The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1875-12-29
Ministers OH the Power Of
PRAYER.

Prayer.
The Methodist Ministers Association held
their usual weekly meeting yesterday morn
ing, Rev. W. ii. Chapman, the president, in
the chair, and Rev. Watson Case secretary.
The order of the day being the question
81 Is prayer for physical results recognized in
the Bible for all time?" was next taken up
and discussed for over an hour. Rev. DR..
Naylor was the first speaker. History is re-
pete, he said, with miraculous answers to
prayer which were seeming violations Of law.
At the voice Of prayer miraculous bre had
consumed the bullock on the altar, water had
sprung from the solid rock, mama had been
brought down from heaven, barren women
had been enabled TO bring forth children,
the hungry were fed, lepers healed, prisoners
restored TO freedom. and the blind restored
to sight. Miracles might be possibly con.
trary to our knowledge OF law, but lot con-
trary to the law itself. Those miraculous
answers to prayer might have been the na-
iural results Of the laws of the universe. The
same necessities, did they exist to-day, would
bring down the same answers. The reyer-
end gentleman then related 40 incident as
showing the efficacy OF prayer. Sixteen
years ago, at session of the Indiana Confer
ence, presided over by Bishop James, it was
announced that Bishop Simpson had been
given up by the physicians, and was at the
point of death. This was at Ills A. NJ,
and fervent prayer was offered up for the
sick Bishops recovery. Shortly before noon
! sudden change for the better was noticed
in the Bishops condition, and he recovered,
TO the utter establishment of his physicians
and family. Dr.. Naylor denied that any sci.
enlist living in sin could comprehend the
meaning of prayer. He was repeating but
Il common truism when be said that all
prayer was answered. 1t was not prayer,
however, to ask God to change the laws Of
the universe.
Rev. DR.. Brown had his doubts as to pro.
vision being made for the answering of
prayers iu all coming time. It was clearly
evident to him that if Christ wrought moth
ing during His stay on earth but what was
provided for in the laws of nature that there
was nothing miraculous in His works nor
any proof in them. ALI should be exceed
ngly cautious in working out soluti ons to
the works Of God.
Rev. Mr.. Slit, in reference to the case OF
Bishop Simpson, said that sometimes people
miSjudged, and persons whose cases they had
regarded as hopeless sometimes recovered.
The Indiana Conference might have based
their prayers upon an incorrect telegram
when it stated that Bishop Simpson was at
the point Of death. A celebrated physician
had sad that after two thousand years of eE.
purience but three things had been clearly
established by the medical profession, two Of
which were that salts would purge and that
opium would cause sleep and quiet pain.
The opinion OF 4 physician was hardly sub
stantial basis for prayer. This was entirely
new dispensation, when miracles were no
longer witnessed. If Rev. DR.. MAYORS
house caught fire that gentleman would not
be apt to kneel down and pray for its extin-
guishment, but would rather 90 to the near
est tre.alarm box and sound an alarm.
Rev. Mr.. CoombS said that the Bible
taught that the prayer of faith would save
the sick, and was surprised to hear any min.
lister aver that the pending question could
be answered 10 the negative.
Rev. DR.. Gibson took the ground that
prayer without means was useless. The full
text Of Scripture quoted by Rev. Mr.. Coombs
was: Apply the oil, and the prayer Of faith
shall save the sick"
The question was asked: Suppose there
was no oil to be had:
DR.. Gibson replied that in that case no one
had the right to expect any result from
drawer. 1t was bold attempt for any man
to pray for what he could himself produce.
1t would indeed be ludicrous if Rev. DR..
Naylor were to 60 down on his knees to pray
for the extinguishmeat of his burning house
without making any physical effort to secure
the water to put the flames out. If it were
within the range Of possibilities to save the
sick without the use of means, life would be
made perpetual, and there would be no sick
ness or death.
The discussion was also participated in by
Revs. DR.. Peck, Stevenson, and others. The
hour Of adjournment having arrived the fur.
Their consideration of the question was post
poned until Monday next.-Baltimore Anse.
11con, 2Sh.