The Penn's Grove record., 1889-03-02

lmovstb all. This is your privileges. as
The children of God BY faith in Christ
Jesus. The power which you command
"a stronger than sin and death and hell
stronger than men and devils. Let no
dJeicnlty perplex you, but take your
|God and Father at his word and cry
aloud; spare not; do not let him 90
until be bless you.
But YOU ask why are some prayers
enswered and not others2 Many a
GOOD man and woman feel 1t to be the
Greatest trial that their prayers for def.
mite objects are not answered. Many a
mother will say, "Why did not God
answer me when I prayed to Him to
snare nv Infants lifep 1 am sure /
nrayed with my whole heart and soul.
INF IL seemed to make no difference.
the child sank and died just as if no
one had been praying for him." Many
a wife will say, "Why does God not
convert my husbaEdp / have ayo-
nized. / have wept and made suppllca.
tion on his behalf. and in particular,
with reference to his besetting in
lrmity. I have impl0red God to break
his chain and set him free; but there
he is. the same as ever" Many a
Young person under serious impress
sions will say. "Why does God not
hear my prayersp 1 have prayed with
heart and soul for faith and love, for
peace In believing, for consciousness OF
nv interest in Christ, but my progress
seemed directed against a wall of
brass. they seem never to reach the
ears of the Lord of hosts" Ali these
objections seem difficult to explain,
and vet every sincere prayer offered in
the nam Of Christ Is beard, and dealt
with by I'D in such a way as seems
good TO Him. There are good reasons
why some prayers are not answered at
all. and there are also good reasons why
the visible answer to prayers Is delayed.
Perhaps our prayer Is o prescribing of
time and ways and means to God, who
in this, as in all, knoweth best and,
therefore. the answers may be
withheld. There may he other
causes in which the special PRAYER,
though rightly laid before God, is
such that for reasons far beyond our
knowledge. God cannot grant it. Some
prayers are not answered because what
is asked would be hurtful; the prayer
is answered in spirit though denied in
form. A Christian lady, owe the sick
bed of an only son once prayed with
intense fervor that he might be re-
stored, and positively refused to say,
GThy will be DONE" Falling asleep,
she seemed to see a panorama OF her
sons life had he survived, it was a
succession of sorrows, rising into ter.
rible agonies. so pitiful a sight that
she could no longer desire his life to be
prolonged, and gave up the battle
against the will Of God. Some prayers
are not answered at the time, because
a discipline OF patience is needed for
those who offer them, they have to
learn more fully than hitherto to walk
by faith, not by sight. They have to
learn TO take the promise of God
against Ill appearances, and to remem
Der that Heaven and earth shall pass
away, but Gods word shall not pass
away.
But whatever be the reasons for the
apparent silence Of God, we may rest
assured that hearing prayer Is a law
of His kingdom. Old Testament and
New alike besr witness to this. Every
verse OF the Psalms proclaim it. Alike
by preceps and example, our Lord con-
stantly enforces it. We may say OF
prayer as st. Paul said Of the resur-
r~ectloD, il prayer be not heard our
preaching is vain, aud your faith Is
vain. Then let us not desp0nd If God
seems to delay lo1g. Let us be pre-
pared to say in heart, ''Thy will be
done. If Thou seest that greater good
will be done by delay, THY will be
done" Suppose Stephen had prayed for
the salvation of Paul's soul, was he to
! die unbelIeving, because with his last
look on earth he saw the infatuated
young man holding the clothes of those
who were THROWING the stOnesp When
Monica prayed for Augustine, would she
have done right to despair because he
was not at once rescued from sinp Was
not a better purpose served by the
humility which was deepened in both
mother and sont through the long delay
in his converslonp Had Stephen lived
he might have ''gloriied God In Paul.
when he heard him say, ''For this
cause l obtained mercy, that in me
first Jesus Christ might show forth
all long suffering. for a pattern to
them which should hereafter believe in
him to live everlasting" However
certain we are of u purpose. icing
good; however hard it may be to bear
the agony Of hope deferre !; still
let us ever leave our case in coos
hands, mol implOusly presume 70 die
tate time, and ways and means to Him.
Sometimes we are impatient, and mis-
take our impatlence for the eagerness
of faith; sometimes presumptuous, D
mistake our presumption for chlld-liKe
confidence. We need oftentimes the
lesson of the prophets prayer, and the
"GO again seven times;" the lesson OF
the Psalmist's injunction. wall on
the Lord, and He will strengthen tbine
heart; wait, I say, on the Lord" DO
not express wants which you do moi
feel; do not ask for all Christian graces
when you do not wish to have them.
Ask things needful; milk IL you be a
labe, strong meat If You be CT mature
| strength In Christ. Think what you
want before you begin 10 pray, ask ior
it. and then stop. You kill your spirit
of prayer when you do anything else.
Ii you shall find upon examination Thai
in reality you do not wish piety, puri-
ty Or present salvation from h power
Of sin, Is it not better to know this
than to mock God and hurt your own
soul by asking what you have no desire
TO get?