Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1918-12-08
Sunday School

Lessons 10 he derived from thls chap
ter arc twofold--the bl~spsdneas of
forHivinE spirit and the ovsrvuiins
providence ~ 0od. n does not taks
anything from tho hctnousnsas Uf Q
crime becauss q Kind provtd snos
mskes the sfn q Stepping stone TO o
blessing Joseph ala not tell his
brethren that they were any les 10
blame for their treachery 70 him and
their deceit of his father. Ne spoke
plainly OF these dLsAsreeAbis thlnes.
out he did not rub It In" Homs pso-
ple are very good about forgivins
their eneIniss. but they first must be
permitted tn Eloat over the humiiia-
ton Of the offender and en- mphasass
their own msGnanimity In not ssis-
ing tho opportunity to be rsvsnEsd
They Want chiefly tho credit for
ssnsrosl'y and enjoy seeing thsir
snemie~ writhe under tho stinss Of q
reproaohfnl consoience, Joseph first
told thsm who he was. which was
embarrassing TO his brethren. and
thsn pointed 10 the fact that what
hey had ooncefved In iniquity had re-
oounded 10 The areatest good OF the
whole family God had made their
.niauity a part OF his plan for bless
Let Ne not take 10 ourselves any
comfort 10 ease . suilty oonsciencs
ny tho thought that God will make
all thinss turn out for tho best. for
a. individuals We are responsible for
the motives which impslisd US 10 an
act and not for the results which q
Kind providence has brought out Of
that act Joseph's brethren we're
30 stricken with CONSERVATION that
they feared him even when his voice
was Kind and his words thu note Of
forgiveness and Joy In tho reunion
OF the family. AZ before, Joseph
gave Uod all the glory. and urged his
brothers To forget the personal injury
they had inflicted In view OF the Glo-
rious results that had flown there
from. His forgiveness was q prac-
tical one, for he not only assured
them OF hs good will. hut took steps
70 establish their future welfare BY
the power vested In him AZ prime
ministsr of tho Egyptian Kingdom.
u 10 ono thinR 60 forgive those who
have injured us and then 20 on our
way - though no such person had
ever uved and II In another to plan
bensNn toward those whom We have
forgiven. Too many Of ua use the for
msr method.
The good of forgiveness IL not Q
specific matter when you get down
TO an analysis of the question. Ther~
are three things TO consider besides
tho bsautiaa Of peace and brothsriy
love. Theft are the benefits TO our
eslves that come to us from the per-
formanoe Of an act for which we
expect no pay; there 10 the benefit
70 accrue TO the forgiven one from
the sense OF . blame removed: but
last and most important In Gods
sight u the formation In us Of . for
giving nature, Q disinterested love for
humanity Ike unto that which Jesus
manifested toward us. Whom We
can learn 20 forgive those who are
Aot even peritent, those who perhaps
DO not deeire our forgiveness and
would rather retain q mutual erudGs.
then ~ have even more approached
the divine example--for Christ for
GAvs ~ while We were yet uurepent-
ant ana while We were yet at snmity
NTH him and HE cause. When We
eAn lave those who hate ue and be
kind 20 those who are spitsfui to-
ward Ne. We have bsGun 70 apprs-
ciats what kind of love the Lord has
for us whom he draws with cords Of
love" while Va are yet combating the
wooinss Of the Holy Spirit
In other words the greatest sAins
about forUfvsneao 10 not the specific
act Of forsivina, but the formation
Of q frAtsrnai habit OF mind. Q con-
dition Of soui under which We first
think Of pity. rather than hatred 60.
ward those who seek our injury. A
brilliant criminal lawyer had q scaps-
Gracs son, . worthless fellow, one
of those kind % bsinGs commonly
described - being Q good friend 20
everybody but himself. But sysry
time the son GOT 10 the brink Of ais-
graoe or ruin. the father was thsrs
to snatch him back 10 forgtvensas
and restitution. The young man Of
ten said that his father had %
trained himself In the habit OF find
Ing mitigating oircupstances In the
life Of every criminal that he always
had an excuse ready for his son. no
matter how generally everybody eles
condemned him, And that 10 . true
test OF Christian foretvsnsa.--ths
hatat Of mind that first sseks for
some reason TO modify ccndemne.
ton and soften judgmant. Il should
W r~utSuOssve bsss DOuy " - -
perfect We have ell done oo@e
thinss that cannot BE- justified. II
We desire that other people shouh
Judge us mercifnliy. We must not In
sist on scvere Justice. Besides. In
our prayers to the Lord, We ash for
him 10 forgive W. our uespasscs ''Aa
We forgive those that respass against
us"
We get from this world Just what
we eive it--there 10 Q rebound 70 Ne
OF the blows We administer. whether
! be harsh Judgment or merciful con-
alteration. II 10 very important that
We cultivate this state Of mind that
makee forgiveness second nature II
u one OF the strongest proofr q q
mans sincere piety that he lives .
life of genuine charitableneas and
good will Such u life spsaks louder
for Christ than incontrovertibls logic
or loud professions. The man Of the
world wants first 20 see that your
faith makes you really u better man
before he h willing 20 entertain ths
idea OF getting that faith for him
self Tho man who not only can
forgive an enemy hut treats him ~
though no wrong had ever been done,
will have little difficulty In proving
his faith, Then there h the reflex
Joy and invigoration OF soul from the
very act OF forEi<ins that makes
life 10 wonderfully more worth ifv-
holding u srudHe, who puts his psV-
and privilege, is shutting himself mp
h. hEl lwh