The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1874-02-07

childish or womanish. when I was
q child I prayed a. . child, but when |
became Q man I put away my childish
prayer. One who knows that waves
are raised by winds and winds are gov.
srned by fixed lave, will calmly
await his =, fate, be it a vatery
grave or . passing ship-to pray would
i Be As absurd a. to cry and pull the
hairl When picture to my mind
that little band of men. kneeling upon
the deck OF the Loeb Earn, calmly. yet
earnestly praying for deliveranee from
surely approaching death. which they
were utterly powerless to avert, l fail to
see anything CD ildish or absurd. Taks
ing the very lowest view possible Of the
scene, it was only human nature assert
ing itself; for prayer Ia "a certainly q
ratural instinct which cannot be cup.
pressed a. are rejoicing and sorrowipg.
II 10 as much q law OF nature that men,
in certain conditions will pray, as that
matter in certain conditions will fall to
the ground. The stoutest hearted athe-
ist has fallen 10 his knees In the face Of
impending death. Tyndal himself. in
imminent peril Of death, could hardly
have RETAINED from putting prayer to a
practical ADD personal test. He would
have lost all his solici,ude in regard to
the stability of nature, and, despite all
the terrible consequences that would en-
sue we're God to answer his PRAYER and
save him from the waves. wonld have
added his hearty "amen." To pray
when We feel there is need OF help from
above. 10 a. truly q part OF our human
nature as TO reason, or to feel, or 10
act when there is occasion
for theee powers of the soul
True, by q long process OF self culture
or a powerful act o! the will, this ia
.,inct may be suppressed. but so mag
also the habit Of reasoning. A Stole
or an Ascetic may suppress ell feeling
OF Joy OF sorrow or pity, but no element
OF human nature can by any mesns be
suppressed without measure OF des
teriorstion. The man who does Eot
reason or feel is so far degraded-he is
that much less a man-and the man
who BY apy means suppresses the To-
stinct o. prayer, so far from growing
out of childishness has simply departed
from true manhood. has destroyed one
OF the traits which Distinguish men from
brutes, and that a principal one. Is is
manly to pray, though doubtless all
PRAYERS may not be manly.
Nor is prayer the uuaval;ng cry OF
distress. 1t availe,h much. 1t does
more than give relief TO pept up feelings
and expression to earnest longines 1t
is easy TO ssy tie captain Of the British
Queen would have changed the course
o Ibis ship nor;hwaId, ani that the
winds would have driven the Loeb Earn
south ward had no prayer gone up to
God but who says so assumes tue role
Of q prophet. Besides such unusual
combinations o: circumstances
have so o:.eu followed united
, prayer, that though It may not
be scientific 10 say there is connection
between the prayer and the unusual
com binstion, yet il is certainly unscl-
entifc to declare dogmstcslly there
is no connection. The prayer 10 so OFT
% followed by the thing prayed for as
to create 3 strong presumption that God
answers prayer, which, added 10 the
express promises OF the Bible, and the
| practical experiences OF believers, give
q o,enc;en, announcement 10 all who
wish to pray TO do go y.