, 1876-09-30

hc colllnlncS simple forces for the pro-
duction OF complex result.
But all these things come through
obedience to God in the special depart
ment where the result is reached Mr..
rockingham has been cried out against
Tor saying that the popular notion of
prayer Is immoral. But IL little thought
will teach you that he is right. 10 dis.
regard Coils methods in one department
is nothing more nor less than to expect
that God is going to take one hand to
deliver you out OF the other. Men say
practically, 80 God, wont obey your
conditions Of health; but expect that
when pray you Will make me well. |
won't pay any hccd to your law of gray
ilation; but You must keep me from fall.
ing and being injured. won't regard
your laws Of steam; but | hope You will
make my engine work just as well rs ii |
did. ] won't study to know the laws of
gas but trust, for the sake Of my
prayers, you will make my house as light
Ms my neighbors, | won't pay any at
tention to your laws in the strength of
materials; but | pray my sore may
stand as strong and safe as any on the
street. | won't keep your laws OF NOR
ality and character; but I'll become as
good as anybody else by praying that
you will suspend the general rules in my
particular case" That is Just what the
common idea of prayer means. 1t puts
n premium on luzineSs and ignorance and
incapacity and wilInlncss. Hit is true,
there is no need of knowledge OF labor,
OF training, OF skill, of foresight, OF care.
In the trucst and deepest sense OF the
word it is immoral. Carried out logic.
ally it would make civilization imposs.
bic. What Is the use OF merchandise if
God brings flour to the door of every
man who asks for it! Mr. Moody ought
to 90 step farther and save his wife
the housekeeping trouble 10y having the
flour ready made into bread On this
theory breath could do it, What is
the use of trained captains and drilled
sailors, much more of insurance compa.
nics, if prayer will always insure q safe
voyage at sea-
These natural conditions and laws are
the present, active, working God. lie
who knows and obeys the conditions
becomes master of the divine omnipo-
tence. The whole force o. divinity helps
him.
Must we not, then, pray 1t there be
spiritual lite in you you cannot help
praying, any more than rose can help
eXhaling its fragrance. The child does
not sit dumb in the presence of father
and mother because it knows the love
and care of his parents do not depend on
regular asking for them. The child-hcart
seeks rest and love in the parent.heart,
and naturally pours out its thoughts,
hopes, fears and wishes into the sympa.
thetic ears. But if the child be wise
one he does not expect to make his
wishes prevail against higher and bet
ter wishes.
And yet the prayer may he very vital
thing in the matter Of our character and
relation to God. What does compliance
with divine conditions do in nature
Simply this; 1t does not change any
single law or torce--it only sets lis in
new relations to them GraVitatiOn will
hold me firmly on my feet, or it will
fling me down an abyss, according to the
relation in which stand to it, When |
obey them, laws help NE; when dis
obey, they hurt me. So Oprayer may set
me in new and higher relations to God,
so as to utterly change, and grandly to
elevate, my character. When, by spirit.
uNl, aspiring prayer, | reach out after
God, | comply with the conditions of
spiritual health and strength. Ii / open
my shutters toward the east the morning
sun will shine in. 1t will shine any way,
but will do me no good unless obey the
conditions of its shining on me- SO it |
open the windows Of my soul toward
God the light Of his divine truth and
life will shine in, In this spiritual realm
it is knowledge and obedience to divine
laws and conditions, precisely the same
rs in the material. IL is one God and