Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1876-08-17

3 ATTIC PRAYERs.-I have great faitt
in attic prayers. A protesting Chris
tian had been lamenting to me his sense
of wickedness. He had different con
sciousness, though, to express to me
one day. Said he, Il felt wicked be.
cause 1 acas wicked Determined to
get relief, he added, 4 went up into
the attic and asked God to give me
light, and he has, Neglectful of his
duty as priest of God in the home, he
had now set up the family altar and
asked Gods. blessing at the table. He
not only had light to see his duty but
strength to do it. That is it,away up in
the attic, in that secluded place whose
only visitor through the week may be
some sunbeam streaming through the
one little window across the dusty
relics up there because the soul desires
to be separted as much as possible from
man and alone as much as possible
with God, up there in the dark and
down on ones knees, the soul pours
out its fullness before God. To get into
some lonely place, to feel driven there
by great longing after God; this is
what 1 term attic praying. And how
God meets the soul there and bright
ems the place with His presence till the
dingy rafters overhead seem to shine
like the beams in the temple, 'overlaid
with gold.'
find that attic praying was favor
lite style among the Old Testament
saints. There was Jacob all alone by
the brook Jabbok. A great want was
in his heart, driving him to God, and
he wrestled all night in that dark, se-
cluded place, its only light the stars
overhead, its only noise the brook
purling at his feet.
There was Elisha, leaving everybody
behind him, and climbing the narrow
stairs to his isolated little chamber on
the WALL there at the side of the dead
child to bow his soul before God. He
had faith in attic praying.
When HeZekiah turned his face to
the WALL in all the intensity of a soul
seeking isolation from the world and
uninterrupted communion with God 1T
was in the spirit of the petitioner un-
der the slanting roof.
We reach the New Testament. Wei
come to our great FXemplar, Christ. |
On one side of his being he was man.
IL was human nature hungry for the
sympathy and help of God. So we see
him In Gethsemsne, separating himself
from all the disciples save peter and
the two sons of Zebedee,' then with.
drawing from these and going a little
farther all alone to fall on his face and
pray. In the days of his fiesh,' we are
told that he Offered up prayers and
supplications with strong crying and
tears unto Him who was able to save
him from DEATH
From all these lonely, intense strug- {
giles what rerults! :
Jacob became Israel. Elisha brought t
the dead child to life. Hezekiah's life !
was heightened fifteen years, and
Christ was heard in that he feared.' l
And what fruits of isolation and
with God some now could
speak of. What battles with tempta-
ion have been fought up on the attic
1oor till the little sunbeam, stealing
through the dusty window, touches
With crown OF victory the wrestling
head! What baptisms OF c
he Spirit have been received away I'D
lnder the rafters, how many revivals
tarted there, how many tears of sor-
ow wiped away, what doors unto fe
heaven opened. Another life has de- al
cended, coming lower and lower, till 10 Q
has flashed its glory into the suppli- aMi az
nt's face, and he who went up heavy m
earted and sad comes down like Mo- N
es, with face that shines.-Sunday ds
chool Journal. II