The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1893-02-26
OUR SUNDAY COLUMN.
Original and Otherwise-Pre-
pared by Mark.
No. 81.

| want to say something this morn
ing about the ungodly mans prayer. 1t
is said that ungodlY wicked men do not
pray. But this is mistake. They do
pray. They pray worry often. AMI tho
Holy Spirit in the word of God has
given us tho form of the wicked mans
prayer. Hero il is: Their fore they
say unto God, depart fron us; for we de-
sire not knowledge of thy ways"
This prayer Is found in job, ol:l4. Til is
prayer aSk3 God 20 continue MS provi.
dential protection and goodness. so that
the petitioner may have health and
strength to enjoy the pleasures Of sin, but
Lord, don't bother mo about religion and
spiritual things. Remove from mo all
the means and influences which thou
dost employ to restrain me fro N sin and
make mo holy" Well, this PRAYER is
answered, and the effect is seen In a
conscience undisturbed by guilt on tho
part of the petitioner. Conscience is
tho voice OF God in the soul prcclaiming
a judgment to como. While the con.
science faithfully performs her office
tho soul is not utterly abandoned OF
God, but when she becomes recreant to
or pleads its cause. there is ground to
fear that God has abandoned the soul to
the consequences of its folly and guilt.
A quiet, non-accusing conscience,
scared as with hot iron, is
tho answer to the prayer DE
part from US" There arc many
in Roanoke who have this answer.
And having this answer to his prayer
the ungodly man enjoys an unrestrained
indulgence in sin. He would stop a. no
sin were there not somo outward con-
sideratioDS that tend to limit his sinful
propcnsitics. regard to public senii
ment. the influence Of friends, health,
pecnuiary interest and many other
Things may restrain tho inward desire
to sin and both do climate and moderate
the crimes of the ungodly man. But
whilc this is tha case the heart IS prone
to evil. Gcd, His authority, His law,
Ills tbrsa;enings, His expostulations
Rave no restraining influence. Every
wicked desire, every unholy feeling Of
tho hoar5 * saying 20 God: depart
from us The prayer is answered and
the sinner wakes worse and worse.
This world is very bad but
would be incomparably worse did
not On all pervading Deity restrain
the iniQuities of men. But when tho
ungodly mans prayer is answered this
restraint is withdrawn, inclination
breaks out into Indulgence and this in.
diligence oft repeated is confirmed into
habit, ard habit is tho "bond of
iniquity This prayer has been
answered by the graduated swearer, the
inebriate, the gambler, the member of
the church who loves to cavort in the
ball room-in short, the PRAYER depart
from Me. for desire not knowledge
OF thy ways" is answered in the case Of
all classes OF sinners. How fearful to
be forsaken of God. Recall the history
and doom OF Saul, Elymas, Judas The
ungodly mans prayer WAS their prayer
1t was answered. And when this is tho
case there is nothing too bad
for The man to do. Conscience is
dead until death and the Judgment
wake il to life. With dead conscience
and petrified heart the man stops at
nothing. Ho is led captive by the devil
at his will. The pirate Gibos, whose
name for many years was n terror to
commerce, and who was finally captured
and executed in the city of New York,
acknowledged before his death that,
when he committed the first III urder, his
conscience made a hell within his
bosom. But, after no had sailed for
science became so blunted that be could
rob vessel murder all its crew and
then lie down as peacefully to rest as
an infant in its cradle.
There is one thing about tho ungodly
mans prayer that is significant 1t is
sincere. Tho prayer OF professors OF
religion for spiritual blessings are somo-
times heartless and hypocritical, but the
sinners prayer to be freed from all d.
vino restraints, is sincere, earnest and
lmportunate. 1t will be answered
And when God departs man is let alone.
He goes on and goes down to eat the
fruit Of his own ways and DO filled with
his own devices. o let tho petition be
changed. Lot tho PRAYER ''God be
merciful to me, the sinner" be offered by
every unsaved man that God may come
near in saving mercy and boundless
compassion. MARK.