Page:The Praises of Amida, 1907.djvu/75

 This man had in times past been guilty of impure relations with a young lady, the memory of which so tormented his conscience that he could not never obtain for himself that Peace of which he preached to others. His congregation, however, knew nothing of this, and thought so highly of their minister's piety and learning that they almost worshipped him as though he were Christ come again in the flesh. All this was a great source of trouble to him, and the more he saw himself honoured by his flock, the more acute became his distress, until at last he could bear his grief no longer, but made an open confession of his guilt to his assembled parishioners and died of a broken heart. 2. The first time I read this story I was rather puzzled by it. The man was a scholar and a theologian, and, though there was nothing strange about his being troubled in conscience, I felt that he ought to have known that Jesus in Whom he believed had promised forgiveness of sins, "not seven times only but unto seventy times seven;" and I could not, therefore,