New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1871-12-17

ships appear: and all who are in the hOus
feel that each is member Of the other. ant
that they have all things in common. So
whatever there is of beauty, and Of good
child freely asks Of the father in the house
hold.
This same thing is implied in the yer.
first sentence with which, in the Christian
life, we address our God. We are per
mittted to disarm HIM Of all the terror
which hover around the fate gods Ot an
tiGuity: to drop off the majestcrial rela
lions which have been associated with Him
to no longer see Him sitting enthrOnet
with severity on His brow, with justice il
His eye, with the implements of power il
His hand. and with the circumstance CT adj
ministr;tton around Him; but to see Hin
sitting as one to whom we may draw neal
with associations of lovin. tenderness
And we say. "Dur Father. And will
that word fear flies, and doubts disappear
and the heart rests.
"Our Father, which an in heaven
He is 2ot weak OF impoverished, as
earthly parents are. He is not, like us
rolled over the banks of obscure mists and
fog. He is lifted above the weakness oil
lie into Immortality and strength and
puri1! and beauty of the heavenly land
He is the glorious Father OF an eternal
sphere.
Our Father. which art in heaven"
The little child liSps it. These precious
words are among the earliest we learn to
utter The child hears the parents leyoutly
utter them. and his thought passes from the
lower parentagc. taking the hint and sng-
gestion of the father and mother to lift be
fore itself the higher tatherhood. This is
the most blessed conception the child can
take of God, and the greater love of heaven,
and the better household.
Hallowcd be- Thy name
Once brought into the divine presence, the
souls first outburst is such as an absent
child speaks. DO you know what it is to be
hOlnesick Were You ever sent away from
home when small. as l was! Do you re-
member what it was to remain and count
the weeks and days and hours Do you
recollect how you could not sleep the
night before YOU were to start for home
and how you could not eat your break
fast how. when the stage was waiting for
you. the excitement took away all your
appetite ; and how. as you rolled over the
journey. you thought you would surprise
the family when you got home; how. when
at last you got there. you thought OF some
little device by which you would take them
by surprise but how. when You rushed into
the house. all you could do was to throw
your arms about your mothers neck, and
cry. and say. 'Oh, dear mother.''
That is the generous way in which the
child heart pours itself out. This is an H.
lustration of the current. the gush. the en-
of that love which children feel.
The child's love goes out to meet the
parents love. as the most beautiful. the
dearest. the most sacred, the most holy
thing: and for the moment love worships
love.
This | suppose to he the Interpretation of
''lIallowed be Thy Name" As it were, the
soul opens its arms. and throws them around
the Father i'll heaven. and says. 30 Lord
and Father sacred and holy be Thy name"
1t is the impulse of one who wants the
FatlIer to be most beloved. glorious, beauti-
ful. and sacred not only to himself. but to
all.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done
IN earth as il is in heaven"
These petitions are one. The kingdom
If God is a kingdom of love. of jOy. of
,eace. The law of God is that which pro-
iuces order, truth, equity. and so love.
'eare. goodwill: and these petitions come
rom the aspirations OF the heart for that
more perfect state. in itself and throughout
he UniI crse, in which God himself dwells.
I is as ii the child saw how beautiful was
he place of his Father God. and longed
hat The same beautiful and blessed estate
mould be universal. and that it should he
% others. as To him. that kingdom in which
lwelleth righteousness
Thy will be done on earth as it is
n hraven.''
That is the law of joy in all the universal
calm.
hu> tar. th" prayer respects things be-
ond our own personal interest. Now We
re permitted. as it were. 10 make mention
+ our private want.
Give lis this day our daily bread.
THIS Is IA recognition of Divine Proyi-
ence. 1t is a recognition of that care for our
u>tenance which the tatherly government
+ God is continually going on. Where
his prayer was first uttered. IN ID majority
t the instances Of those that heard it. il
'as q question. every day. where they were
, get the >u>tenance OF that day. They |
we'd within hand breadth of starvation
hey had not stores They had laid I'D |
"tling i'll advance. They had no wealth. |
heir food. at best. was but handful of |
rain. 1t was very slender. compared with |
ur table hounties. They lived all the
me in intimacy with famine. And when
hrist taught them to say to God. Give us
hord that was always vibrating in their
carts. BY faith it brought them in respect
the want which nature presses most
oScly upon men. into direct connection
18th the soverel IN providence of God in the
Hairs OF this world.
1t is not PRAYER of anxiety. 1t is a
rayer of confidence in the Divine Provi-
ence OF God III recognition of it
And forgive us our debts. as we forgive
II debtcrs.''
Here the heart recognizes its own inferi
'ity aud impertection and sintulness. 1t
so recognizes. when it asks forgiveness.
lat 1t Is ii self in a fOr~iyinU mood
And lead lis not into temptation"
Suffer us not To he led into temptation is
&c meaning OF that passage. No man
lows what he will do when he is tempted.
n what he will undo.
But deliver us from evil
Now, although this prayer is SO simple.
t when we come to look INTO these various
titions. think We shall see that scarcely
Iything can be asked in this world that
ay not be appropriately gathered under
lc or the other of these various heads.
lere IS no extent OF experience, and no
ant that may not properly be considered
but an enlargement of one or other of
esc petitions. This is more nearly. there
re. universal PRAYER than any other
aver that was ever framed. 1t is among
e shortest. and yet among the most com
chenslve and suggestive
There is infinite latitude allowed under it.
q are not 10 shut ourselves up simply To {
e repetition of these phrases. i
Dur view of the communion of the soul
tn God: that fellowship which we have ,
til God: the Interchange OF thought and $
mpathy which the refined Christian heart
Fcs to take with God-all these come APP :
,priatcly under this head. All the de- q
es OF a man for worldly good may APP =,
'priately be brought under the head. .
We lis this day our daily bread. All the ,
rs men have come under the heat, Lead S
not into temptation. Deliver lis from {
L. All the things that you need for your d
I, or for your children. traced back. are