Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1882-08-09
Che freemau.
Sunday School Lesson No tes
BY REV. ]. o. sHERBURN.

continuation of the application Jesus made
of his marvellous work in Sithering the
6g tree. The power to perform such won
ders lie declared came through faith.
Here he speaks still further Of faith in pray
or, as an element essential to success
therein. The direction is very plain and
thedeclaration positive and unmistasable.
The broad scope of the promise given has
attracted the thought of the Christian
world ever since these words wero spoken.
But it is proper to notice that Jesus does
not say, all lhings ye ask for when ye
pray, but all that you really desire. This
must, of course, be understood to mean
that our highest and most intense desire
Is for those things we ask. Any one may
have desires that are secondary or cond-
tional, as may greatly desire to spend a
week from home, but more desire to be
at home, if l may better serve the dear
ones there by remaining. So | may much
desire some boon or gift of providence,
but desire more to be made most efficient
for the service of my generation and my
Master. Hence this very blessed and
encouraging promise of our Savior is not
to be understood as pledge that every
sentient being that prays will be granted
If only prayer is offered in confidence, but
all things which the sin-cleansed and
grace.controlled heart desires. Such de-
sires are always made subservient to the
divine will and our best good, we desire
even more than the things we may be
asking in prayer, that God may be glorili-
ed to the greatest possible extent and VIC
made holy and useful
With this understanding of the Ian.
guage Christ uses here, we come to the
grand and inspiring teaching he gave US.
Believe. he says, that ye receive those
things which ye desire. The New ver-
sion has it. believe that ye have received
them. So indeed ye have as far as all the
plans and provisions of mercy are con-
cerned. The blessings are at hand, nigh
thee, only believe AMI have them. Here
then is one element in successful praying
A consistent, downright confidence in God
and his willingness to do for us those
things we desire, and confidence that
when we ask we have these things.
But Jesus introduces another important
factor. 1t is not simply necessary that we
should come to God with trusting hearts,
we must also have forgiving hearts.
When praying. forgive, if ye have aught
against any. 1t ought to answer all ques.
tions with US that Christ declares this to
be necessary condition TO success in
prayer, but our own sense of the right and
fitness of things will show us its necessity
Our prayers are cries for mercy, we ask
grace, favor. But, rs Shakespeare has 1t,
That same prayer doth teach US all to
render the deeds of mercy" If we ask of
God what we are not willing to accord to
our fellow men. we prove at once that we
are unworthy Of tie thing we ask for.
Christ illustrates the matter just along
this line. A certain debtor, hopelessly
involved, comes to his creditor aud &C.
knowledges the obligation, declares his
poverty and prayes that the debt may be
remitted; having graciously obtained bis
request, he goes out to oppress and abuse
one who owes him some little debt. Christ
only voices the cry ofnatural justice when
he says. "His Lord was wroth, and de-
livered him to the tormentors till he should
pay all that was due unto him." But not
only is it uniting that man should receive
of God what be is unwilling to grant his
fellow man, but there is moral impos-
sibility in the matter. While the heart is
unforgiving, it is not in state of condi.
tion either to ask Alright or to believe Alright.
The very temper of heart in the unforgiv-
ing man prevents him from coming into
harmony with his all merciful Heavenly
Father, and it as effectually prevents his
exercising that confidence in God which
alone brings desired good. These teach
ings were doubtless given to the disciples
on the walk from Bethany to Jerusalem.
The scene now changes and Christ is
walking in the temple, probably in the
porch or center court. teaching and preach.
ing the gospel, as Luke tells US.
Here bis old enemies assail him once
more. They had often piled him with
their questions before, and with all their
subtility, had uniformly been worsted.
They come now with question that
might naturally be understood to apply O
his teaching in the temple, driving out
buyers and sellers on tho previous day.
The craft of the question, however. lay in
this; il Christ acknowledged that bis au-
thorty was of men they could claim high.
er authority than he, if he said it came
from God they were ready to accuse him
of blasbhemy, if ho refused TO answer
they would construc his refusal against
him. Thus they supposed that they had
cunningly caught him. But Jesus adroit-
ly turns upon thom with the very weapon
with which they had thought to wound
him. They too could be troubled by a
dilemma. So he asks them concerning
the babtism of John, "a question that real
ly involved their own) for If John was
what he claimed to be. then was Jesus
the Christ, and his authority in the temple
was unquestioned, was it from Heaven or
Of menp Now those who had hopes to
entrap the son of man find their own feet
shared In the net they had woven for him,
In vain they confer togetherfor an answer.
They might boldly declare that Johns
ministry was a mere human matter,
probably that would best suit there desires,
but multitude are listening to their
words and all hold John as a prophet.
They dare not say that his ministry was
Of men, If they say of God. then they
have yielded all tho ground to Christ, and
are really bound by their own acknowl-