Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-11-01
unseIfishness in PRAYER,

The order of petitions in the Lords |
Prayer is very striking. A creature made
up of wants and imperfections comes to |
an all-pOwerful Oliver. 1t would seem al
most inevitable that his first utterances |
should refer to himself Instead of that, |
we are taught, his whole first thought |
should regard God only-"Hallowed be
thy name" All his own needs and weak
nesses are to be held in allegiance, while
his soul thus goes up in reverent praise
Next comes the remembrance of the whole
family of man. in an aspiration wonderful
ly inclusive of all possible good for the en-
tire race Then follows what is at once
submission of the souls own will to Gods,
and an exaltation of that Divine Will to
full sovereignty everywhere. These great
thoughts, reaching up to Divinity itself,
out to all mankind, and looking far for
ward t. the final contamination of all
things-these are to fill the soul, before it
asks so much as daily bread for itself
What a sublime hight of self forgetful-
ness is this! And it is set for attainment,
not before choice few, but the ordinary
man and woman. Here is illustrated the
glory of christianty-that it lifts man
above himself Slavery to self is the NOR
al curse of existence. 1t is the root of all
sin. It is power so mighty, so subtle and
all pervasiye. that it often holds those who
have earnestly striven for high things
Even when a man sets himself to the task
of elevating his character into goodness,
and by laborious effort and painful self-de-
NAL assiduously builds himself up out of
sensuality and all coarse forms of sin, he
may find himself still self conferred self
consciousness robbing virtue of its charm :;
no free and rich emotion going out from
his heart toward any other being in the
universe.
Christianity brings the man who fully
receives it into august union with the
whole great system of living beings. Its
f declaration is, 'No man liyeth unto him
self and no man dieth unto himself" Its
perfect example is that Of One who merged
his full glory of Deity in the depth of fall
en- humanity, for humanitys sake It's
, whole spirit is love, which "seeketh not
her own" 1t takes men as little children
to be reached at first through the lowest
channels, to be won if need be by appeals
/ to their fears. or, next higher, their hopes
e of happness-but it leads them up and NJ
/ till their present pain or pleasure is the
e last things in their thoughts. We pray
1 for nearness to Christ as the highest good
: for ourselves And were we fully partak.
ers of bis spirit, we should share that alb
. sorbing involvement in the joys and sor
e rows of others which is the central motiv,
r of all highest life.
n This noblest aspect of christian life Is Sc
before Us in the opening of the Lord,
n prayer. 1t is closely followed by petition
:. of the most personal character, and for
: simply physical need-as if to show u
that our Father invites Us to come with tn,
whole range of our nature, from the sim
. plest bodily want to the highest spiritua
~. emotion. There Is no want that touche
us which we may not freely carry to him
4 But to carry only persona! wants Is 10 dis
honor his generosity, and make prayer in
! tensely selfish. We ought to dwell often
. est Oh something which is above even on
own need of forgiveness and holiness. Fo
those general expressions, "Hallowed
thy name, thy kingdom come" we ma
- put all the special objects which are pres
ent to us as being foT the honor of God an
the salvation of men. But it is good t
- have often in our hearts those very phrases
J, in all their vast fulness. 1t is good to. lt
- our imagination dwell on all that the word
;! THY kingdom come" include-on tn
scenes OF misery for whose end they lool
u in reeking city alleys, on battle field
J! wherever man sins and suffers; to feel i
y them the great hope of the world tran.
, mitted by the firm grasp of faith throug
IL ages of unfuiilled, patient hope; to knO
. that the end of all shall be Christ's kin9
. dom, when all men shall, through hin
- share blessedness which our highest e.
~ perience5 but dimly prefgured; and to b,
y lieve that he uses our prayers and our liv'
J." to hasten that day. Christian Union.