Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1854-02-02
HINDRANCE TO PRAYER

Guilt on the conscience is one great him
drance to prayer. When sin is recent-when
like Adam skulking' among the trees, the Bit
ter-sWeet Of the forbidden fruit is still present
to his taste. and his newly opened eyes are
Aghast at his own deformity, it is not natural
for the selfcondemned transgressor to draw
near to God. And it is not till the Spirit Of
God directs his views to the unnoticed sacri-
fee, and encourages him to put on the robe Of
Gods providing, that the abased and trem-
bling criminal can venture back into Gods pres
snce. And it Is not till the Spirit Of God come
forth into his soul and begins to cry "Abba''
there that the soul goes forth with alacrity TO
meet reconciled God. To reveal the Great
high Priest days of man between Infinite
holiness and human vieness---to open heaven
and display Jesus standing at the right hand
of God.-.to impSrt confidence in the finished
works, and so, amidst abounding guilt, to
give hope to prayer-.-is His work who when
he is come conVinces not Only Of sin, but oI
righteousness.
Another great hindrance toprayeris dimnesI
of spiritual perception. When man Of taste
or science climbs a mountain in bright trans.
parent day he reioices in its goodly prospects
or curious spots; but his dog feels no interest
in them. He sees the philosopher peering
through his telescope or exploring for the lit
tie plants that grow near the summit or splin-
tering the rocks and putting fragments in a
bag but it never occurs TO the spaniel so much
as TO marvel at what his master is finding
there. He sits yswning and painting on sun
ny knoll, or snaps at the mountain bee, as is
comes sailing past him or chases the comics
back to their holes and scampers down with
noisy glee as soon as the sad durance is over.
The disparity between the philosopher and
his irrational friend is hardly greater Than it iS
between the wording and the believer, when
you bring them together into the domain oI
faith. "The natural man peroeyeth not the
things Of the Spirit Of God, !" and on the Pisgah
Of the saog revelation when the believer des-
cries goodly land and where he is making
the most interesting discoveries; the other sees
nothing TO arrest his attention. The word Of
God and its promises-the throne OF grace and
its privileges--the things of faith in all theiI
varieties--have no existence TO worldly men
And when constrained to bear others company
in outward ordinances, they are thankful when
bee ehulnB prayer vi oiosuS eo"N'u"J 'SHS'
them back TO the word again. But just as the
same lover Of nature ascends his favcrite emin'
ence on favorite day, and finds all his goodly
prospects intercepted by battling mist, so dense
that, except pebble here and there, he can
alight on none Of its rare productions, and with
out any opening vista by which he can catch a
glimpse Of the fair regions Ground; SO the be-
lever may ascend the hill Of God.---He may
open his Bible or enter his closet.and find,
alasl thatit is a foggy day, the bsauteous pan.
Drama blotted out, and himself left to glope
chilly in the cold perplexing gloom. But, like
gale Of summer wind up-sprnging and lifting
all the fog from the mountain top, the breath
of the omnipOtent Spirit can scatter every cloud
and leave the soul on pinnacle Of widest sur
vey, rejoicing in the Purest light of God.-.--'
Hamilton