South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1915-11-15
FORGIVENESS IS
TRUE CHRIST AN|TY
Rev. T. J. Parsons Holds 1t
Most Vital Part to Sue
cess of Church.

Forgiveness is the best remedy
that he majority of people of to-
day can possibly get mold OF in order
that they may call themselves true
Christians and have other people call
them the same" said Rev. T. j. Par
sons. pastor OF Quincy Street Baptist
church Sunday morning in his sermon
on the subject "FOrgiving ones Enc
mics" This was the fourth of a Sc
ries Of sunday morning sermons on
he general topic, The Lords Pray
err" which is being preached hy the
pastor. in part he said
There is nothing more vital 10 in
dividual victory and collective pros
Perity III the life of the church to
cay than the spirit of forgiveness. If
Chrntians nurse grudges and cherish
anirlositieS, or sit in a corner and
sulk because some one has offended
them, what is 10 be expected of those
VINO make no pretense TO Christian
grace2 There is on easier way for q
Christian TO lose his peace Of mind
and power with God than 70 allow the
demon Of unforgiveness to possess his
soul There is no easier way for
church To grieve away the spirit OF
Goo and lose it's power TO win people
to Christ than TO have in its member
ship those who are carrying hell in
their hearts and breathing forth We
nom against an enemy. IL is entirely
foreign to the spirit of Jesus Christ.
and we cannot fool God in this sin
any more than we can in any other
Brave to Forgive.
ITO forgive an enemy is not to con-
done evil or wrong doing, nor to con-
fess an error Of judgment or to show
the white feather Of cowardice; II is
to have pity on the wrong doer, 10
L., a 4 he
al spirit of vengeance; Ii is TO climb
the glorious heights of Christian for
bearance and prove that Christian
love never fails; II is TO avail oneself
OF the highest privilege ola follower
OF the forgiving Chr%t. Any poor,
miserable. shrunken sSul can stand on
his dignity and demand his rights;
anybody can sulk and sour and quit
1t is only the big brave soul that can
be generous and forgiving. The man
who knows he is in the right can al
ways afford to deal leniently towards
the other fellow; he can leave the set
Element Of the case to a righteous
Judge, who said, Vengeance is mine
/ will repay, therefore, If thine enc
my hunger feed him, if he thirst give
him drink; for by so doing thou shalt
heap Goals of fire on his head Be not
overcome OF evil, but overcome evil
with good
1T is not an easy thing TO forgive
one who has terribly wronged you, but
1t is absolutely necessary for your sal
walton. Forgive as we forgive" Is the
prayer our Lord taught us. not only
here, but in many other places. Are
we willing TO ask God TO forgive us as
we forgive others, in the same man
ner and TO the same extent that we
forgive others? We open or shut the
door of Gods favor to ourselves by the
treatment we accord our enemies. .
Christian, read Christ's own story Of
the two debtors recorded in Matthew
1S:21-25, and be sure you are not
sealing your own doom by refusing TO
forgive a fellow sinner.
1--WE talk peace and pray for peace
in the name of the Prince of Peace,
and all the time there is war in our
hearts and in our words and in our
actions toward one another. Let
Christians rise aboYe all petty petty
jealousies. animosities, and enmities;
let them bury the Ratchet and smoke
the calumet; let them pray TO be de-
livered from an unfOrgiving spirit:
and let them set before the world an
example of Christian charity, forbear-
ance and love"