We read in the Gospel of Matthew: “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.” Then a little further on we read that Peter comes to Christ and says: “How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? Till seven times?” Jesus replied, “I say not unto thee, until seven times; but until seventy times seven.” Peter did not seem to think that _he_ was in danger of falling into sin; his question was, How often should I forgive my brother? But very soon we hear that Peter has fallen. I can imagine that when he did fall, the sweet thought came to him of what the Master had said about forgiving until seventy times seven. The voice of sin may be loud, but the voice of forgiveness is louder. Let us enter into David’s experience, when he said: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old through my roaring all the day long. For day and night Thy hand was heavy upon me; my moisture is turned into the drought of summer. I acknowledged my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” David could look below, above, behind and before; to the past, present, and future; and know that all was well. Let us make up our mind, that we will not rest until this question of sin is for ever settled, so that we can look up and claim God as our forgiving Father. Let us be willing to forgive others, that we may be able to claim forgiveness from God, remembering the words of the Lord Jesus, how He said: “If ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” Pardon. “Now, oh joy! my sins are pardoned! Now I can and do believe! All I have, and am, and shall be, To my precious Lord I give; He roused my deathly slumbers, He dispersed my soul’s dark night; Whispered peace, and drew me to Him Made Himself my chief delight. “Let the babe forget its mother, Let the bridegroom slight his bride; True to him, I’ll love none other, Cleaving closely to His side. Jesus, hear my soul’s confession; Weak am I, but strength is Thine; On Thine arms for strength and succor, Calmly may my soul recline!” _Albert Midlane._ CHAPTER VII. UNITY.