The New York herald., 1876-02-21

Ia no uppvs, suc wora OF Goa If IT is the
Word OF God, brought into the argument 1t becomes
a most important factor Of solution
great many OF US have theology OF four own We
have built II up in our wanderngs through many
years OF liie we have made for ourselves apparently
perfect structure philosophy OF hfc and when we
60 to the Bible We go with prejudice IN our hearts
When distrust is the normal action OF our minds We
are utterly unable to get hold OF the whole truth A
great many go TO the Bible not to End out what truth
IS bur 10 corro6orate enforce what they have pre-
yiously determined the truth 10 be- The only way to
Hue cur what God would have. US do Is To put
away all our preirdcos and all our preconceiyed no.
tlons and conceptions, make our minds as nearly
Dlshk as possible; Then when earnestly study the
Bible We may receive impressions directly nom tho
Spfit OF Cod Jesus puts very forciby wien lie says
we ought TO leave our estate OF manhood aud come
down 70 the simplicity OF childhood for then only can
we receive the things from God which rs Hs delight
wo are likely approximate 10 the mind OF GOD, and
the more We put aside our own judgments and opn.
ions the more likely we are to prize this book and End
our way through the various mysteries OF life by the
help OF the light which this book alone can throw upon
them.
II | turn to Philippians find this remarkable state
ment Concerning the duty Of prayer:-Be careful for
nothing, but IN everything by prayer and suppll-
cation, with thanksgiving let yo9r request DO
known unto God This Is the command
ment Of the Almighty Feel that you are re-
sponslhle for nothing that you are IN tic hands
ol an Almighty Being, and IN everything you do by the
means OF prayer and suppcaton, not forgetting TO
give thanks Tor what you have already received, let
your requests be known unto God And then, my
dear friends turn TO Proverbs and find this sentence
concerning the attitude Of the Almighty The sacr
hces the wicked abominailOn TO the Lord, but
the prayefs o: the upright are his delight Gods
pleasure then is IN granting our requests God looks
down IN appreciation when you look up in supplication
God stretches His strong hama down ana hits you up
and you whenever your heart IN III us urgency OF
request goes oui 10 Him God ana you arc one in
strength whenever you pour into HIS ear all OF your
wishes and fears and hopes and sorrows.
This Is one aspect from which 70 view God that is
nj lpn TAX l. n ID
Almighty which is not apt to be appreciated Our
prayers cold and hcartcss and We are oppressed
a GENERAL THEOLOGICAL TRUTH
admit that the hairs OF our heads are numbered,
but 1t impossible TO make this practical and opera
tive truth hyes and this is the barrier between
God and us. We DO not dare to take HIM at His word
Oh If wo could feel that God hears our prayers would
not pour voice in lifelong song? We
assent 20 this with our minds, bat do not confess II
delight to the Lord. Isaiah says Then shalt thou
call and the Lord shall answer thou shalt cry, and
lie shall say, Here ana - Why, brethren this Is
a priceless privilege. God asks US TO speak to Him,
ana lie answers Us that when cry to Him in faith
havcS' The apostle said "Ask and you shall receive,
knock and 1t shall be opened unto you, seek and 80
What is the doctrine OF the Bible concerning our
attitude Turn 10 Daniei-"And l prayed unto the
Lord my God and mado my confession, and said, Oh,
Lord, the grca, and dreadui God we have snncd and
committed niqmty aud done wickedyi now for the
Lords sake forgive" There is no Pharsee who can
/
We are to admit our dependence on HIM every hour,
and Goo is TO hear US s to be because we confess
before Him freely the things we have dono. Perhaps
tins is the hardest ordea we nave 10 pass through IL
Is harder for TO admit that we are less than nothing
than TO admit any other thing Measured by each
other stand very WE'LL but God measures us by the
spirit Of Jesus Christ and then we stand Ill Then
how care prayers to be answered. For our sake
Are We TO plead lite and lover Not al all ''For my
Son sake will give 1t thee. "
Let me look at ths matter from another standpoint.
cannot explain
rnn moDrs opERANDi OF PRAYER
II Is mystery to me- and my most cunning logic
cannot solve the problem but Ind II not necessary
to solve That is mol the only mystery IN which be-
heve How many people who have sent kilograms
from one part OF the country 10 another have under.
stood the cheu.ica. process gone through with take
II IL ten thousand; and yet We have perfect
conhdence IN the possibility OF sending the message
and from the nature o! the answer you know the cues
tOn sent and The nature OF the answer is the
standard by which We measure our faith IN The trans
rule 70 God we shall be satisfied, think.
You say IT is miracle r..I0 DO
not; If fac, that Is enough for me- wha, do you
mean by mirac!ey simply that you don't under stand
how II is done Perhaps 10 the angels IL Is just Us
natural for to lif .hs book IN obedience TO my
vol!tion How does my will act on my nerves and
muscles Why is not that mystcryH
How am / TO judge OF prayer BY trying the expert
menL Some oi you have been praying mon and
women for many years; you know no more about the
philosophy OF the service than the veresi child and
yet you believe 10 II. whyH Because you have per.
formed the service and II has proved It's own value
one peculiar thing about Mr. Moody IS pray er never
( look az that man without breaking the commandment
that VIC ought not TO covet ! do covet that mans
/ heart--tLat mans laith You Tor
I those immense meetings In any other way II
in Tho mans BRAN, nor his eloquence. but IN his faith
3 in Almighty Goa have seen hundred Of the best
ministers n New y ork hang upon that mans
uNGRAMMATlCAL LIPS
and illogical sentences with tears In their eyes and
I their hearts breaking IL seems to II he
prays he just shus his eyes order 10 God and he
talks TO Him d friend and every one OF his prayers
is ike letter mis ish write 10 YOU beginning, ''My
dear friend" ana ending Yours always" That Is the
way Il with HIM, and 1t is the way II should be with
US II matter what you pray 50 long As II Is
est ungraumatcai prayer IS a. good any other;
dction docs matter with HIM but heart does. Only
do not forget Him that s all aud life wl set Itself
TO muse and when The time comes 10 walk through
the valley tho shadow OF dcath you Will need friend
10 rely on voc want HE rod the stan made
OF The wood OF the cross, and then you shall walk
through the shadow itse, ana say ~ fear evil for
thou with ne; Thy rod and lhy stan they comfort
me -
MASONIC HALL