The apostle Peter came to Jesus one day, and asked him how often he ought to forgive a brother that offended him; and whether it would be enough to forgive him seven times.  The answer of Jesus was, “I say not unto thee, until seven times, but until seventy times seven.”

St. Matt. 18:  22.  Then Jesus spoke the parable of the two debtors.  St. Matt. 18:  23-35.  One of these owed his master ten thousand talents.  If these were talents of silver they would amount to more than fifteen millions of dollars.  If they were talents of gold, they would amount to three hundred millions.  This would show that his debt was so great that he never could pay it.  Then his master freely forgave him.  But not long after, he found one of his fellow-servants, who owed him a hundred pence, or about fifteen dollars of our money.  The man asked him to forgive him the debt.  He would not do it; but put him in prison.  When his master heard this he was very angry, and put him in prison, where he should be punished until he had paid all his great debt.  And Jesus finished the parable by saying—­“so likewise, shall my heavenly Father do unto you, if ye, from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.”  And here we are taught the great duty of forgiveness.  And this same duty is taught us in the Lord’s Prayer, where he says—­“Forgive us our trespasses, as we also forgive those who trespass against us.”  If we use this prayer without forgiving those who injure us, then, in so using it, we are really asking God not to forgive us.  And Jesus practised what he preached.  As he hung bleeding and agonizing on the cross, while his enemies were cruelly mocking his misery, he looked up to heaven, and uttered that wonderful prayer—­“Father forgive them; for they know not what they do.”  Here we have the best illustration of forgiveness that the world has ever seen.

“Example of Forgiveness.”  In a school in Ireland, one boy struck another.  The offending boy was brought up to be punished, when the injured boy begged for his pardon.  The teacher asked—­“Why do you wish to keep him from being flogged?” The ready reply was—­“Because I have read in the New Testament that our Lord Jesus Christ said that we must forgive our enemies; and therefore I forgive him, and beg that he may not be punished for my sake.”

“Good for Evil.”  At the foot of a street in New York, stood an Italian organ grinder, with his organ.  A number of boys had gathered round him, but they were more anxious to have some fun than to hear music.  One of them said to his companions: 

“See!  I’ll hit his hat!”

And sure enough he did.  Making up a snow ball, he threw it with so much force that the poor man’s hat was knocked into the gutter.  A gentleman standing by expected to see him get very angry, and swear at the boy.  But, very different from this was the result that followed.  The musician stopped; stepped forward and picked up his hat.  Then he turned to the rude boy, and gracefully bowing, said: