Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1884-04-14
&eliyiuas department.
sIF ANY MAN MAN LACK WIS
DOM LET HIM ASK"

1t is said of late professor in one
of our colleges, that his willingness
to explain to those who came to him
for help on any knotty subject was
simply intending that he would an
swer as long as they chose to ques-
ton, never tagging in kind effort to
make all clear to them.
used this to illustrate to the school
boys in my Sunday class the conf
dent assurance with which we can go
to God to learn the way OF salvation.
They could appreciate the delight of
having helper, whose willingness
could never be worn out, and it was
easier through this example of untir-
ing human patience, to make them
feel what infinite resources of help
there are in perfectly willing God,
who is also perfectly powerful, who
can open blind eyes and unstop deaf
ears, can show us the path OF light,
and incline our feet to walk in it.
This is the only reliance of one
who is trying to ''draw nigh to God"
to "feel after Him." No imagin-
alton could predict how many and
how varying are the difficulties that
meet MS in salvation. One day the
difficulty is GOODNESS and dulness OF
interest, one day it is actual unwill-
ingness, one day it is some numblng
doubt, one day it is many doubts,
one day it is engrossing work, another
day it is engrossing pleasures. Sa-
tan generally seems content to keep
before us one or two hindrances at a
time, but he shows strange skill in
reviving and replacing these. We
might we'll be driven to desperation
were it not for the unlimited efficacy
of prayer. 1t fits every need and
sin, even unwilllngness to pray. We
can pray, against our every incllna-
ton, that God will make us inclined
to pray, or make us pray whether in
clined or not, and He will enable US to
persevere, we can pray in utter dark
ness for enough belief to pray by, and
He will surely send it, though we
wonder how such a prayer can be
counted a prayer at all. The Hindu's
helpless cry: sob, God If there be
God-save my soul, if 1 have a
SOUL" finds many counterpart in
every land, and is as truly heard as
the prayer offered in comfortable
assurance of hope; more lovingly,
perhaps, for it comes from those
depths of misery in which God pities
and yearns to aid.
If we are thus, in being able to
pray away GOODNESS and doubt, able
to pray away inability to pray, what
could possibly be out of the reach OF
prayer? We may tell the way tc
come to Jesus a hundred times, and
with many careful explanations, to ar
inquiring soul. And in the enc
prayer is the only way of coming
which is sure to be understood. Thai
is understood and can bring dowr
from Heaven the understanding Of
all other ways. Repentance seems
and is, beyond mere human power
faith, to the heart that has never fel
it, is incomprehensible, but prayer
simply asking God, is possible AM
plain.
There was little heather boy VIII
professed conversion, and the mis-
sionaries were questioning him. On
question was: "What do you mea
by praying? What did you do?" g
just begged Cod" was the perfec
answer.
Just "beg God," and persevere i
it and you are safe. He will give tn
new heart which can repent; He wi
give faith. He distinctly says: ''It
not of yourselves, iG is the gift c
God"
'True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings Nigh