The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1877-03-22
From the n. Y. independently
Prayer Cures.
BY PROF. CHARLES N. MEAD.

For some time past, in books and
newspaper articles. the attention of the
public has been called to wonderful cases
OF healing effected simply by the prayer
of faith And recently, after giving a
| detailed account Of such n case, n writer
concludes by asking whether God is not
showing that the prevalent theory OF
his Church in reference to the divine
efficiency in response to the faith OF his
people will bear a re-examination and
closer adjustment to the letter Of his
promise" ] am inclined To think that
there is need OF an examination of this
matter though the conclusion may not
be altogether such as the writer referred
to evidently has in mind
First of all, then. let us have no con-
troversy as to the alleged facts, though
there is reason to think that in some in
stances the wonderfulness of the cure
has been exaggerated. Neither need we
| question whether i'm some cases the cure
may not be largely attributed to the
/ natural effect OF n highly excited imagi-
nation. Let il be allowed that there
have been remarkable cures really $50
tar as we can judge) produced by divine
| power In direct answer to prayer Still
| the question for US is What is the
| practical inference which the Christian
/ public should draw2 IL is evidently inn
| piled in the articles referred TO that we
are To infer that there has been too little
| faith in the power OF prayer, and that. IL
/ there were sufficient iaith such woider.
| ful cures might be- wrought OIL yJOdy
/ rufiering from any disease whatsoever.
Now. ! feel constrained TO maintain
that in this inference there is a radical
and mischievous error-an error almost
certain TO lead to fanaticism, on the one
hand, and to skepticism. O.. the other.
But. it will be at once r~joined, do you
not believe the Bible2 And is not the
d bctrine thus condemned clearly the
biblical doc'rine2 Well, no letter ap-
peal can be Llade than to the Bible TO
the Bible therefore, let US 90. We shall.
OF course. be pointed at once TO Mark XII.
"a: What things sOrver ye desire,
when We pray, believe that We receive
them and ye shall have them" Moth
ing, il would seem, could be more expli
cit and unrquvocal And yet immedi
ately alterward we read: "Eh~n We
stand praying, forgive if ye have aught
against any. But if ye do not
forgive, neither will your Father which is
in Heaven forgive your tresspasses"
Suppose, now. a man to pray God for
forgiveness. believing that God will TO-
give, while yet IL. fails to forgive tho-e
against whom lie has complaint. what
will happen? According TO one passage,
as interpreted 10y the persons above re-
ierred To, he certainly. will be- forgiven;
'ccording to the other. he certainly will
not be. But it may be r'jninrd. the
case is hardly s"ppO-ahle. An uniorgiv
ing man c.hnot have the right kind Of
laiIh. ! r-ply: The case is supposablr
Christ's language is: "B-lirve that yr
receive Taken literally. il only re-
quires that one should prrsuade himsrli
that the specific thing asked tor will b..
granted, aud this certainly might be doi
by "a man with an uniorgiving ,etnp-r
Bur, il this is not conclusive. let us see
how Jesus exrmplitied his own doctrine
In Grthsemane he prayed: Iii il be
possible, let this cup pass from me; nev
ertheless, not as ] will, but as thoI wilt"
And the cup did not pass from him
And how was it with Paul2 He be
sought the Lord thrice that his thorn in
the flesh might depart from him; but
the thorn remained IL the doctrine i'm
piled in much that is nowadays written
and spoken on the subject of prayer is
true. then Paul and Jesus were sadly
wanting in faith. and needed to have
some OF these modern apostles at their
side, in their hours of temptation. to
whisper in their ears the reassuring
words: "All things are possible to him
that belieN eth.
II it is asked: What then shall be
thought OF those plain promises connect
ed with the prayer of iaith2 / answer:
Ii is not necessary to go into minute
rxegesis OF them in order TO determine
their exact meaning IL is more to the
/ present purpose to show that the press
/ ing OF their apparent literal meaning
/ leads to ahsurdty, II not TO blasphemy
| Moreover il is important. when we are on
/ the biblical aspect o: the question. To call
| attention TO the fact that the ible lay-
/ down other conditions OF fi-ctivs prayer
: quite as clearly as this one of faith
/ L =, in John XIV, I we read: III ye
ABIDE ia me. and my words abide in YOU
ye shall ask what ye will. and it shall br
done unto you. The same sweeping
promise, but different condition. So
in / John III, %: "Nhatsoever we ash
we receive OF him. because we keep his
commandments aud do those things that
are pleasing in his sight The same
promise. but another condition. Again
IN John v, IA This Is the confidence
that W.. h ave in him. that il We ask any
]
Us" Still the same promise, but diffrr
ent condition. Again. in James iv, 3 we
have still another statement: "Ye ask
and receive not. because ye ask amiss.'
And what is asking amiss2 Not having
faith enough2 No; but that ye may
consume it upon your lu~ts' II is ask
ing from "a selfish motive. Now, If our
doctrine Of prayer Is to be built upon .
biblical foundation. why u it that these
passages are wholly ignored by these
faith. men, and everything made TO turn
upon those others in which faith j. en-.
ioined2 Why do We never hear of obe
dirnce as the tuii~man which shall secure
/, To us the desired blessing? Why i e.n
phasis never laid on the conformity ~
our requ to the divine will As a condi
tion Of successful prayer? Why are W
not told that. in order to gain an answr
To our petitions We nIust bs animate | b'