The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1880-12-17

Eter the playthings of child We call
/ the bones the strength of the body; but
/ the bones are moved by the nerves, a net
i work in the system finer than gossamer
/ Ii used to be c1nlhrous thing TO lIghi
the lamps of great city. But now, a
! little child may touch the electric KEYS
and a thousand burners fash at onee for
miles around. Air and earth and seas are
full of the most subtle forces which re.
spond To the gentlest touch, and which
: yet are mightier than the thunder to &c.
! complish results. To control them Is 10
| control the universe to which they fur
! nish the energy and the impulse.
4 TAese are all the servants of God and
| he dwells among them as "a living pres
ence. He dwells among them, pene-
traiing all nature through and through.
| With what infinite ease, he can touch
these springs of living force, and ac-
eomplislI his will. and there be no sus
| pension of law. no breaking of system,
no shock To order. Among all these
mighty forces, on whose border we
dwell and whose faint impulse we feel,
Cod reigcs a sovereign and a king.
We touch them here and there and at
/ tain our ends with ease; he holds them
in hand in complete supremacy. As IN
heaven among his intelligent servants,
SO he stands among the forces he has
made. Here rs in heaven, His state
Is kingly; thousands at his bidding
speed, and post DER land and ocean with
9it rest!
DO not misunderstood the aim I have
in view. | am not trying 10 show you
how God answers prayer, bat rather
/ that the infinite God is mel siraitened for
means TO do his own Will | haze sim
| ply pointed out one or Two WAYS in
: - II IL a
/ ing the order of nature He who made
all things and filleth all things can Ger
| tainly find Ways 10 help his people He
/ is not a prisoner IN his own creation.
! He is not barred cut from the work of
| his own hands. lie moves king among
| them all. He SAYS he hears the cry of
| the needy, and there is nothing science
/ has discovered which forhlds Him 10
| help. He says he will not despise the
| prayer of the destute, and the eXactness
| Of natural law viii never say Him nay.
| All that science makes known, leaves
| room for the divine sympathy; all the
fixed order of nature leaves space for
| divine help.
Men have always prayed. Some one
| has said: There are mopents of sad
ness and sorrow, of doubt and mystery
| when man feels his only refuge is
must pray" Shakespeare says: "At
their wits end all men pray" Ii is a
universal instinct, Il universal faith. 1t
is evident man was made to pray Ii
| there be no place for prayer, then his
| structure is cheat and his instincts
! are Il lie. AS he thirsts fol water, his
soul thirsts for God. Was the instinct
| planted in him to be Knocked? Did God
| ever mock his creatures? Did he ever
| send the bee out into fields where
no flowers bloom? Did he ever plant
cravings for which no supply was pro-
| vided? Has he taught men to come TO
| in despair? Has he taught them to cry
unto him in prayer, and then Knocked
! them with braZen sky? Are they to
yearn for God as lost children yearn for
| their mother, only that they may know
| the agony of eternal orphanage? Are
! they to cry out for a father when no
! father hears them? 1t would be the
| planting of d thirst with no water to
| quench 1t; the creating of Il hunger with
no food to satisfy il. 1t would be the
darkest day the world had ever seen if
| the proclamation should go forth that
men could pray no more.
Every one must concede that God hears
our prayers; for all things are naked and
open to the eyes of him with whom we
have TO do; all must concedc that he
syIlpathiZes with the distress and need
which wiring our prayers from us; for,
| like as a father pitIeth his children so
the Lord pilieth them that fear him; we
all must concede that he holds the deli
cate but mighty forces of nature in hand
in absolute mastery and control, and SO
is able TO sucror those who are tempted,
| or those who are in any way distressed
/ Thus far all agree who believe in God al
all. The only doubt is when We come
TO the question, does he ever answer the
prayer he hears2 does he ever relieve
the distress he so tenderly feels for:
docs he ever use fer mems help tho
boundless power in his hand? Shall
we allow doubtful logic 10 rob us OF
the comfort of believing that he not only
is, hut is a rewarder Of them that dill
gently seek him? Shall we not rather
join that vast multitude who have
obeyed their simpler and better instincts
and cry, 30, Thou that nearest prayer
to Thee shall all flesh come"