Wilmington daily gazette., 1872-12-04
NOTION, DEL. WEDNESDAY, DEC. f. 1872 PRICE CE]
FROM the Baltimore Sun of Monday.
The PRAYER 1eat.

~ several OF the Protestant churches ser
.lons .,i We're preached on the celebrated small
Clty Station M. E. Church, Rev. j. II. Light
DO,lrn considered the objections that had been
1rsed against prayer and the Tyndall test.
me flrst objection considered was that
1'.in iounaea IN tne inmutability Of God. Events
u IS said to be folly for us to think that we
can by our prayers disturb the established
iaWs oI the universe or interrupt the course
OF providence. Mr.. I.ightbourn showed that
sn,I sna, onJecSon apples to all human action rs
powng of the farmer as the praying Of the
Gnrlstlan. Although God has absolutely pre-
determined some things, there are others
Which respect his government of free agents
.i,. Mlicli ne has .condtionally predetermined
Gods lmmutabiiity is not his adherence to his
purposes, but to the principles OF his govern
ient. GODS principles change never; his
purposes change frequently. God purpesed
10 destroy Nineyeh, but he did not carry out
ms purpose. Inc change was not in God, but
III -Niheven. whenever there is conflict
between purposes and principles, purposes
must surrender.
Inc second objection considered was that
rounded in the divine Omnscience God
knows all things, and it said to be folly to tell
Hod what lie knows, and presumption to d-
rect God to do what he knows should be done.
me hsher and ulteriOr object for which
prayer has been appointed IS the disciplinary
effect OF the habit God could make bread grow
spontaneously he could send an angel with a
Dread basket toevery man 5 door every day but
what would be the effect? Think OF world
III idleness and then imagine the effect.
Iroiessor lyndall was not, he presumed, an
atheist: The test he proposes is not to prove
tre existence OF personal God. Professor
Iyndail speaks OF prayer .'as tile Offspring of
childish whim," and says that lie cannot ex-
press MS repugnance at the notion that su-
preme intelligence can be influenced by the
suggestions of any human mind. His .real
sentiments arc in harmony with the old pagan
sages and with intdelity
The test proposed by Professor Tyudall contain $
terms that cannot be complied with without dis
obedience to God. \ strange test, indeed But
The test proposed was respectful il it contain
ea 10 terms imposing all act OF disobedicnce to
Jod, Yet we could not accept the proposition
first, because the age of miracles is past Christi.
| anlty having established her divine origin, MIRA
| cies are now unnecessary. Miracles are not al
| ways convincing. They did not convince Pharoaf
| nor the many thousands that witnessed the mira
| cies Oh Jesus II the test OF Professor IyndIil
was accepted, and II all the SICK in the ward
prayed ior recovered, and all those not prayed tor
heu, the Professor would labor to discover natur-
| al eiuseS' ana wcnii probably remain as great
| sceptc. ii the Professor had lived in the TIM
OF Christ or OF his apostles, his test would i,a
have been accepted. We are told of those wht
came To Jesu' with the professors test, and SAID
Master, give us sign" Neither Jesus nor hi
apostles ever sratiied any such characters.
the Professor were pre- sent this evening an,
| We're 10 ask how he might secure riches wealth
| would say, 80 To WORK, sir. Ii he to as
how he might acquire knowledge, l would an
| s@er, ly study or application. Ii he were sick
| and inquired what he must do, l would drec
him 10 some sSilful physician But it h
| telt that he was sinner, and inquired what h
must do to be saved, l would say, fray, sir
prayer, SIR and would be more certain that Go
would answer his prayers than that he would secur
riches by labor, or knowledge by study, or health
stefan IN Baltimore. Mr.. lightbourn closed hi
discourse by giving number OF striking example
OF answer to prayer.