Lewiston teller. [volume] (Lewiston, North Idaho) 1878-1900, 1890-10-09


worrying. Either by the dissolution OF that
firm, or by re adjusting matters you will be
brought safely through II you put your
trust in God. When commercial houses
fail the suspension is advertised, but OF the
tens of thousands of men who are every
day extrcated no public mention Is made.
Yesturday was Saturday and warrant
that ct the windows of banks and in count
ing rooms of stores and on every street OF
every city God appeared for the deliver
ance OF good men AS certainly as when with
His right foot He trod Lake Galilee into
placidity, and made Daniel as safe among
the lions Is though they hal been house
dogs asleep on a rug before II winters fire.
Throw yourself on the promise OF the text
or II hundred other texts meaning the Same
thing.
I never yet asked God to do anything
but He did It. II it were best. and in all the
cases where my prayer has not been
1t was best not to have been answered in
my way. But none of US have tested the
full power OF prayer. 1t Is force very
like some of the forces of nature, that were
in existence but not employed. For ages
electricity was thought good for nothing
but to burn barns. and kill people with fell
stroke. The lightning rod on the top Of
houses was the spear with which the world
charged on the thunderstorm, as much as to
say: III you dare to come this way l will
hurl you into the ground" But now cleo
tricity lightens homes, and churches and
cities. and Christendom. and moves rail
cars. and he is q rash man who mentions
anything as impossible - this natural en-
ergy. So the power Of prayer was to the
world rather frightfui power. II 1t was
any power at all. But that has been
changed. and men begin to use 1t in some
things. and the time will come when 1t will
be used in all things ana there will be q
bible in every counting room. and suppl
cation will ascend fro every commercial
establishment, and when business firms are
formed the question will not only be asked
as to how much this one and that one put
in OF capital, but the question will be
asked: 'Do you know how to pray!"
Mightier agent than any natural force yet
developed will be this gospel electricity.
flashing heavenward for help, flashing
ear.hward with divine response. God in
business life. God in agricultural. God in
mechanical life. God In artistic life. God
in every kind Of life. Your religion for
the most part is hung up so high you can
not reach 1t. 1t is hung up on the cloudy
eaters OF the sky where you expect to
snatch it up as you finally go through for
heavenly residence. oh, have your religion
within easy reach now! Religion is not for
heaven. but for this world. Once in heaven
we will need no prayer for we shall have
everything we want. We will need no re-
pentance for we shall have forever got rid
Of our sins. We shall have no need OF
comfort for there will be no trouble. The
christian religion is not for heaven where
everything is all right, but for this world
where SO many things are all wrong.
Washington Allston, whose name you
recognize as that OF great American
painter was reduced to extreme poverty,
and one day got on his knees and asked for
a loaf OF bread for himself and starving
family. While he was bowed in that
prayer there was knock at the door and
man came in and said: "How about your
painting. the Angel Uriel,' that received
the prize at the royal academy Has it been
sold!" 'No;" said Allston. GLOW much
do you want for itI'' Allston replied: II
am done fixing price for cannot get 1t
"Will four hundred pounds be enough"
asked the stranger. ''Why, that is more
than l asked" said Allston. The four
hundred pounds. 1.-TWO thousand dollarsl
were paid and the purchaser introduced
himself as Marquis Of stafford. who there
after was one of the most liberal patrons OF
the rescued artist "Oh that all just hap
pened sol" Did it? Tell that to some
ignorant man, some benghted woman, who
has never read the promise: Call upon
me in the day of trouble, l will deliver
thee" or that other promise: THE crooked
shall be made straight
WELL" says one, you don't apply this
| in every direction" Yes do. Take the
| most uncertain thing on earth-the
weather. The bible distinctly says that
prayer controls the weather. james 9Th
| and 18th: Elijah was man subject to
| passions like we are, and he prayed earn
cstly that it might not rain, and it ratned
| not on the earth for the space OF three
years and six months and he prayed
| again and the heavens gave RAIN. DO you
say that was the weather OF olden time:
| There have been instances in modern times
just as marvellous. There's not a christian
] III, 10, hut riv inc IN me-
of divine interference with the weather In
answer to prayer. II has been my good
| fortune to know many ship captains They
| are in all our services. They leave their
vessels on Sunday mornings and join US IN
worship. l warrant there are enough OF
| them present this morning to take whole
feet In safety across the Atlantic. When
ever l have heard them testify, 1t has
nightly confirmed me in what l knew be-
fore, that God answers prayer concerning
me weather. And there have been cyclones
that started up from the Caribbean sea,
sweeping down every sail and every smoke
| stack and every mast In their course, which
in answer to specific petition have been
diverted and made to curve around some
| particular ship, leaving that in calm
waters, and then resuming their original
path OF destruction. The weather proba-
| bilities again and again have announced q
| tempest and we were all ready for it. hut t.
|
| we saw the announcement that the atmos-
pheric fury had changed Its course. The
probability is it struck prayer ant
glanced Off. II Elijah's prayer affected thu
weather OF Palestine for ~ months I should
think somebody now might have praye
that would affect 1t for a couple OF days.
John Easter was many years ago an evan
gelist in Virginia. A large out door meet
ing was being held in that state. Man,
thousands had assembled In the open air
and heavy storm clouds began to gather
There was no shelter to which the multi
tudes could retreat. The rain had alread,
reached the adjoining fields, when JOIN
Easter cried out: Brethren, be still Will
call upon God to stay tho storm till thu
Gospel Is preached to this multitude" The
he knelt and prayed that the audienc
might be spared from the rain, and tina
after they had gone to their homes ther
might come refreshing showers, Behold
the crowds parted as they came near an
passed to either side Of the crowd, and the
closed again, leaving the place dry wher
the audience had assembled and the ne1
lay the postponed showers came upon tn
around that had been the day before omit