The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1873-12-24
MISCELLANY.
THE EFFICACY or PRAYER.

!
The Rev. Newman Hall delivered a lecture
in New York, recently, on the " Reasonable
ness Of Prayer in reply to modern scepti
cism. The first part.of the .lecturewas made
up of citations from the Bible, Showing all
the remarkable answers to prayer recorded
ed. Solomon prayed and obtained special
wisdom. Daniel prayed and he was saved
from the lions, Hezekiah, Nehemiah, Elijah,
Elisha, and Peter and the apostles, besides
many others, had prayed and obtained special
results. 1t was hot until The near close Of the
lecture that the speaker undertook to cite any
instance showing where the prayers of any
human being have been specifically answered
within the last ! 800 years. He said that not
long since a friend told him of case which
occurred at place called Newport, in Scot
land. A poor man wanted $50 to lquidate
some little debts and keep his family from
want. The man and his wife engaged for
some time in prayer before going to bed,
calling apon God to rescue them from their
distressful condition just after they had
turned off the gas and gone to bed, knock
was heard at the door. The gas was re-light-
ed, the door opened, and a sea captain pre-
sented himself in search Of scanan's clothes.
The outfits required were furnished him, and
the money to pay for them, amounting to just
about $50, was counted out and paid. This
the lecturer regarded Us a direct answer to-
prayer. An instance had occurred in his own
family. When he was young his dear moth
er was stricken down with disease, and the
physicians had given her up for lost The
children and grandchildren were gathered
around the bedside bidding her a last fare
well, when the distracted husband came in,
and, sinking on his knees at the bedside, pray
ed fervently that God would spare the dear
wife and mother. The patient soon began to
revive. She opened her lips, nourshment
was given her, and she finally recovered, liv-
ing cighty-five years before she died. This
was another instance of answer to prayer
The physicians said it was miracle. Some
people, the lecturer said, thought the''pray-
ers of a mother for the safety of her son,
when he is starting out on the ocean in ship,
were of no use, and that the winds and the
waves we're operated by certain physical laws,
which could not be changed. The same people
would contend that the prayer which friend
of his recently heard going up from a little
girl in a London Sunday-school, asking God
to bring work for her father, was also futile !;
but he believed in the efficacy of such prayers.
Admitting that prayer was not answered by
God, the lecturer argued that its natural in
fuence was beneficial to the heart and to the
mind. A man who shut himself up in his
closet and communed directly with God add
ed nobleness and a dignity to his character.
A prize of $500 may be offered to the winner
of a race. Immediately many eager compet-
itors enter the contest. The race is run, and
then it is found that no prize is forthcoming
to the fastest runner But all have benefited
by the contest, for it has developed their mus
Gle. MANY men once went to digging up an
orchard, having been told that chest Of gold.
was hidden there The gold was not found,
for none was concealed there, but the orchard
was greatly benefited by the digging up of
the soil. But God was able to answer prayer,
and does it. 1t was natural for all to pray
The infant prays when it first opens its
mouth, and the loving parent responds. There
was an instinct in the human breast which
tells every one to pray, and that instinct
was stronger than any Of the arguments
of the sceptics Or scientists. A boy is
sitting on the window-sil in an upper story.
He slips and falls. AS he is going down he
cries, I" Father, father and the parent hear
ing the cry, rushes out and catches the boy,
saving him from being dashed against the
ground This was overcoming the natural
law of aravitation. 1t was idle to say that ev-
erything is subject to natural orplrysicai laws.
The human mind which was given by God en-
abled man to arrest the force of physical law
at his will. The lecturers arm weighed sew
eral pounds, and naturally would drop to his
side. and yet it was at all times obeying the
orders of the mind overcoming the natural or
physical law of grayitation which would keep
1t constantly at his side. II could start rail-
road train and do Infinite damage to life and