In the matter of friendly association, good-will, and forgiveness, Jesus spoke very definitely. "If thy brother shall trespass against thee," said He, "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 not 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 unto the church: but if he neglect to hear the church, let him be unto thee as an heathen man and a publican." {214} [Sidenote: The attitude of a citizen of the kingdom.] Long suffering, slow to anger, not vengeful, and without condemnation, should the citizen of the kingdom be. How many of us follow the course here outlined, when an associate "trespasses" against us? How many of us go to him first and talk it over? If the matter is not settled then, how many of us try again, and take two or three friends along to help arbitrate the difficulty? And if still a reconciliation is not effected, how many of us appeal in a spirit of love to the church--the court of last appeal in matters spiritual? Unfortunately, most of us are prone to cast off the brother who has done us wrong without looking into the causes that prompted him to act as he did. If we take steps to settle the difficulty, it is too often not through the mediation of friends or the spiritual influence of the Church, but through the cold procedure of the civil court. And worst of all, we yield not infrequently to the temptation to talk. We gossip; we slander; we start scandal; we wrong much more than we have been wronged. Jesus would not have it so. Agree with thine adversary quickly. [Sidenote: The doctrine of forgiveness.] Sometimes it happens that a brother offends more than once. How many times shall he then be forgiven? This question troubled Peter. He of came therefore to Jesus and asked, "Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times?" "Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee. Until seven times: but until seventy times seven." Of course, Jesus did not mean that one should forgive an offender exactly seventy-seven times, no more, no less. He {215} meant that there is no limit to the number of times that we should exercise the gift of forgiveness; but that we should forgive freely and cheerfully as often as the offender repents. Then, in order that there might be no question as to the meaning of His teaching, Jesus told the parable of the unforgiving servant. [Sidenote: The parable of the unforgiving servant.]