St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-06-06
The Power of Faith.
BY WILLIAM NORRIS BURR.

1t was the Week of Prayer. l drop
ped in upon Neighbor Thompson one
evening for half-hour's chat before
going to meeting. Thompson had been
suffering with a severe cold for several
days, and | knew would not be able to
go out to the meeting this evening. L
knew, also. that this compulsory stay
ing at home would be no light disap-
pointment to him.
found him lying down, his Bible in
his hand, and various papers scattered
about him; but he appeared not to
have been reading when l disturbed
him, for he seemed absorbed with some
thought which he was endeavoring to
work out in his own mind.
"PardOn my intrusion" l remarked,
as l took his proffered hand: "yOu
seem to have found something worthy
Of pretty close thought"
Indeed 1 have" he replied. "See
here; and so saying he handed me a
paper, pointing at the same time to a
few lines of an editorial which he had
marked heavily.
read: Goods promise is explicit
and often repeated that the faith-filled
prayer of the disciples of Jesus shall be
answered. If that promise is not to be
depended upon, God cannot be trusted.
If God can be believed, that promise is
sure. To the child of God his Father
and his Fathers promises are insepera-
bic. They must be accepted or rejected
together. When God says we may
have a thing if we pray for it in faith,
Gods promise of giving that thing is
conditioned on our faithful prayers
for it. We know then just how that
thing may be obtained"
As | raised my eyes he said quickly,
giving me no chance for remark, which
no doubt would have been trite aud
common place had it passed my lips,
for had seen nothing strikingly new in
the lines l read: ~ came in here a
while ago feeling not a little '.dlsap-
pointed that must stay at home to-
night, for l have felt of late a special
desire for the good one always gets at
the prayer-meeting, at least such pray
er-meetings as we have had lately but
just what | most needed came to me as
lay here alone with God in this little
room. carelessly picked up that pa
per, and throwing myself on the couch
began to read that article on PRAYER as
Force As l read those lines | have
marked, the great truth burst upon my
mind, and realized, as | never have
before, the wonderful power of faith"
"Why, of course, we all know that
we must pray in faith if we expect oul
prayers to be answered." | said, vague.
ly, as he paused.
but" he continued, cit seems to me
now overwhelming, the power the very
humblest Christian may have to move
the heart of the Almighty to shower
blessings upon this earth. 1t seemed t,
me for moment this evening that. Iv.
ing here alone in my room, might. i
could really cry to God with thi
strong faith, cause conviction to com,
to the heart of every impenitent man il
this city tonight. Of course, it was ;
moment of intense, extreme feeling
and we cannot expect to go through
life with feeling and desire strained t,
that point continually; but l thanI
God for this sudden revelation to me O
the possible. Possible. nothing is i'm,
possible, so long as the faith-filled prav
er OF man can reach the ear and toncl
the heart of God.n
This is the trouble" he continued
aIter a pause. I'VE hear great dea
said about faith we talk about an,
pray for it in the prayer-meetine. W
read about it in our Bibles and religion
books and papers, and 90 on tbroug
life busted with this and that. and neI
er try to comprehend the power tber
is IN this instrument which God give
us liberty to use if we will. We ar