The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1915-06-09
SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES
Side Lights on Next Sundays
Lesson for Teachers and Pupils
Edited by Charles x. Meyers.

June 13-"The Blessedncss of For
giveness." Psalm 80.
Our lesson today is that remark
able psalm which tells Of the blessed
ness of forgiveness. In the bible it is
headed Confessions of Sin Give Ease
sayings of an orator oft have no new
thoughts, but his power lies in so
grouping the feelings and aspirations
of hearers into superior language that
they grasp the same as their own with
satisfaction. The experiences of the
wrong door who, having given up try
ing to keep to himself his sins. con-
fesscs to God and obtains pardon
and forgiveness, are not confined to
the author Of the ed Psalm, but are
common to all. The wonderful Ian
guage Of the Psalm SO tittinsly eX-
presses the feelings of so many thous-
ands. it stands forth as a typical en-
preston OF rejoicing over sins covered
after acknowledgment and plea for
mercy.
First, considering the subject from
| the point of view of our experiences
with our fellow men, what JOY comes
when one has had the manhood to say
to q fellow. II have wrOnSed you; for
give and response received, Ger
tdinlv. Never mention or think of it
Iagnin.'
| ! lie hearts Of both glow with new
| life and love, the world seems more
worth living in. or course, it takes
moral courage to acknowledge one is
in the wrong, but the satisfaction and
joy of confession gives rccompense
far exceeding the pain of humbing
oneself before another. The natural
impulse is TO justify ones actions, to
make a case up to strengthen ones
position to put bold front and go
ahead saying that if others don't like
our style they can make the best of it.
There is no true JOY in this way Of
doing.
In the home there is great need for
the spirit of willingness to ask for
giveness and the granting Of pardon.
Words are spoken in haste between
man and wife. brother and sister, par
ents and children, which are regretted
Immediately, words which mean a
sting for days. if not for all time. They
have been thoushtlessly said and
could readily be apologized for. Then
why not do it? There will come a JOY
well worth cOveting when the words of
forgiveness are asked for and the re-
quest granted.
| Maybe one may think that | an
missing the great lesson to be gained
from the psalm. but it might be well
to progress from confession and for
giveneSs among our fellows, to con-
fession and forgiveness from God. The
psalm begins with this mighty declar-
alton, BLESSED is he whose trans
gression is forgiven, whose sin is COW
cred" and later. Il will confess my
transsressions unto the Lord and thou
! forsivest the iniquity of my sin. BE
! glad in the Lord and rejoice" In poor
falterins language all have heard such
| confessions from the lips of hundreds
OF people who have given up lives OF
sin and turned to God with repentant
hearts and obtained forgiveness, but
/ the writer in the Holy Book has in a
| few sentences covered the entire
ground. and in way to make his say
inSs immortal. In this lies the great.
ness of his declarations.
| There are few men living in the
world who do not feel that they are
sinners, who are not looking and long,
ling for rest from the consciousness
/. that they are wrong with God, or that
which stands for God with them. There
is no need in non-christian land tso
convince people they are not living
right, the work is to show them that
| the religion of Jesus will help them
The first step with the people of our
land is to get them to acknowledge
their sins, then repentance follows and
forgiveness and joy are sure to come
The subject Of sin and forgiveness
can be written upon without limit
Jesus Christ came to earth with His
perfect life and teachings to show us
the heart of God and open the way for
| forgiveness Of sins. 1t is not the will
of God that any should perish, but that
all have everlasting life. Then can
but urge that all close not their hearts
towards the kind, merciful God. but
that they confess to Him their sins
ask TOR forgiveness and then the words
of the 32d and 51st psalms will be
theirs in truth and triumph and re
joicing come