The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-22
TEXAS PRAYER TEST
THE SINNER NOT CONVERTED, THE
CHRISTIAN DOESN'T RECANT.
The Wicked Mans and the Prnyerful
OF the Prayers to Be Answered.
Dallas Letter in Galveston Daily News.

prayer known to history was entered into
BY Mrs. S. J. Sweeney and John r. Charles
worth, Mrs. Sweeney agreeing that If after
a given period Mr.. Charlesworth was not
touched by the power of her prayers that
she would make a statement acknowledging
her defeat as public as the challenge had
been. The challenge at the time created
quite sensation in Dallas, and not only
in Dallas, but to the uttermost parts Of the
earth, both among Christians and the advo-
Gates of free thought. Both the religious
press and the free-thought papers took up
the subject and by many religious papers
Mrs. Sweeney was severely censured for
entering. into an agreement where she had
nothing to gain and everything to lose. Mrs.
Sweeney has received upward of 1000 letters
from all parts of this country and Canada
in regard to the affair. Yesterday a report
er called upon the principals in the chal-
lenge and asked them how it had resulted.
When the question was put to Mr.. Charles
worth he said:
The incident to which you refer hap
pened at the close of one of my public lee
lures in this city. II embraces what had
always been very serious problem to me,
and contained elements of so grave nature
that felt the matter ought not to be
treated lightly. As a student of scientific
and religious problems, l am ever willing to
abandon conclusion when j perceive it TO
be false as j am to accept new truth, no
matter how much it may clash with my
previous convictions. 1t was in this spirit
a spirit Of candid and honest investigation,
that I was prompted 20 accept the very
extraordinary challenge, held out to me by
the lady in question. that L would subject
myself to her prayers for my conversion.
There was nothing very remarkable in
the terms offered by Mrs Sweeney, in fact,
nothing of a nature to which any honest
man could possibly object. but the notoriety
which the incident has attained arose out
OF the counter proposition that was sug-
gested TO her and ultimately accepted by
her. in case Of failure upon her part.
She at first merely requested that l
and accord to her the privilege OF praying
for my conversion 10 the Christian religion,
and asking that i'm case she succeeded |
OF the fact that l had been converted. as
I'had already done concerning my unbelief.
1t was felt that all the consideration was
upon my side with none upon her side In
case of failure, and feeling that some con-
sidera ton was due me from her in case she
did fail, it was suggested that a time limit
should be set, during which the lacy was
TO pray for me every day. That limit was
set at three months, commencing on the
6th day of June last, and expiring on the
ter proposition was to the effect that in
case my conversion was not wrought in
consequence of the ladys prayers within
the prescribed period, or at the time of its
expiration, she on the other hand was to
publicly acknowledge that there was no
efficacy IN prayer; that prayer was fail
could exist Mrs. Sweeney accepted the
conditions both sides. and it was upon
this understanding that / cheerfully placed
my name upon her roll.
10 statements
and from her personal letters to me am
convinced that she did not grasp the mean
ing or import of the agreement. / believe
that Mrs. Sweeney was earnest and sincere
in what she undertook TO perform, firmly
believing in the truth of her position, hon.
est in her intentions toward me, and that
she faithfully labored to bring about my
conversion by her prayers. The excitement
of the moment during which the contract
was made was probably too much for her.
which prev snted her from seeing the grav-
ity of the situation i'm which she was placed.
That she did not understand the situation
properly i gather from Ole or her subse-
euent letters to me- in which she stated
that IL all the world should deny her
God yet would she still believe In Him,
and even though He should slay her. yet
would she trust Him.. One thing, however,
is absolutely certain. for If the lady did not
understand the nature of the consideration
demanded from her she undoubtedly agreed
to accept the limitations set for her pray
ers, and even upon this understanding alone
the prayer test has achieved a widespread
notor!ety.
STILL UNCONvERTED.
THAT she did not succeed is apparent
from the mere fact that 1 am still of the
same religious opinions that I held prior
to the time when she commenced to pray
for me- / have experienced no change I'm
my attitude toward the Christian religion
or any other religion. nor have 1 felt or
experienced any incentive toward that
change. In this the lady is bound to ac-
knowledge her defeat, which she has done
through the medium of a personal letter
to me, in which she says Your name has
PRAYER that when the time limit was out
/ found myself very loath to believe that
God had not revealed Himself to YOU, and
yet find my faith stronger in Him than
ever
"Of course, this confession of failure upon
her part has SO far only been made to me
in private, but the conditions of the agree
ment were that all should be made In public
on both sides On the first Sunday in
September, following Immediately after the
expiration of the allotted time, / gave my
experience in public; sending the lady an
invitation to be present; but she declined
the invitation and was not there. AT. that
meeting l made the announcement that
had not been converted to the public.
In my judgment this was by far the most
remarkable prayer test ever made, even ex-
ceeding the one made by Professor Tyndal
in London, some years ago. In Tyndal' S
case the challenge was made by himself. a
-.
In this case the challenge was made by a
Christian and accepted by a skeptic 1t
was certainly a bold and daring undertake
ing on both sides, and / have the warmest
admiration for Mrs. Sweeney for the part
she has played in it. do not and cannot
believe, that there is a God who answers
prayer. The voice of human supplcation
has ascended heavenward in all ages and
from all climes, but L have never known
of solitary instance where helping hand
The sufferer has prayed for some mitigation
of his pain, the captive has prayed for de-
uverance. but nowhere has answer been
youchsafed. 1t was to combat this idea that
the lady undertook the task of affording
me an opportunity for conviction, in which
She has signally failed. l do believe that
the true salvation Of the human race will
never be accomplished by prayer. but by
the valiant efforts of men under the guild
ance of reason and the inspiration of
providing it implies the embodiment of the
human virtues. but when / am told that
must abstain from eating meat on Friday,
or that l must be dipped in a tank OF cold
water that / might curry. favor with the
/ Creator OF this universe, If one there be,
then 7 DO assert my attitude against these
postuates and affirm that IL is not our
cree1s hut our deeds that snail form the
sta rdard by which our characters snail De
measured and weighed at the gates or
When the reporter called on Mrs. Sweeney
I sor her version OF the test of her prayers
She said that she had long been wanting
! to talk about the affair. as 1t had gained
| such worldwide notoriety. Her correspond
ence had grown to suen an extent she
"On June 6 / attended the Free-thinkers
| meeting TO see and hear for myself Wna1
| kind of a doctrine was being promulgated In
| our midst. My daughter took down the lee
H. 81 IL.