Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-07

debtor, hearing the very words which hs
had offered would be touched with gym.
pathy. But not SO; ne cast the other into
prison the only thing he could do. having
no power 10 sell. proposing to confne him
until the debt was paid BY this feature n
IS evident that our Savior intended 20 con-
trast the spirit and conduct of a man who.
having received Gods forgiveness refuses
20 forgive the smaller offense OF a brother
In the church. There is double Contrast
In the relation OF the parties and the
amount OF the debt.
SERVANT PUNISHED. The mart
scene depicts the judgment that fell upon
THIS neartless servant. There are at least
four Items. l. The conduct of his feilows
VINO were sorry. who condemned and re-
ported Verse 3D. This is the hrst form OF
retribution that ovsrtakes the wronedoer
the loss OF the good opinion of his asso.
ciates. 2 The arraignment The master
calls the culprit into his presence ana
says: 20, thou wicked servant (verse 32l,
Unmerclfulness is great wickedness; IL r.
proof OF bad heart. g. The reproof. Il
mad pity on thee" said the master.
shouidest not thou have pity on thy fell
low?' Verse 33). The act which should
have softened the heart of the debtor ap-
pears 10 have hardened II. Mercy had been
atused and perverted. L. The chastise-
ment verse 34 The master was angry; he
who had been compassionate became re-
sentful. He delivered the offender over to
the officers, to be confined in prison ana
there punished, thus suffering the same as
ne had innicted upon his unfortunate fell
forced Vi IA" en-
PRINCIPLE STATED. The parah,.
pelng completed Jesus applies It to the SUBJ
Joct IN hand verse BOZ. He is strictly per-
soral speaking plainly to those who vera
ABOUT Him. He would have the apostles
know, and Of course all others also. that
GOD 8 mercy toward men Is conditioned
upon .helr attitude toward their fellow
men. My heavenly Father" he saws Sot
the moment humbling himself "shall 40
unto you, likewise az ye forgive NOT"
ana TO make the matter more forceful the
aorsiVeness must be from the heart. This
same teaching had been given in the SER
mon on the mount Matt. vi:i4-15. The
w1suom or this requirement must appear
10 all One law must prevail in the spirit-
Sat Worlocthe same governing the relation
between God and man. Otherwise there
would be favoritism and confusion. Pa
SIDES, the formation of character the de.
Veiopment of the nobler spiritual qualities
- -, possible only as man rises into that
nlsher realm and becomes Qodlike In that
he rs merciful. A feeling OF relentless ami
aaosly toward any person, whatever the
oHense' Is prejudleial to every virtue
~. - n = L n. The influence OF
m the writings of the apostles. This same
Peter, who raised the question wrote near-
~ thirty years after See that We love
One pa aho oia with pure hearts fervently" q
refer i;Z2). John doubtless had this in
terview In mind when he said: This In
the message that We have heard from the
beginning that we should love one an.
other, Paul not only condemned litigation
by church members Q Cor. vI:fl h1f saf
forth In the clearest terms the very urtu-
cipie OF Christ Eph iv:82). ''forgiving one
another even as God for Christ's sake hath
forgiven you, one of the most beautiful OF
all the precepts In Holy Writ. Under the IN
spirauon of this teaching the church OF
the first century became renowned for It's
unity. Tertullian "a. D. 145-22D in his
a n nrNy fnx IL At
the rulers of the Roman empire" altar
repelling the charges against the Christians
pleads in their defense that they are peace
able people, dwelling together in love
having no disputes among themselves, and
forgiving each others faults" that It would
be better II society were governed by the
same Christian principles. What a glad
day would 1t be If the church of our time
could set this same example before the
world and help to hasten the day of uni
yersal peaeei