The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-01-07

ed me after public meeting a man
who asked me to read a document he
handed me- / later did so; it was an
incoherent narrative of conspiracies
against him on the part of the strong
est ferces in the landss OF course the
man was unbalanced in his mind;
anybody who long nurses a grievance
becomes so. 1t is a sign of mental
unsoundness. rather than of inordi-
nate conceit. to suppose that enemies
are pursuing one A brilliant young
writer in New England, who boosted
that he never forgave an enemy
and never forgot FRIEND" committed
suicide because the bitterness of his
spirit grew too great to bear. His
assumption that editors and publish
ers and other writers were leagued
against him was, of couse, erroneous.
He was the finished product of
cherished grudge-
To lift life above the grudge level
was one OF the aims of Jesus While
He was no respecter of persons. yet
He dearly loved greatness of soul.
spirits toe large to barber petty feel
ings Yet He Himself was SO noble
that He was patient with the littleness
of the people about Him.
one of His own close friends, ST.
mon Peter. came to Him. on a day,
flying the red flag of anger. Some
domestic quarrel or neighhorhood
squabble prompted him to so to the
Great Teacher for endorsement of his
side of the matter, by asking the
question. "Lerd, how oft shall my
brother sin against me, and forgive
him? Until seven tines?" We
know not the details of the particu-
lar feud that prompted the question;
examples of trivial disputes which
sever friendships, disrupt homes and
enhitter neighberhoods-
The New Law of Life.
Nobody is ever so sure he is wholly
right as the person in the midst of
quarrel. Instead of huttressing impa-
uent Peters position by a legalistic
ruling, like the rabbis, Jesus laid down
a great principle of universal and per-
manent application. He declared TO
His diseipie-for even the apostles
were squa billing saints-'I say not
unto thee, Until seven times, but Until
seventy times seven" Forgiveness is
not merely an occasionally expedient
act: it is a law of spiritual life. Its
exercise is not optional, but obligatory.
We are considering a cardinal and
distinctive teaching of Christianity.
Unequivocally. the Master laid down
the higher law that His disciples must
be persons of forgiving spirit. Unfor-
giveness shuts the door against sue
cessful prayer. More yet: the very
pardon of God for our own sins is con-
ditioned upon our forgiveness of those
/ VINO nave wrongful U.S.
IT cannot forgive him. you cry?
All you cannot do otherwise than for
give. If you would follow Christ. whose
basic law is forgiveness. and who ex-
emplif;ed it on the cross when He
cried, concerning His murderers,
nots what they do!' Bitterness and
grace cannot abide in the same
spirit.
.'Better cross, and nails thru either hand,
Than Pilates palace and frozen SOUL"
| Two Kinds of Offenses.
In describing, and illustrating by the
Lesson parable of the two debtors,
the divine way of settling old scores.
Jesus was speaking of personal Of
lenses A clear distinction lies between
wrongs done to the individual and in
juries committed against society by
violation of law. Jesus nowhere taught
that impenitent criminals are to be
pardoned, Or. that offenders against tho
moral law are to be exculpated. To
apply His teaching here would be TO
| set all prisoners free and abolish all
courts of justice. There is no lack of
moral principle or of social RESPONSE
bility in the teaching of Christ which
we are considering.
AS a matter of experience. most of
us are too lax toward social offenders,
| men who have injured the community
4
while at the same time we are not
! lax enough toward our personal
enemies. We are more easily dis
turbed over what touches US than over
what touches the well-being of all
men. Jesus never espoused or con-
, demned any such Ielatinous spirit as
people of imaudlin temperament dis
! play toward the criminal. Justice de-
mands that her sanctity be respected:
: only thus can humanity be Kept to-
gether.
/ As for personal. enemies, they are
! to be forgiven as often as they seek
+, forgiveness. That is one of the ex-
allied rights of the individual. As
! has been said the beautiful thing
about my rights is that they are my
own, and I may do as I please with
! them" The, worst injury an enemy
| could possibly do us would be to plant
! in our hearts the spirit of vengeance.
1 Then he really would have wounded
us in a vulnerable place. But SO long
as we are armored in magnanimity.
| We are safe from any real harm at the
| hands of a foe. The nxln who knows
how to forgive. knows how to live.