Editorial August 1, 1925 Issue

"As we forgive our debtors"

Ella W. Hoag

When Jesus taught that incomparable petition, "Forgive us our debts," and then added the yet more remarkable condition, "as we forgive our debtors," he certainly presented to mankind the way to attain limitless possibilities of good. Men have always been ready enough to ask forgiveness for their own mistakes and sins, but when called upon by Jesus to add the stipulation that such forgiveness was only to be granted as they themselves forgave, they have not been so quick to respond. Nevertheless, there has remained Jesus' assurance of the impossibility of really knowing forgiveness unless one has himself forgiven. With a sense of injury in the heart, with thoughts of rancor and a desire for revenge holding sway in one's consciousness, how can one realize the bliss of the extermination of all sense of sin?

Jesus himself understood and demonstrated this prayer in perfect manner. Mrs. Eddy writes of this demonstration in "Miscellaneous Writings" (p. 124), where she says: "The last act of the tragedy on Calvary rent the veil of matter, and unveiled Love's great legacy to mortals: Love forgiving its enemies. This grand act crowned and still crowns Christianity: it manumits mortals; it translates love; it gives to suffering, inspiration; to patience, experience; to experience, hope; to hope, faith; to faith, understanding; and to understanding, Love triumphant!"

And how are we to accept this great legacy of Love—"Love forgiving its enemies"—with all its attendant blessings? Our Leader opens the door to such acceptance when she interprets "And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors," with the words in "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" (p. 17), "And Love is reflected in love." Christian Science teaches that wrong is never forgiven until it is proved unreal. Forgiveness for any wrong can therefore never be realized until belief in that wrong is blotted out; and what but the reflection of divine Love can accomplish this?

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New Quantity Rate on Science and Health and "Miscellaneous Writings"
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