The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-04-16
ANSWERS TO PRAYER.
Rev. w. R. Ferret, D. D., at the Inde
pendent Church.

Rev. DR.. William r. FORFEIT, Of Saratoga
Springs, N. Y, preached yesterday at the
Independent Presbyterian church. The
subject of his evening sermon was "Answer
to Prayer" His text was taken from
Lamentation ill.,, a: Thou hast covered
myself with a cloud that our prayers should
not pass through"
God does not always hear our prayers,
said the preacher, nor answer them. 81
am tired of praying" said a Christian
woman one day. 81 have prayed so often
and always in vain, seemingly" Whose
fault is it., asked the speaker, that
prayer is not always heard and answered
by God! Is it Gods fault or ours when our
prayers are not answered. Are we justified
in concluding that they are not heard and
not to be answered.
The Bible gives the reason for unanswered
prayer, that there are certain people and
prayers which God has not bound himself
to attend to and answer. God clnnot hear
an righteous people. He will not answer
a selfish PRAYER. 1t is only those whose
hands are white, whose hearts are pure,
who can approach the throne of his heaven
ly grace, and only those who are of an
humble and contrite heart aud who do not
ask amiss, that will have their prayers
answered When the humble publican
cried, God be merciful to me, a sinner"
his prayer was answered because he had
sought to put away sin and did not ask
amiss.
Some one may say, 81 have asked for
opulence and am still poor | have asked
for health and am sick For long life and
| am dying. Where is the answer to my
prayer did you seek these blessings@
asked the speaker, "for Gods glory or for
your own pleasure If not for Gods glory,
he has been kinder to you than you would
have been to yourself, in not an
swering your prayer. He has
thereby saved you from yourself.
Many of our prayers are seemingly I'M
answered but all our prayers are not in vain.
King David prayed for six days that his
child should be spared. Was his prayer
unheard and unansweredl For the Kings
sake for the nations sake, for the
worlds sake God knew it was bet
ter that the child should die and it did
die. David know then that Gods will must
be done, and that what God had done was
done wisely. Gods mo" is as much an an
swer to prayer as Gods ''yes." Did Jesus
pray in vain when he besought the Father
in the garden of Gethsemane three times for
mercy, when he wept and prayed
Father, thou art allwise and onlnipotent,
is there no other way to let this cup pass
from meW Was this prayer answered.
God did not take away the cup nor the
cross. It's bitter dregs his shrinking son
must drink. It's shame and agony he must
bear, and the son was satisfied, knowing
that if Gods will was done Gods blessing
must follow in due course.
Are you not willing also, asked the
preacher, that God should lead you
through the fire. through loves sorrow into
loves conservation, and so be made perfect
for service through suffering.
When the Apostle Paul besOught the Lord
three times that the thorn in the flesh
might depart from him, did he ask in vain9
This was the only personal favor he had
ever asked for himself. Here was an Old
General, who had led the Kings armies and
fought many battles, in many countries and
under many skies. who had never before
asked any personal favor, and such little
favor for a King to grant. Surely the Lord
the King will grant it readily. But no, the
Lord did not take away Paul's intirmity,
whatever it was, whether a deformity or
blindness, or disease but in answer to his
prayer he said to Paul: "My grace is sufti-
cient for thee" If YOU seek to make your
life his glory, this is Gods choicest answer
TO all your prayers: My grace is sufficient
for thee"
John BuuyGn prayed to he released from
Bedford jail. Shut in there for twelve long
years, it seemed the hardest and most use
less life for hiTn, and vet what pulpit God
gave John Bunyan when he shut him up in
Bedford Jail, in spite of all his prayersl
In concluding the preacher said:
Though the sky be hidden from sight b.
the clouds, the sky with its sun and stars,
is still there. and in spite of all your doubts
and the clouds of your seemingly I'M
answered prayers, God is still there, though
hidden, with his ear ever open to hear the
cry of the humble, and to answer the
prayers of all those who do not ask amiss. -