Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1873-02-15
OLYMPIA. SATURDAY MORNING. FBB. IS, 1913.
PROF. TYEDALI's PRAYER GUAaE.


tanned an allusion to - Prof. Tyndall' S
Prayer Guasc," and the reply of DR..
Stone, an eminent divine Of San Fran
cisco to the proposition, which require
some explanation to arrive at proper
understanding of the subject. The
San Francisco Chronicle of recent
date has full report OF the very able
discourse of Rev. DR.. Stone. IRON which
we gather the main points OF his argu-
ment. II appears that Prof. Tyndall,
in q work entitled Fragments Of Sci
ence," has set forth his views on the
subject Of miracles and special prom
Uses. In this treatise, he proposes to
test the power Of prayer, and challenges
the Christian world to unite in an ez-
ptr.ment to be made as follows:
One single ward or hospital under the care
OF frst-rate physicians and surgeons. con-
tanning certain numbers of patients afflicted
with those disea ses which had been best stud
led and of which the mortality rates are best
known, whether the diseases are those which
are treated lv medical or by surgical rene
dies, should be during 4 period not less, say
than thrt, or five years, made the object Of
special PRAYER by the whole BODY of the faith
fill and that at the end o. that time the NOR
ality rates should be compared with the first
rates. and also that of other leading hospitals,
similarly wcll-manag ed during the same pc
Rod. Granting that time is given, and num-
hers are sufficiently large. so as to insure the
minimum of error from accidental disturbing
causes the experiment Will BE- exhaustive
ana complete.
DIR. Stone, who appears to be admir-
ably qualified to discuss the subject
with the learned professor. refuses to
accept the challenge for excellent rea-
sons, and declares that there may be
more courage in declining than con-
senting to this experiment. He asks:
suppose i, were tried, and suppose the issue
should be in the case selected decrease,
more or less considerable, in the rate OF NOR
atty; would infidelity he convinced2 Would
exact science be satisfied? What degree of
variation would he accepted rs unqueston-
able proof? How easy it would be 10 argue
that natural causes might. after all. have IA
vored the issue. When could we be sure that
the age and constitution of the patients, their
previous habits of life. local influences the
fidelity of nurses, the skill of physicians, or
any other of scores of possible agencies had
not controlled the result? The scientific
mind must know, before it Yields assent, the
exact value of those impOnderable forces.
demand another and still another expert
ment. One such trial would not end the
doubt, nor hundred. There would still be
were Il product of natural law, and con-
vic.ion would hold itself in reserve.
He opposes the suggestion on other
grounds. The principal of these is
that it is an experiment on God, and it
is doubtful whether it would meet with
divine appreciation. 1t would stife
Christian sympathy, torequire the pray
ing world to make special intercession
for tie sick Of one hospital and alb
stain from prayer for the distressed and
suffering in all others. He asks, who
is to see that no Christian mother is
praying for her boy in a neighborine
hospital, no believing wife for he hus.
band, nor even any son there in the
sleepless nights and in the hours of an
suish praying for himself?
In conclusion, DR.. Some says: ct
ought further to be remembered that 6
wise and true prayer asks always fol
what is best for the beloved object
Pray, Internationally, that the lives o.
all the patients of certain hospital ma,
be spared-some, perhaps, to linger il
infrmity-weak, suffering, crippled
for years, to be discharged from thu
wards with, broken constitutions, il
helpless poverty, with no strength to
wrestle with the strenuous competition.
of their class for daily bread. We d.
not offer such prayers. 1t would b.
presumption. We pray also that what
ever is best may be granted, and oul
answered prayers may shorten instead
of lengthen life. For such reason
as these the new prayer gauge does no
commend itself to my mind as in an,
view q wise and conclusive method O
proving the efficacy of prayer. Thu
Fulton-street-prayer-meetingis bette
test. The life Of any humble Christian
is a more satisfactory test. And tn
promises of God need no bolstering o
our poor, human contrivances. W,
ara not afraid of the prayer gauge be
cause we fear defeat. 1t is simply i'm
practicable. It has not even the as
pect of scientific accuracy. We do no
shirk from any intelligent and right
minded test of the physical value O
prayer"
QUERY why is it that the Beacon
contains no more factious illusions Il
our alien Secretary? Wonder wha