The mirror., 1894-06-21
CHAUTAUQUA.
SCIENCE AND PRAYER.
By a Member Of Glass +.

ara well aware that there exists in the mnd
of many. great difficulty in regard to the sub
ject of prayer and especially. science and prayer
The human mind seems to fail utterly, in tht
attempt to reconcile the two. But they do no
need reconciliation. That answer to prayer. il
many instances seems to be entirely contrary tC
all our practical knowledge of science; is a fact
to which our OWN individual observation. OF eX
perience will testify. But. that God has an
Swered prayer, in all ages of the world, in con
nection with. we'll as independent of science
is a fact which cannot be denied.
But the great and difficult question which the
human mind wishes to have solved is. how does
God answer prayer in connection with science
and how does he answer prayer independent of
science?
Now these are questions which the human
mind has no business to ask. Do you ask me
why? Simply because they are questions out
side of. and beyond the power of human knowl-
edge of comprehension.
The first question which should engage our
thoughts in the contemplation of this important
subject are: what is science? what is prayer:
and what is answer to prayer? Science is SIM
ply knowledge reduced to a system. True prayer
is the earnest longing of the human soul after
good. it may be temporal good. or it may be
spiritual good; but that earnest longing is al
ways produced by the power of the Holy Spirit.
In the language of scripture. the Spirit indites
our petitions for u.s." There never a true
prayer offered yet by sinful human being, that
was not indited by the Holy Spirit.
Answer to prayer, is the complete satisfying
of the longings of the human soul, by the divine
Spirit, by which the soul receives peace and
assurance peace in regard to spiritual things,
h
will be supplied D7 -
But the Spirit is noti.Only 1.-THE power which
moves the soul to ask. orr which causes its ear
nest longing but itsis also theMbeingl which di-
rectly satisfies that earnest longing. If this be
true, then the question NATURALLY. arises: IF our
prayers are answered. either in connection with,
or Independent of science, how is it that the
Spirit has anything to do in answering them?"
Ianswer Because the Spirit is. and always
has been perfectly familiar with all sources of
spiritual and temporal knowledge relative to
mans spiritual and temporal wants, and has
always had the power to satisfy those wants.
This Spirit is a Being, not an influence or atri-
butte of God. And, while it does not distinctly
state that the Spirit occupied an nconcievable
length of time in moving upon the face of the
waters, at the creation, and in adjusting the
chaotic mass in the long ages, yet we may in
fer that it did, from the fact that six long epOchs
passed away before the world was finally com
pleted.
This, then was the Spiritual Being who exc
cuted the Fathers commands in the cOnStruc-
tion of the laws which brought into being this
world, and fitted it for the abode of man.
We sometimes hear men speak of the "Devel-
0pment of Science as though science was
being developed. All science was fully developed
in the long ages of the past, but man is discover
ing that science, more and more as his capa-
cities for discovery become developed 1t is man
that is being developed not science.
La all ages Of the world this spiritlhas been pei
fectly familiar with all sources of knowledge
and with the construction of all science pei
tanning to the creation and preservation of all
vegetable and animal life. And when God was
about to create man, the nOblest of his works
He said. speaking to the Son, and to the Spirit
LET us make man in own image" Should
it not be a comforting thought to the burdened
soul that this Divine Spirit knows our wants ad
necessities far better than can probably
know them ourselves. and that he has the poWt I
to supply all those necessities from the abun-
dant funesS of an infinite God?
Do you question the fact of Gods enteiferance
with what. to us. may seem his established laws
VI W TIE prayers OF Ille HtllIt
oppressed children burdened with guilt and sin:
Look back over the history of the world. ana
its teemng millions. and behold how numerul.,
have been the instances where he has made bare
his mighty arm to save.
Some one has said, we must find in our own
hearts the good when we would wish to behold
in Others" This is a sad mistake 1t is in vain.
fer man to look within his own heart for an,
good.
The GOOD is not there until implanted there by
the Divine Spirit. and this is not accomplished
until the man has seen the utter corruption and
slnfullness of his own being; and this no man
can see, without the aid of divine light
When a man begins to see that in himself. he
has taken the first step toward true reforma-
ton; for only until then will he look out. and |
away from himself to another higher source for
true holiness and purity
Then and not till then will his soul have that |
earnest longing after good, which God alone can
satisfy.
Judge Waxem's Proverbs.
Unkel Sam gifts Younger eyry YER