The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1893-05-03
Prayer.
From The Baptist Courier.

Standing at pier in a great city
work of rescuing the valuables from ,
vessel that had sunk q few feet from
the pier. I saw some tubes passing
from the pier down into the water ou
of sight, and some men were pumping
away steadily at small pump. Pres
emily man, encased in divers suit
came. up from o depth of forty fee
bearing valuables in his hands. Ither
saw that the tubes aforesaid were con
nected with the casing about his head
and supplied him with fresh air anG
thus kept him alive in the midst o
the water that surrounded and woult
otherwise have been death of him.
said to myself, such is the relation o
prayer to the spiritual life Of the saint
He is down here in this life surround
ed by the world and the flesh. Or
every side he is threatened with spirit
ual destruction, but through the tube
of prayer there comes down to him
hourly supplies of grace. He thus
breathes the breath of heaven, and sc
is preserved to do his work Of rescuine
the lost. There are many things con
stantly reminding us that
Prayer is the Christians vital breath,
The Christians native air,
His watchword at the gates OF death,
He enters heaven with prayer.
AS our. train moved along last sum
mer between Denver and Colorado
Springs, ] noticed there were some
fields of alfalfa which were green and
vigorous in that arid region, while 8
few were parched and nearly dead. I
asked the conductor why there was
such a difference between the fields
"Oh," said he, "those green patches
are irrigated could not raise anything
in this dry country without irrigation
and the irrigation ditch has been cut
off from the dried-up patches" fell
to thinking, and said to myself, here is
an explanation of the difference in the
vigor and usefulness and fruitfulness
of Christians. This one in connected
with the source of supply-the living
streams of grace flowing from the
throne of God-by the irrigation ditch
of prayer. He Is like tree planted by
the living waters, that bringeth forth
his fruit in his season, his leaf also
shall not wither, and Whatsoever he
doeth shall prosper. The other has
cut the irrigation ditch by neglecting
prayer, and his life withers and he
brings dishonor upon the Lord he pro-
fessed to love. Take heed, dear breth-
rem cut not the ditch Of prayer. Re-
member,
IN Ruh
Prayer makes the Christians a-mor bright,
And Satan trembles when he sees
The feeblest saint upon his knees.
A friend of mine had vicious dog
that seemed fearless. If you entered
the premises he would certainly assail
YOU If ne were not chained. You
might try by sticks and stones and
sorch and water to defend yourself.
He was undaunted. There was only
one way to scare this dog and make
him take to his heels. That way was
to fall down on hands and knees and
crawl away from him. This terrified
him and he ran for dear life. The
prayer of faith is the only way to make
Satan take to his heels.
Sir Farwell Buxton said to his son
when he was leaving home: "What-
ever negligence may creep upon your
studies or into your pursuits of pleas
ure or of business, let there be one
point, at least, on which you are al
ways watchful, always alive; l mean,
i'm the performance of your religious
duties. Let nothing induce You, even
for day, to neglect the perusal of
SorintIlre Won know the value of
prayer it is precious beyond all price.
Never, never neglect it,"
The brightest, the most blessed, the
most loving, the most obedient and the
most fruitful Christians are those who
have most to do with God in prayer.
A. w. Lamar.
Galveston, Texas, Nov. 8.