Article November 26, 1955 Issue

FORGIVENESS

STANLEY M. SYDENHAM

Jesus taught the necessity, virtue, and duty of forgiveness, and when questioned as to the extent this should be practiced he replied (Matt. 18:22), "I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven." Forgiveness must continue to the point of the complete destruction of one's belief in the sin of commission or omission, the error which afforded the opportunity for forgiveness.

Are we not being called upon constantly to practice forgiveness? In our daily lives we frequently have to deal with thoughts which are not good and therefore are not true. We may see and hear many things which do not measure up to the divine standard. We acknowledge these either as true, or, because of mental awakeness, or alertness, which is an effect of some understanding of the teachings of Christian Science, we deny them as falsities. Have we completed our work with the denial of the belief? Forgiveness is giving some truth for, or in place of, some belief that is discordant or evil. Until this has been done, we have not completed the process of forgiveness.

A Christian Scientist and his wife began to hear reports with regard to themselves which were not to their credit and were untrue. These reports were seen to be the effects of jealousy and envy. Although the Scientists prayed about this condition, denying the error and affirming the truth, the reports continued. They then further considered the matter, and decided that whenever they thought of the ones who were circulating these reports, they would definitely and deliberately bless them and forgive them. Very soon after they reached this decision and put it into practice, the reports ceased to be circulated, and normal friendships were established.

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