The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-02-20
PLYMOUTH PRAYER MEETING,

Mr. BEECHER ON THE EFFICACY OF PRAYER
Plymouth lecture room was unusually crowded
last evening, every possible space being occupied.
After prayers BY Brothers Hutchinson and Hart
followed by hymn 778. Mr.. Beecher said The at
tentive study or the four evangeiists will snow
that the Sermon on the Mount has mol been re-
ported by any one or them in its fulness. For ex.
ample, the LORDS Prayer introduced In Matthew
Is followed by q commentary on the subject OF for
giveness. being the only one IN which q common
tary is made. In Luke, the same prayer being
given, no commentary follows. but an exhorta-
ton on
THE USE PRAYER.
It Is probable the Sermon on the Mount was in
terlocutory lie Is probable questions were inter-
changed and topics brought up not given in toe
text In Luke, in the eleventh chapter. It says
(Which OF you shall have o friend. and shall 60
unto him at midnight and say unto him, Friend,
lend me three loaves; for friend OF mine IN his
journey Is come to me and have noihlng to set
before him. And he from within shall answer
and say. Trouble me not; the door Is now shut
and my children are with me in bed. l cannot
rise and give thee. say unto you though he will
not rise and give MIN because he is his friend yet
because OF his Importantly he will rise and give him
as many as he needeth. Aud say unto you, Ask
and 1t shall be given you. seek and ye shall find,
Knock b a and II snail DC opened unto you" Then IN
parable unto them to this end, that men ought
always to pray. not TO liant; saying, there
was IN city judge, which feared not God,
neither regarded man: and there was a widow In
that city and she came unto hun, saying, Avenge
while: but afterward he said within himself,
Though l fear not God, nor regard man. yet
because THIS widow trOubleth me, will avenge
her. lest by her ontinual coming she weary me.
thiEk there is an
UNCONSCIOUS CONSPIRACY
In the world to take away our God and one of
the most dangerous forms IS the decrease OF faith
OF men In the efficacy and reasonabIeness OF
THAI, though there may be a God, we can never
find Him out; He Is inaccessible. To admit that
power Of Cod and to practically take the pres.
ence OF God from us. 1t certainly rips up the New
% the thing .S our
anything TENDS Z ! a5m'T ~ ne.vr,
1t Is the first Step to destroying God Himself.
NOW, let us look at 0otn these parallels In Luke
they are stumbling BLOCKS at FIRST. man comes
Rs A4 e Sakss ~ sssa g EoSn iA sSs
man says 'Don't plague me; Can't get up,n Is
not that a mean person hungry nefghbor,
and because he Is sleepy he ont get up; and yet
1t goes on not because he Is friend bur because
MS opportunity; not because he is generous, but
when he keeps Knocking and Keeping him awake 1t
awakes MS meanness and ne says. I shall never get
TO sleeps might as well give 1t to him. and SO 1t is
the lowest instinct in his nature which makes him
do kind thing. Now, II the lowest form Of nature
makes men do kind things, rising In successive
It from sympathy by ana by. II amean fellow can
be compelled to give. how much more would ne
give II he had higher motfve2 Ii q man, even
for the sake OF renewing himself from importantly,
will give bread TO the poor, how much more shall
your Father who Is the
EPIroME of vIKTUE AND GOODNEss2
II seshness Will give, what will the allfull hand
OF God do TO those whom God loves and pities
Take the unjust Judge. When the poor widow
cried to MIN to be delivered from her adversarles
he says. II won't; she can't pay any fee; she
can't put her hand behind her and have money
put in it," But she pleads, she sticks 10 him, and
by and by he says, II don't care for God; don't
care for man; but this widow sticks like nea.
l had better get rid OF her;' and so lor
the lowest reason, pure personal convenience,
he says "Still, WILL" Now, then, If he can be
maze to do a Just thing through the lowest form
OF his nature, now much more would he do from
higher motives9 If the meanest OF men, caring
only for himself, would for that reason hear the
cry oil distress, how much more Will He who never
sleeps, who Is always watching, before whom not
q sparrow can TALL to the ground unseen.
Now take into consideration the Intensity with
which lie urges men to prayer. Not TO go down on
your knees before an Imaginary GOd ana feel that
the pure, quiet thoughts Will do you good by re-
action. But II Is strlngently taught that prayer
tute Tor your own eXertions, nor can We
understand how God answers prayer Men sup
pose they can prove that God cannot answer
prayer, for II lie aid 1t would break some wheel In
out events day by day, and II they should stop to
answer prayer something would clash. Now
don't undertake to say prayer Is answered In
way we can comprehend; but God can do 1t,
teach that PRAYER Is good Let no man take away
the glory OF that belief, and when the Gays are
dark and disappolntments many there Is golden
gate for you. God 10 the tower, the nigh rock OF
our salvation, and If God be Tor US who shall be
against uSy