The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1894-02-12
A FINE SERMON.
Rev. George Walk on the
Lords Prayer.
The First Address of a Series WIKI.
Promises to Be of Exceptional
Interest.

Rev. George Edward Walk, rector Of
Trinity Church, began series of six ser.
On ons on 1.-THE Lords Prayer" yesterday
morning. The text was taken from the
first sentence of the prayer: "Our Father
who is in Heaven" He said:
at is nv desire during these Sundays in
Lent to deliver a series of discGurses upon
that sacred and sublime composition
called The Lords Prayer An analysis
Of the prayer shows that it divides Itself
naturally into four parts-hrst. the ad-
dress of God; second. the first three petit
lions TO God; third, the remaining four
petitions for man, and, fourth, the dox-
olOgv to the Most High.
Prayer has been we'll defined as the Of
| ferlng up of our desires 10 God Tor the
| things agreeable to his will 10 the name or
| through the meditation of the Lord Jesus
| Chris. PRAYER is in itself a becoming ac-
! acknowledgement of the all sufficlency OF COD
and of our dependence on him. LII Is the
| appointed means for obtaining D0tn tenn
poral and spiritual blessings. 1t is the
| act OF an INDECENT creature SEEKING
relief from the fountain OF mercy. A
sense of want excites desire. and desire IS
the essence OF prayer. Prayer without de-
sire is like an altar without sacrhce.
| When all our wants are satisfied prayer
|
| Christians must live by prayer and dwell
| at the mercy seat.
Another significance of prayer is that
| of binding ourselves TO God as BY vow.
| This binding may be mutual-G0d and
man uniting themselves together.
ut also means to pour out vows to God
in aIlusion 10 the offerings or Ii bations
anciently poured out upon the altar at the
time of prayer Tie ancient worshiper,
conscious of his guilt. brought an offering
to make at0nement, and with it joined a
prayer TO God that it might be accepted.
So we in our highest form OF prayer at the
holy temple in the conservation OF the
bread and wine, offer the Lord Jesus, in
perpetual memory of his precious death and
sacrifice to Almighty God as an atonement
for our past sins. praying him to forgive,
and we offer ourselves to him as living
sacrifices, holy, acceptable to God, which
is our reasonable seryi g.
"Ihe nature OF prayer, therefore, seems
to be that of covenant and sacrifice. This
teaches US clearly what we are 10 pray for.
As we have entered into covenant with
God and given ourselves up to him as
sacrifice, the chief purpose of our faithful
prayer will be. Lord, what wilt thou
have US to do?
us it a mans duty to do any special
woIk-to seek the lost. to plead for the
erring, to forgive the contrite, to help the
poor. to build hospitals, orphan asylums
or churches2 Or has God laid it as duty
upon him 10 enter holy orders? Then how
can he extect God to hear solitary petit
ton till he begins his work?
Having received our allotted work from
our father. we will pray for grace 20 per-
form it. God will do nothing for US that
we can do for ourselves. We know this
to be true with reference to things tenn
poral. 1t is equally true with reference to
things spiritual. Prayer and conscience
are powers in this world; they hold
thousands of Christians at their work who
else would abandon it.
''But let US approach more directly the
words sOf our text: Our Father, Who
Art In Heaven The Lord Jesus reveals
God to us-not as a king or ruler-but as a
father This is indeed the revelation to
the world of the falherhood of God. These
words, which form the preface to the
prayer, are an ACKNOWLEDGEMENT of God
and Of our dependence of God and of our
dependence on him.
1T expresses also great theological
truth-the universal brotherhood of man,
one father. 1t is in perfect harmony with
the teachings of St. Paul, who declared
before the school of Athenian philoso-
piers that God had made our body. all
nations OF men for to dwell upon the earth
This Bible truth is the foundation upon
which is built every beneficial and fraIer-
nal institution in Christendom-esp ecially
Free Masonry and Odd Fellowship. These
organizations proclaim with 81. Paul and
with Jesus of Nazareth that all men are
brethren; that however they may differ
in other RESPECTS they have common pa
ternity, common redeemer In Christ and
a common Immortality beyond the grave"
After explaining how every one was
member of Gods family, he said:
Our Father who art in Heaven This
expresses his omnipotence. But will God
indeed dwell upon the earth. Behold the
heaven, and heaven of heavens cannot re-
main there; how much less the house that
| have built 1t expresses also his maj esty
and dominion. his power and might. his
power and might, his omnipotence, his in
finite purity and holinessl The inhabi-
singing Holy. holy, holy art thou, oh
Lord of hosts; heaven and earth are full of
glory!
Heaven is the paternal home. the old
homestead, to which our Fa her is fast
gather ng his exiled children. How pa.
thet'c is the address: who art 10 heaven
we, thy children, are in this dark world
far from home. Star OF Bethlehem, guide
our wandering feet. Thou art in heaven,
where all is joy and peace. while we are
stlll the purslings of the storm.
Thou art in heaven. empowered amid
eternal splendor and glory, while We are
strangers and pilgrims in this land Of our
eXil-.'
''But whsn at last we are summoned
home we can In confidence sing, My
Fathers house Is built on high"
The discourse next Sunday morning
will be "Thy will be done on earth as 1T Is
In heaven" Each succeeding Sundays
text until March Is will be taken from
the Lords Prayer.
Ex-Governor Prince of New Mexico will
speak next Sunday night at Trinity
Church. There will be united service OF
all the parishes.