Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-05-28
The NOn-Sectarian VS.. Prayer.


A few davs ago, friend placed in my
hand pamphlet like paper with out say
ing why he did so, and | was led by the
usual motives in all such cases to give the
same very careful reading.
Now, sir, if you will allow me little
space in your columns, will give your
many readers, who, though of different
schools of thought, may be willing to
hear what can be said as to such an ex-
animation.
The pamphlet of which 1 now speak is
intended to be one of serial, and bears
the bewitching title of Nom Sectarian
To It's title l have no objection in the
world, and co2ld wish 1 could say as
much touching its subject matter. Sec
tarianism is to my. mind very wicked
thing as tending to promote divisions of
the church of Christ which should be one
and undivided. But Sectarianism is here,
and seemingly to say; what then are we
going to do to make its existence tolera-
BILE? The originators of this pamphlet,
although they may not so intend, are
certainly in the line to incr ease the evil,
that they wish us to believe, they deplore.
Now, if separating ourselves, or suffering
ourselves to be separated from a regular
Christian body, and of which one might
have been worthy minister, and essay
ing to set up another and new organiza-
ton, with priE Eciples and teaching differ
ing materially from most others, and es-
pecially our whi,om congregation be not
the essence of Sectarianism, then the pres
ent writer does not know what Sectarian
| is.
But as l said, am not in antagonism
with Sectarianism at the present time,
but only aiming to inquire into the truth
or falsity of certain positions [ find insist
ed upon in the pages of the pamphlet
named.
| The subject Of prayer, mean ofcourse,
in devotional sense, is the matter dis
cussed in the opening article, and the
views advanced are at variance with those
of all conservative forms of religion that
have any knowledge of. The writer, as
[ have reason to believe, rejects the obli-
cation and otherwise repudiates its reas-
| onabeness and consistency. Now what
ever may be said as touching the princi-
pies and practices of Natural Religion,
it is agreed on all hands that Holy Script
ures-Patriarchal, jewish and Christian
contain all things necessary to Christian
obligation and duty; that those writings
are fundamental to a Christian church,
and is so received, ubi, semper, ct alb
omnibus.
My aim in this paper is to show in the
briefeSt space possible. what these holy
writings teach as to the necessity and
utility of prayer to the practical success
of Christian life. AS ground for reject
ing the commonly authorized practices
OF prayers. as adopted by Christians in all
lands, three objections are raised in his
article by this writer: ''1st. This theo-
ry of the power of prayer virtually takes
the reins of government cut of the hands
of an infallible+ God, and places them in
the hands of fallible men,
ID. ''To claim that prayer can inf1u
ence God to arrest the natural order of
things and bring about different result
from that which the natural order would
produce is dishonoring to Him.
| 3D.. "The theory that prayer moves
God as it moves man, and stirs his COM
passion and and influences his will SO as
to put forth his omnipotence IN mans
behalf, is inconsistent with the nature OF
an unchangable Being.''
So says this terse writer in the Nom
Sectarian, A question somewhat akin to
the foregoing was asked by ar Inquirer
as far back as the beginning of written
history. "'Who is the Almighty, and
what shall it profit if we pray unto Him?'
Was the question that troubled the per-
sons in Jobs time, and is by Non-Sec-
tartan aimed to be answered in the mega
tive. ANY one, however, who believes
in the Bible will be at no loss how to an
swer this question in the most satisfac-
tory manner. The duty OF, and the
utility of prayer with all that is implied
in it, was distinctly taught from the lips
of the Almighty himself to the first man
that was born into the the world. The
instruction was: eff thou doest not we'll
sin offering lieth at thy door," la
pc-tach chattach rovitz." This was Civ
en- as instruction at the first offering and
first act of worship in visible form ever
given by any man to God.
The next act recorded in these ancient
times is related of Isaac who went out
into his field to pray la-suach ba-sareh
liph 10th at the evening hour. Such acts
of devotion can be traced as one continu-
Gus stream throughout the Hebrew scrip
lures.
The Book of Psalms contains the devo-
tional forms of the Hebrew church, and
in this book, prayer to God is taught as
duty and privilege of the higest order.
PRAYER is therein indicated as the true in
dex to all spiritual life. To name the
passages would be a work of superf1uity.
If we now pass over to the New Testa-
ment the very first breathings of a spir-
itual life are the prayers of the saints.
Take for example the 9th chapter of
Matthew's Gospel and read the instruc-
tions of our Lord, as to the utility, the
form. aud efficacy of prayer to our heay-
enly Father, and then ask yourself how
any man protesting to be minister OF
Jesus Christ can advance such ideas as
those contained in the quotations that L
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