgave you that debt. Do you
doobt my veracity, or do you not under
stand the plain language in which I told
you that debt was canceledT
Well, my friends, there arc many
Christians guilty Of worse folly than
that. While it is right that they repent
OF new sins and Of recent sins, what is
the use Of bothering yourself and insult
ing God by asking him TO forgive sins
that long ago were forgiven God has
/ forgotten them. Why do you not for
get them? No. you drag the load on
with you and S65 times . year, II you
pray every day. you ask God to recall
occurrences which he has not only for
+ given bat forgotten. Quit tins folly. l
do not ask you less TO realize the turpi-
tude Of sin, but ssk you to Q higher
faith IN the promise Of God and the full
deliverance Of his mercy. He docs not
give receipt for part payment, or 90
much received on account. but receipt
in full, God having for Christ's sake de-
creed, your sins and your iniquities
will remember no more"
As far as possible, let tho disagree
ables Of life drop. We have enough
things in the present and there will be
enough in the future to disturb rs with
out running special train into the great
gone-by 10 fetch US a. special freight
things lift behind. Some ten years ago,
Z 49, ~ -. 800. a ~~S1rosH 10
remember seeing all along the route
from Omaha TO Chicago and from Chi
cago to New York hundreds and thou
sands Of freight cars switched on tho
sido tracks, those cars loaded with all
kinds Of perishable material, decsymg
and wasting.
After the strike was over did the rail-
road companies bring all that persisted
material down to the markets: No.
they threw II OF where II was destroyed,
and loaded mp with something else. Let
the long train Of your thoughts throw
OF the worse than useless freight Of .
corrupt and destroyed past, and load up
with gratitude and faith and holy de-
termination. We do not please God by
the cultivation Of the miserable. He
would rather see US happy tnsn to see
Us depressed. You would rather see
your children laugh than TO see them
cry, and your heavenly Father has no
fondness for Mysteries.
GLoRyISa IN wIcKEpNEss.
Not only forget your psrdoned trans
gressions, but allow others to forget
them. Tho chief stock ON hand of
many people Is to recount IN prayer
meetings and pulpits what big scoun-
dr-is they once were. They not only
viii not forget their forgiven deficits.
but they seem to be determined that the
church and the world shall not forget
them. II you want to declare that you
have been the chief of sinners and extol
the grace that could save such wretch
a. you were. do 20, but do not go into
particulars. Do not tell how many
times you got drunk. OF TO what bad
places you went, or how many free rides
you had in the prieon van before you
were converted. Lump IL, brother;
give II 10 Us In bulk.
II you have any scsrs got IN honorable
warfare. show them. but II you have
scars got in isncble warfare. do not dis
play them. I know you viii quote the
Bible reference TO the horrible pit from
which you were d,gged- Yee, Be- thank
fni for shst r-scue, but Do not make dis
PLAYS Of the mud Of that horrible pit or
splash 10 ever sshsr psopaa Sometimes
have felt N Christian meetings discomf7f-
~ Ana unrr rpr CnzlsrSan Sr-fce because