Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1872-11-13
From The Christian at Work.
Is PRAYER A NECESSITY !
by MRS. A. f. BARR

The Rev. Mr.. rockingham, in hi
sermon Sunday morning, Septembe
%, says that as soon as men under
stand the world they live in, they ceas,
praying "-as if the awful immutabilit,
and changelessness of natures law
could affect that being whose servants
these laws are
There is no natural law that can cur
tail our spiritual life, which is altogether
a life miraculous and exceptional, III
main evidence in one miraculous boob
and one miraculous history. Our con
yictions of its verify come from some
thing higher than logic, for moral and
spiritual life glide away from axiom'
and demonstrations to rest themselves
on the simple assurance, Thus saith
the Lord"
If we prayed only for those things
which are in accordance with the laws
Of nature, or which there was a strong
probability Of our receiving by the oper
alton Of recognized though unconsciou:
agents, there would then, indeed, be nc
necessity of our praying at all.
But we pray for miracles What Law ol
nature is able to create a clean thing
out of an unclean one2 How can man
be born again by any natural process
What specific has nature to restore
health and strength, when the feet touch
the grave and the eyes see the kingdom
of death2 But we know that the prayer
of faith has done these things.
Prayer has subdued kingdoms
wrought righteousness, obtained prom
ises, stopped the mouths Of lions,
quenehed the violence Of FIRE, escaped
the edge of the sword, turned TO flight
the army Of the aliens, and given to wo
men their dead alive again" Prayer
moves the Hand that moves the uni
verse; it shuts the gates Of hell and opens
the everlasting doors Of heaven.
These are the gifts and offices Of
prayer. What provision in the laws Of
nature is made for theml None. They
are altogether supernatural, and are
given 10 those that ask them. Christ
could control all the laws of nature; the
winds and the waves Obeyed him; food
Increased in his hands without any natu-
raj process Of sowing and resping; life
came at his call death went at his com
mand-yet no man ever prayed as Christ
prayed. He prayed in he morning and
in the evening, and he spent all nights
in prayer. He prayed in public, he
prayed in the wilderness and in the gar
den, he prayed in his TRANSPORTATION aud
in his agony, and on the cross be dis
missed his soul with that most beautiful
and confding Of all doath-prayers, Into
thy hands | commend my spirit.
The laws OF nature would be a poor
exchange for the omnipotence Of God;
and because | cannot measure with my
short reed the ways Of Him who is eter-
nal, shall / narrow down the Almighty
TO my own small understandings
Mr.. rockingham and the men Of his
ilk cannot conceive of a God who inter
ests himself about the small concerns Of
men. How awful would life be to the
humble Christian if he did not believe
that all his ways were ordered aud over
ruled by God To be the victim Of in
scrutable, irrevocable, insensate laws,
which no pleading could reach and no
at0nement satisfy, would take away all
the dignity Of manhood, and leave us
with lives ruled BY blind necessity in
stead Of a loving and omnipotent Ged.
IL / could believe that prayer was
useless, / should lose all interest in
Christ, in Abraham, Moses, David, the
prophets, the martyrs, the saints IN all
ages. / should have no use for the
Bible, | should not want to hear Mr.
rockingham nor any ether preacher.
The study Of those laws Of nature which
affected my own life would be all that
could possibly interest me; aud think
I should feel il very hard 10 love q God
Who had put me here without my con.
- and then left me At the mercy oi