River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1910-07-28

Ion OF DIVINE Relationship anu OHiy
,hese are meant in the parable.
Furthermore, the parable does not
even consider the church on the
score of original sin. 1t is not the
thought that original sin may be
cancelled on account of prayer.
The penalty for original sin needed
to be paid, not by the prayer of the
sinners, but by the precious blood
Of Christ. But after having our
sins forgiven through turning from
sin and faith in Christ, and through
conservation to the Lord and beget-
ting of the holy spirit, then we. are
his servants, and the parable relates
to theseIonly.
The first servant mentioned in the
parable had been very derelict as
servant of God. AS follower OF
Christ he had come far short. The
time of reckoning came. He realized
it and besought Divine favor and
mercy, promising to do all he could
to make up for the deficiencies. He
was heard; the sentence upon him
was stayed. But when he went
forth to find a fellow servant who
owed him a trif1ing sum, and would
have no mercy upon him, his master
was very angry and declared that
he, too, must be harshly dealt with
and receive no mercy, because he
had shown none to his fellow servant.
His lords words were, "Shouldest
not thou also have had compassion
(mercy) upon thy fellow servant
even as l had mercy on thee?" And
his lord delivered him to the tor
mentors until he should pay all that
was due" The amount due would
not include any part of the penalty
of original sin, but merely the pen
atty for the short con1ings of the
transgressor as respects his Cove
nant relationship, as servant who
was also a debtor from the time he
became servant.
The Lords words concluding the
parable are, $50 shall also my heav-
emily Father do unto you, if We from
your hearts forgive not every one
his brother his trespasses. In an
other text our Lord inculcates the
same thought in different words,
saying: If We forgive men their
trespasses your heavenly Father
will also forgive you"
The purpose and object of our
heavenly Father in thus dealing
with us seems not clear to all. II is
not that he wishes to retaliate. II
is not that he would say to us, If
you are mean towards others | will
be mean towards you" Rather the
lesson Is this, L am kind to the un-
thankful; | have been very gracious
to you in the forgiveness of your
original sin and in accepting your
conservation to be my servant and
in bringing you into my family, but
l have called you into this position
for special purpose and you will
not be fit nor be prepared for the
service l desire for you unless you
learn the lesson of forgiveness and
generosity; hence, for your sake |
make the rule that l will be no more
generous to you and your imperfec-
tions than you are generous toward
your brethren in their imperfections.
l do this in order to teach you a
great lesson which cannot be so we'll
learned in any other way. What l
am seeking in you as my servant is
perfection in my Observation-Disclosures.
You are inclined to look at the
justice of my character and to copy
it and to deal severely with others
who are your debtors. | wish to
make clear to you that the grandest
elements of my character are illus
trated from the standpoint Of my
love and sympathy, my kindness
and fOrbearanCe. Because | desire
you TO progress in this character
likeness and SO come to the position
where | can use you in my service
more abundantly, therefore l rule
that you must be forgiving and gra-
cious one toward another even as l
have already been gracious toward
you, and even as propose yet furth-
er to be gracious to you, if you will
abide in harmony with my spirit of
love and seek to walk in my way. l
am ready to forgive the loving and
generous who are seeking to copy
my character; | am ready to be kind
and generous and forgiving to the
greatest degree"
The kindest and the happiest pair
Win find occasion to forbear,
And something every day they live
To pity. and perhaps forgive"