The Evening critic., 1881-10-03
EFFICACY OF PRAYER.
Archbishop Gibbons ON the Late
President GARFIELD.

Archbishop Gibbons preached in the
Cathedral at Baltimore yesterday. In his
sermon he made the following remarks on
the efficacy of prayer in connection with
President Garfclds death;
:" Has not the death of the President,
Notwithstanding the prayers that were
offered for his recovery, tempted some of
you to doubt the efficacy Of prayer? VIII
not some one say in his heart, as u certain
person has said to me, have prayed for
the life of the President, and prayed In
vain; my family prayed for him this con-
gregation prayed for him; the city of Bal
timore prayed for him the State prayed
for him; the nation prayed for him, and
prayed in vain. How can you reconcile
the rejection of our prayer with the prom
isc Of our Lord when he says, Whatsoever
you shall ask the Father in my name shall
be granted you You see | put the objcc-
tion as strongly as possible. ! answer, not
withstanding your objection, that these
words of our Saviour are most true Ask,
and you shall receive; seek, and you shall
find knock and it shall be opened unto YOU
No good prayer ever goes unanswered. If a
single drop of water Is never annihilated,
still less is the smallest prayer uttered in
vain that ascends to the throne of grace.
And now, in reply to your difficulty, | af
firm that God answers our prayers IN one of
two ways, either directly or indirectly.
Sometimes He grants us the direct and
specified objects Of our petitions; sometimes
He denies us the direct object of our prayer,
but grants us something equivalent, or even
better than we ask for. just as prudent
father withhods from his child II danger
Gus toy and gives him instead something
harmless and useful, so our Heavenly
Father gives what to Him seems best, and
our wisdom is but folly compared with the
infinite wisdom of God.
First-In regard to the President: If
God, in response to our prayers, did not
save his life, He has done morc-He has
saved the life Of the Nation. And the life
of the Nation Is of more value than the life
of any individual.
Second-He was pleased to prolong his
life for nearly three months after he re-
ceived the fatal wound. Had he died i'm
medately from the wound, what terrible
consequences might have followed So in
tense at the moment was public feeling, so
strong Though most unjust) was the sus-
picion aroused against the leaders of a GER
tain political party, so bitter was the ami
mostly engendered by those suspicious that
if the President had Immediately died it
needed but spark to ignite flame. The
first assassination might be followed by
others, aud anarchy and confusion and sedi-
ton might have reigned supreme for time.
But God mercifully spared his life for a
time till the excitement subsidized, when cool
reason would regain her throne and men
could plainly see that the assassination was
the work of one man alone, having no col
fusion with anybody else.
"Third-As another fruit of our prayers,
God has inspired the nation with a greater
adherence of assassination and q greater
| 60, hn Chtof Maoictrata nf thp
country.
Fourth-Again, as another fruit of our
prayers, during the terrible ordeal through
which VIC have passed party spirit has
yielded to the nobler sentiment ofpatriotisnl
and love of country. Men forgot for the time
being that they were of the North, or the
South; they forgot that they were Stalwarts
or Conservatives, Republicans or Demo
Gratis, Administration OF anti-Administra
ton men. They remembered only that they
were Americans, that they were citizens Of
q common country, children of the same
mother, and they came together to shed {
tear of sorrow by tho sick-bed of their rul
ing brother. Is not this satisfactory an
swer to your difficulty? Has not God heard
our prayers by sparing the life and saving
the peace of the nation? Has he not heard
our prayers by sparing the Presidents life
till public feeling subsidized Has He moi
heard our prayers by inspiring men with q
greater adherence of the crime of assassi
nation and n greater. love for Oul
country and its institutions? Have moi
our prayers been profitable also in another
sense Have they not been an eloquent
rebuke of atheism and infdelity, and pub
lie and national profession of faith in God,
existence, in His power and wisdom ant
His experimenting Providence? Let u
remember that the chief object of prayer |:
not to ask and receive favors Of GOd-that
were narrow and selfish consideration
The primary motive of prayer is to nc
knowledge our filial dependence on God
and His fatherly care ofus. The mother o
the sons of Zebedee asked our Lord that he
sons might sit, one on His right hand and tn,
other on his left hand, in the temporal king
dom which she thought He would estab
lish on earth. Our Savior did not gran
her, of course, the direct object of her petit
ton, but He gave her o great deal NOR
than her loftiest ambition coult
conceive or aspire to. He made he
sons to sit on thrones in HEAVIER
Judging the twelve tribes of Israel
Our mother country has knelt as a sup
plant at the throne of grace, and asked o
God that her chosen son might occupy tn
Presidential chair during the allotted tern
of four years. 1t has pleased our Heavenl.
Father not to grant this petition. But as
compensation for this refusal, it has please,
God to inspire the nation with NOR
tender love and greater reverence for on
departed President. And not for four year
only, but for generations to come, tn
name of James A. Garfield will sit en-
throned in the hearts of the American PEG
pie. Let us pray, my brethren, that Go,
may grant to the late Presidents bereave,
wife and children spirit of patience ant
resignation, and strength to bear the heav.
cross which has been imposed ON them
May He give them that consolation which
He alone can bestow. May God bless an,
preserve our beloved country. While Presi
dents and administrations pass away. ma,
our Government live and prosper. May
always rest on the solid foundations of Ia,
and order and justice and the devout rccog
milton of an overruling Providence"
The Steamer George Lcary