The citizen. [volume] (Berea, Ky.) 1899-1958, 1918-07-25

tut ioTSlNeneSS OF
MSZ - sins:
We are so &C.
customod TO hear Of Gods forgiveness
that we take II for granted. However.
Bishop Westcott has said that Il Is
an amazing thing that holy God
forgives sin; he Is not surprised 20
hear that the wrath Of such God
burns 10 the lowest he'll against sin.
ners. but that he has found way to
be just rs yet 10 Justify the ungodly
Is the very mystery Of the Gospel.
And when God forgIves he does II
fully and freely; he blots out our sins,
remembers them no more. casts them
behind his back. buries them In the
sea.
Martin tuther's Experience.
There are many. even among pro-
Tossing Christians who do not enjoy
true sense of the forgiving love OF
God. For them, the experience Of
Martin Luther may be helpful. While
still monk he would exclaim, 80
my sin! q my sinl" As he lay one
day on couch in despair an old monk
repeated softly the words OF the
creed, II believe In the forgiveness Of
sins" and added. 1--WE are not merely
10 believe that there is forgiveness for
David and Peter; the command Of
God Is that we believe that there is
forgiveness for our own sins"
This prayer for forgiveness Is TO be
uttered daily by the child Of God. All
are included I'm "us." Some have
thought they no longer needed to pray
this prayer. because Of their attain
ments In grace. We suspect they are
lacking In that deep view OF sin which
the Scriptures give us. "If we say we
have no sin we deceive ourselves and
the truth is not in us" q John ~.
Necessity Of Foroivino Others.
The petition contains a clause over
which some have stumbled. las we
forgive" or have forgiven" Or. W. II
Is pointed out that this Is legal ground
that no reference Is made to the
atonement and that the prayer was
given before the cross and hence
should not be offered by Christians
We believe this objection rests on
misapprehension. Men have never
been forgiven on the ground of having
forgiven others. but on account Of the
shedding OF Christ's blood and this
has been true from the days OF Abel
AS" does not mean "on the ground
or "in the measure" but "even as" oi
al. A.
prayer having been given before IN,
cross so also was the Lords supper
but no one would argue that the sup
per Is therefore obsolete.
An Indians Forgiveness.
DR. Egerton X. Young, an honoret
missionary among the Indians of the
North, tells Of once reading the Lords
prayer 10 company of warriors
When he came TO Forgive US oW
trespasses as We forgive them tha'
trespass against u.s." chief asked
"What does that meanf" Said Doctor
Young. "That means you will have e
stop looking for scalps 70 "If that Il
your religion" replied the indian
take IL To the old women" and foI
years he refused 10 listen 10 the
Gospel.
But one night he heard Doctor
Young preach on the cruclfixion ant
tell how Christ cried, Father forgiv,
them" His heart was melted but h,
said nothing. The next day a com
pany OF Indians was seen approaching
and Doctor Young was advised 10 rid,
OF so that he might not witness the
tragedy which was likely to follow |
For. he was told. In that company wal
the murderer OF the chiefs son; IN, |
chief had Just learned the fact and 4 |
was expected he would tear the OF |
fender limb from limb. Doctor Youni |
refused to leave but was apprehensive
As the band approached the chief rod' |
toward the murderer with tomahawl /
uplifted. exclaimlng, "You killed m.
boy, you betrayed my trust. yoi |
robbed the tribe of its successor. yoi |
20 die and you know II. Well for you
that heard the missionary at thu
campfire last night He told us W.
must forgive II we want forgiveness
SO although you killed my boy ant
you deserve TO die. l am going TO for
give you. Danish you from my tribe
but forgive you as l hope to be for
given"
The chief wept like a ch"d. III,
never went ON the warpath agai bu
was willing to sit among boys eigh
20 ten years OF age and study the
Bible. He became an earnest Chris
tian and a class leader.
"Bs ye kind one TO another. tender
hearted, forglving one another. ever
as God for Christ's sake hath for
given you."-(Ephesians 4:32).