January 31

21 "Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? His seven times?

22 Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times; but, Until seventy times seven.

23 "Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants.

24 And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought into him, which owed him ten thousand talents.

25 But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his Lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made.

26 The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all.

27 Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. 28 But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, which owed him a hundred pence; and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owes. 29 And his fellow servant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. 30 And he would not; but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. 31 So when his fellow servants saw what was

done, they were very sorry, and I told unto the Lord all that was done. 32 Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, Oth u v c ed servant, I for, as thee all that does, excuse thou desirous me. 33 Shouldst not thou also have had compassion for thy fellow servant, even as I had pity of thee? 34 And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the 1st mentors, to the sloop I pay all that was due unto him. 35 So likewise shall my heavenly Father be also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.

"Suppose God should treat us as we treat men, what would become of any one of us? If he were strict to mark and to judge, to condemn and to punish, who of us could stand for one single moment? We are the very men that are set forth in the parable of the unmerciful servant. Is it not so? . . . Who is there that can rise up before God and say, 'I have a right to condemn, for I have never sinned?'"—H. W. Beecher.

"Forgiveness must be real and true. We may not forgive with our lips, and bear malice in our hearts. Such sham forgiveness is only too common. A man was lying on his sick-bed, and the clergyman by his side was urging him to be reconciled to some one who had injured him. After much persuasion the man said, 'If I die I will forgive him, but if I live he had better keep out of my way.' And again, our forgiveness must be willing, not forced from us."—Buxton Wilmot.

"All desire of revenge must be carefully cast out; and if the wrongdoer say, 'I repent,' you must say, 'I remit,' and that from the heart; being herein like that king of England of whom it is said that he never forgot anything but injuries."—John Trapp.

Closet Promise.—The Lord redeemeth the soul of His servants; and none of them that trust in Him shall be desolate.—Psalm xxxiv. 22.

"The sickness of the last week was fine medicine; pain disintegrated the spirit, or became spiritual. I rose—I felt that I had given to God more perhaps than an angel could had promised Him in youth that to be a blot on this fair world, at His command, would be acceptable. Constantly offer myself to continue the obscurest and loneliest thing ever heard of, with one proviso—His agency. Yes, love Thee, and all Thou dost, while Thou sheddest frost and darkness on every path of mine."—Mary Moody Emerson.