The Church Officers’ Gasette
Vou. XVII
FEBRUARY, 1930 No. 2
The Church Officers’ Gazette
Issued monthly
Printed and published by the
REVIEW AND HERALD PUBLISHING ASSOCIATION
at Takoma Park, Washington, D. C., U. 8, A,
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EDITORIAL COUNCIL
C, KEK, MEYERS
J. L. McELHANY EB. Kotz
Entered as second-class matter, January 20, 1914, at the post office at
Washington, D. C., under the Act of Congress of March 3, 1879.
Acceptance for mailing at special rate of postage provided for in
Sec, 1103, Act of October 3, 1917, authorised on June 22, 1918,
Church Officers’ General
FPustruction Department
Special Appointments for the Month of
February
Christian Tome Day ..co rem rcrercraceesce seme FEDTUATY 1
Foreign Missions Rally... oom eeeeeeee February 15
As We Forgive Others
Most church difficullies may be {raced back to a source where
gome one has failed to cxercise a forgiving spirit, which Christ
declared must characterize His followers. No one trait of
Christian character is emphasized move strongly than that the
follower of Jesus is to forgive others their trespasses. This
rule applies every day, or whenever irespasses may be enecoun-
tered in our intercourse with others, both without and within
the chureh. So important is it, that the Lord sets it forth as
a condition upon which hinges the eternal destiny of the soul.
Qo vital is its relationship to the life, that it is made the very
touchstone of our daily standing with Heaven. Tt is incor-
porated as a foundation prineiple of the Christian’s daily
prayer: “Forgive us our debts [trespasses], as we forgive
our debtors [those trespassing against us].” After giving this
model prayer in answer te the diseiples’ request fo teach them
how to pray, by way of cmphasis Jesus says coneerning this
forgiving section,
«If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father
will alse forgive you: but if ye forgive not men their trespasses,
neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”” Matt. 6:
14, 15.
There is no question about it. We ourselves definitely settle
the stupendous question as to whether cur own sius are stand-
ing against us on heaven’s records, or marked off as forgiven,
by the way we treat those who may have trespassed against us.
Tf we forgive others, the sure promise of Christ is that God
forgives us; but if not, then we may as surely know that our
ging still stand registered against us.
This same individual-daily-living principle is again taken up
and enlarged upon by the Lord as recorded in Matthew 18,
where He applies it to church relationships. Jesus here says:
« Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and
tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear
thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will net hear
thee, then take with thee’ one or two more, that in the mouth
of two or three witnesses every word may be established. And
if he shall neglect to hear them, tell it to the church: but if he
neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as a heathen
man and a publican” Verses 15-17.
Trospasses dealt with in this manner, the Lord said, would
be ratified in heaven; if the trespasser should exercise the re-
pentant spirit and the trespassed against the forgiving spirit,
a soul would be saved, and bound to the Lord in heaven by
Himself. If the unrepentant spirit of the trespasser should be
maintained, then sadly it must be recorded im heaven that a
soul is slipping away from his Lord, a soul being “loosed,” or
lost, from the kingdom of heaven.
Peter asked: “How often shall my brother sin against me,
and I forgive him%” His forgiving limit ran up to what he
doubtless considered a large number — seven times, But Jesus
could not accept that. “I say not unto thee, Until seven times:
but, Until seventy times seven.” Think of it! This surely ean
mean nothing less than the everyday, continuous forgiving spirit
to be exercised by him who is to be counted the follower of the
meek and lowly Christ Jesus.
Further emphasizing the importance of what it means to be
like God, through divine love flooding the heart in showing
mercy toward those indebted to us iu any way, even as we
hope and entreat for the love and mercy and forgiveness of
God to be shown toward us, Jesus told the story of a king
who would take account of his servants. One who owed the
king ten thousand talents was brought in. Having nothing
with which to pay his great debi, he implored time to pay
rather than have his goods sold and himself made a prisoner,
and the king mercifully forgave his servant his great debt.
Later, opportunity was given this same servant to do as his
lord had done, though on a smaller scale, by forgiving a fellow
servant a small obligation owed him, Instead of doing as his
king had done, he seized his fellow servant by the throat, de-
manding immediate payment. This fellow servant likewise,
having nolhing with which to pay, entreated for mercy, but
was heartlessly thrown into prison. The king, hearing what
his servant had done to his fellow servant, rcealled him and
gaid:
“0 thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, be-
cause thou desiredst me: shouldst not thou algo have had com-
passion on thy fellow servant, even as I had pity on thee?
And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors,
till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise
[added Jesus] shall My heavenly Father do also unto you, if
vo from your hearts forgive noi every one his brother their
tresposses.”’ Matt. 18: 32-35.
The hard, unforgiving spirit, manifested by whomsoever it
may be, must be put away. No place will be given it in heaven,
Tt is no fruitage of the Spirit, but, instead, igs a manifest at-
tribute of Satan, the wicked one. Wherever manifested if
breeds trouble, trouble in the home, trouble in the church —
By the grace of God all this may be put away.
Tt ean be done. The love of Christ shed abroad in the soul
will bring it about. For we may cbtain the © wisdom that is
from above,” whieh “is firgt pure, then peaceable, gentle, and
easy to be entreated, full of mercy [which is only ancther way
of expressing the spirit of forgiveness] and good fruits, with-
out partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of right-
cousness is sown in peace of them that make peace” James
3: 17, 18, P. E. B.
everywhere,
Soul Winning
“ HergiN ig My Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit;
so shall ye be My disciples.” “ Ye have not chosen Me, but I
have chosen vou, . . . that ye should go and bring forth fruit,
and that your fruit should remain.” John 13: 8, 16.
God wants fruit that lasts. Souls must be attached to the
True Vine, established in the faith, To us has been ¢ommitted
“the word of reconciliation” We are ambassadors for
Christ.” We are to pray and beseech men in Christ’s stead to
be reconciled to God. (Read 2 Cor. 5: 18-20.) What a high
privilege! What a holy calling! What a saered and joyous
service to render for God!
That the ruined and lost may be atiracted and attached to
the blessed Christ, the Author of the advent and gospel mes-