The New York herald., 1872-10-07
TALMAGE'S TABERNACLE.

The EAlcacy or Prayer-A Remarkable
Challenge from Across the Water-The
Pastors Sarcasm-The Quecrest Hos
pital on RecOrd-Prayer a Dead Fall
ure In the Worlds Opinion and God q
Cast Iron MOnarch-Advice to Doctors.
There was the usual rush to the Tabernacle yes
terday morning. The pastor was In rather o sar-
castle humor In the opening portion of his dis
course and several times provoked his audience to
laughter by his hits at some OF the folies Of the
times. His sermon was founded upon the story OF
the healing of King Hezeklah, in the Second Book
OF Kings.
Mr.. Talmagc said Luxurious living Is not
healthy. The second generation of kings, queens,
lords and princes is apt to be brainless and invalid
told King Hezekiah he must die, but he didn't
want to die. He turned his face to the
wall so that his prayer would not be interrupted,
and cried to God for his life. God heard his prayer
But there was human instrumentalty to be en-
poyed. Prayer and God, accompanied by this
human instrumentaity, cured the King. In this
age Of discovery, when
MEN KNOW so MUCH 1T KILLS THEM,
and write so wisely 1t almost Kills us, II has been
| found that PRAYER Is a dead failure. There is no
OF praying for ram in the time OF drought; the
''weather probabilities" In the morning paper will
decide the question, rain or no RAIN and the whole
nation in prayer would not bring down single drop
II sickness comes to your household 1t will depend
entirely upon ventilation good diet aud the DOCTORS
Referring to Tyndals text Mr. Talmage said =
Well, 10 Il the most condescending thing In human
an opportunity OF winning the confidence OF such
men as Professor Tyndall and Francis Galton.
But that experiment will never be made,
for the reason, first, that YOU could not get
a man TO lie down In the prayerless ward OF that
hospital-not even the philosophers who made the
proposal II they were rich u would be
THE LAST PLACE on EiafR
they would want 10 be sick In. You could not get
an EnglIshman there, for King James, translation
Paul's has rung London 10 prayer too often You
couldn't get an American TO lie there, for he has a
Plymouth Rock and Independence Hail, and and
Bunker Hill aud Gettysburg, have had
something to do with the history OF tins
lie there for he comes irom the land OF John Knox
and methinks, the old Covenanters who died for
yard and hiss Al him iile tried t. Then. also, it is
Impossible to stop ths world and Church from pray.
ACCEPT THAT CHALLENGE
coming across the water on the condition that
these men who make this proposal themselves
less ward While we give" give o. our '' attention
TO the next ward. They have not proposed
or made s ny. ns
them on condition that they don't have the order.
Ing OF their own provisions. Does God
hear and answer our prayers or notf Hezekiah
was sick unto death; he prayed and God added Ar
teen years to his lifetime. Prayer u the mgntiest
offered IN the rsn. spirit, swsas seconded gr''ey sy
our own EFFORT, Is the frst and last
lesson OF this text, and IL IL the lesson which
this age needs TO learn. II all communication be-
tween heaven and earth Is cut OF let us know IL,
and II all the Christian prayers are going mp to-
wards God but never reaching HIM, then say let
us silence the lips OF the world and the nations
smother their groans and die quietly Hut God does
answer prayer and the text shows H. Was II a
mere happen-so that Elijah prayed for rain Just as
the rain was going TO come down anyhow
LIONS HAD THE LocKJAwS
Prayer, under certain circumstances, IL Just as
natural to man as the respiration OF the lungs Put
a company OF men, don't care how bad they are
together In some imminent peril, and they cry out
"GOd have mercy on me.u But TO prove that God
does answer prayer put on the witness stand
Abraham, Isaac Jacob, jeremiah, John, Paul,
Peter and King Hezekiah. That God answers
prayer bring the 100000 facts OF Christcndom 20
prove. have TO present you some checks
this morning-blank
CHECKS ON THE BANK or HEAVEN
written with blood and signed by the hand wounded
on the cross. Here is a blank check which, God
says, can give you, and you can l II up with any
thing you want to- win you test the Lords am
glad the world has been challenged. think II Will
evoke ten thousand experiences that would not