The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1888-01-18

Is not much of our weakness, and ir-
resolution, and inefficiency as individual
Christians due to the fact that we do not
engage enough In these battles in the Sc
cIet of our closets before God. Those
people made real use of prayer. Reason
about prayer as we may, question as we
may as to the how of it, still the fact re-
mains that importunacy is the measure
of our success in prayer. The importu
nate soul is the one that is emptying out
that which is earthly, and exhibiting
room for that which is heavenly
Strength, and courage. and resolution,
and unquestioning and unconquersble
faith follow wrestling, because wrestling
develops capaciousness of soul, roominess
for Gods august and most enrapturing
presence.
Witness Luther, for example, as he
stood forth before the Diet at Worms.
His friends were astonished at his cour-
age and calmness as he faced the COM
bined opinion and hate of the world TO-
cused upon him, and calculated to strike
terror into the stoutest heart. But little
did they then know, what was the fact,
that he had fought the great battle the
night before; that he had continued in
prayer during the long, silent hours of
the night before in the stiffness of his
room, aloue with God, like Jacob by the
brook Jabbok, concentrating his mind so
long upon God and His word that earth
shrunk into littleness and faded from his
thoughts. God overshadowed him. Faith
had become real sense. Doubt, fear,
irresolution, all'vanished. And so when
he went forth on the next morning to
face that august assemblage of princes,
and potentates, and papal dignitaries,
and to face anathema and fiery death, he
went forth Just filled to serenity with the
sense of God-present.
What is the height of faith, what is
the better part of faith, when we let it
have its way, but this: calm, unmoved
sense, undisturbed by single cloud, that
God is present with me: that God is Just
behind me that God will succor me
that God will spccor me in my exigency:
that God will d . his will by me whether
it be by my living or by my dying
The great leader of the English Refor.
nation had it when he exclaimed amid
much opposition and abuse, in writing Of
these trials to a very dear friend, adding
at the close OF the letter, But the best
Of ali Is, God is with US
What an amazing load of corroding
care and anxiety we should save ourselves
eaeh-Eay, which is wearing US out if We
would only receive those words about
the sparrows, and the ravens, and the
lilies, and make them a possession of our
own; 80 that We could say every morning
and every evening and often during each
day to oursely, 8, in our greatest straits
and IN our most pleasing prosperity as
well, The f4r5 OF all Is, God IS with
me"
This Is tue "a tn that conquers. This
is the faith thu; maketh men to differ in
their nature as widely as the poles
though as. we look on them they are in
many respects It may be ip. gepBensss.
IN, anfi eijty, IL intelligence, in their re-
gard for truth aud virtue, and even in
their external acts of religion, so similar
in appearance. This is the faith that
made Bunyan and Whitefeld mystery
to Macaulay. TO understand a thing,
says Christlieb, One must have his stand.
ing In it. Fort LYNNE"