The New York herald., 1879-03-03
CHURCH OF THE DISCIPLES.

PRAYER AND ITS EFFICACY-SERMON BY THE
REV. GEORGE H. HEPwoRTH.
Master. Master We perish the text selected
by Mr.. Hepworth yesterday morning as the basis of
o sermon on prayer. The incident that is indicated
In the words Of our text he said, at the close
Of very busy day. Jesus had not only been preach
Ing to the multitude. but He had been called to heal
The SICK to give sight TO the blind and hearing
those who deaf. Pressed upon by the multi
tude He asked the people to carry Him to the other
side of the lake. When they had pushed out
from the shore a little way. weared by His
sxerons Jesus laid along the of the vessel ana
was soon fast asleep. The disciples probably gath
red near Him. wondering at that marvellous power
which even the laws of nature seemed to have
neither the desire nor the ability to disobcy While
Jesus lay in the tranquility of slumber all at
danger approaches frem the side of the hilltop aud
whence comes unexpected gust that sweeps
the lake and strikes the little boat. At once
they think Of Him. He is not aroused by the i'm
pending calamity; secure q child in his mothers
arms He sleeps on. They, on the other hand, are
filled not simply with excitement. but with eraver
fear, as the waves continue to rise high that
they threaten to enguf them. They rush to the
Nter part of the vessel to awaken the Master-He
who has given sight to the man who was born blind
believing that He might in some way assist them in
sher dire extremity. With a thorough conscious
hess OF the danger of their position they Him.
With no gentle voice do they speak to Him. but with
voice or importantly because their needs great.
Master! Master!" was their cry. They knew that
The moment He saw their trouble that If He
aad the ability He would allay it. They had
suficient confidence in Him to believe that IL
they could make known to Him their wants
He would meet them They had had no experience
of their Masters ability in such crisis this
There must have appeared to them to be very great
difference between the Master saying to the dead
man. lazarus. say unto You come FORTH" and
standing the deck Of trail vessel in the midst of
. wild tornado. He lifted His hands toward the
heavens and said, peace. be STILL" and the great
waves went down. Little wonder is it that when the
disciples saw this great miracle they looked into
each others faces and said, What manner of man
" this that even the winds and the obey him."
WHAT THE INCIDENT PROVES
The incident proves that man instinctively prays
st some time or other Prayer is the natural and
evitable result spiritual and intellectual con-
formation. Gratitude and sense of dependence, our
hopes tor future our fears for the past ali find
their natural expression in the language of prayer
1t is utterly impossible for my mind conceive of
man having mans nature who never utters
prayer. Prayer and praise are the music of a mans
lfe they cover us with the canopy of God. The
man who lives alone lives a wreched life. We are
nterdependent one upon the other. 1t is the law OF
nature, IL Is the law of social station is the
law that underes all business. There is no relation
ship that binds us to the world in which are not
dependent one upon the other There comes time
in every mans life when he will not be able to an
swer the prayers OF his friend. 1t has in my
experience and 1t has come in yours. There comes
a time when loving hands reached out in vain
supplication, when tears fall and ask vain
neighbor to do that which is too great for him to
do. When the great calamity came ON the disciples
the Sea OF Galilee the disciples turned to each
other in fear and wonder. ana then asked Jesus;
they lifted their eyes to Him in and wonder and
He lifted His hands to the Great Unseen and bid
ding the tempest be STILL even the winds and the seas
obeyed Him.
PHILOSOPHY OF PRAYER.
Some man tells me that he cannot understand the
philosophy of prayer. do not doubt il, tor IL is
not the only grave and important question that we
cannot understand it would then be surprising IL it
were not surrounded with serious and grave doubts.
But we are living in world in which we know very
little. There are n large number of other problems
that are mysteries to us. We judge of many laws
simply by the result of their actions. No man
knows what the law of gravitstion is. We simply
know that IL is law and act upon IL. Judge Of
prayer mainly by its power in results, and yet
would not have you think IL is bounded by our
senses. II have u longing for prayer then it is an
argument that there is listener. II is legitimate
for me to that the desire, the instinct the inn
pulse OF prayer was placed within me by God for q
legitimate use, and that my aspirations natural
and designed Tor the enlargement of my spiritual
being. When look upon the sacred records which
have been handed down to us see all the Old
Testament descriptions of what prayer Is aud what
II has DONE Notably IL this the In the recital of
the wanderings of Moses and the three millions Of
wanderers II turn to the life of Christ md the
same thing. The history of the New Testament In
the history of prayer. From the days OF the public
ministry of Christ to the hour He saw the shadow
or the darkness OF Gethsemane prayer was His
tanning power
FIFTH Av. PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
THE oUTPoURINe OF THE spInrr-sERMoS ny
THE REV. DIR. JOHN HALL.
The Rev. DIR. John Hall preached in the Fifth Ave-
nue. Presbyterian Church the subject THE
Prophecy of Joel. the Outpouring Of the Spirit"
After the usual hymns prayer and lesson the pastor
read the last part of the second chapter of the
Book of Joel. beginning at the twenty eighth verse;
with the words ds;-"And 1t shall to pass after.