The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-05-03


at the top of your voice, and unless
you had believing spirit within, your
cry would not go further up than the
shout of plowboy to his oxen. Prayer
must be believing, earnest, loving.
You are in your house some summer
dav, and shower comes up, and a
bird, affrighted, darts into the win
| dow, and wheels about the room. You
seize it, You smooth its ruff1ed plu-
mage. You feel its futtering heart.
You say: poor thing, poor thingv'
Now, prayer goes out Of the storm of
this world into the window of Gods
| mercy, and He catches it, and He
feels its futtering pulse, and He
puts it in His bosom of affection and
safety Prayer is warm. ardent,
pulsating exercise. 1t is an electric
battery which, touched, thrills to the
throne of God! 1t is the diving bell
in which we 60 down into the depths
of Gods mercy and bring up pearls
Of great price," There was an in
stance where prayer made the waves
of the Gennesaret solid as stone pave
ment. Oh, how many wonderful
things prayer has accomplished! Have
you ever tried it? In the days when
the Scotch covenanters were perse-
cuted, and the enemies were after
them, one of the head men among the
Covenanters prayed: "Oh, Lord, we
be as dead men unless Thou shalt help
us! Oh, Lord, throw the lap of Thy
cloak over these poor things!" And
instantly Scotch mist enveloped and
hid the prosecuted from their persecu-
tors-the promise literally fulfilled:
"While they are yet speaking will
hear" +t"
Have you ever tried the power of
prayer? God says: He is loving and
faithful and patient" Do you, believe
that? You are told that Christ came
to save sinners. Do you believe that?
You are told that all you have to do to
get the pardon of the Gospel is to
ask for it. Do you believe that? Then
come to him and say: "Oh, Lord! I
know thou canst not lie. Thou hast
told me to come for pardon, and l
could get it. come, Lord. Keep thy
promise, and liberate my captive
soul" .t.,tg. -F
Oh, that you might have an altar in
the parlor, in the kitchen, in the store,
in the barn. for Christ will be willing
to come again to the manger to hear
prayer. He would come to your place
of business, as he confronted Matthew,
the tax commissioner. If a measure
should come before congress that you
thought would ruin the nation, how
you would send in petitions and re-
monstrances! And yet there has been
enough sin in your heart to ruin it for
ever, and you never demonstrated or
petitioned againstit. If your physical
health failed, and you had the means
you would go and spend the summer
in Germany, and the winter in Italy,
and you would think it very cheap
outlay if you had to go all around the
earth to get back your physical health.
Have you made any effort, any ex-
penditure, any exertion for your inn
mortal and spiritual health?
oh, that you might now begin to
seek after God with earnest prayer.
Some of you have been working for
wears and years for the support of
your families. Have you given one
half day to the working out OF your
salvation with fear and trembling?
You came here with an earnest pur-
pose, take it, as have come hither
with an earnest purpose. and we meet
face to face, and tell you first OF all,
if YOU want to find the Lord, you must
pray, and pray and pray.
remark again, you must seek the
Lord through Bible study. The Bible
is the newest book in the world. oh"
YOU say, SIT was made hundreds OF
years ago, and the learned men OF King
James translated it hundreds of years
ago." 1 COMPUTE that idea by telling
you it is not five minutes old, when
God, by his blessed spirit, retranslates
it into the heart. If you will, in the
seeking of the way of life through
Scripture study, implore Gods light to
fall upon the page, you will find that
these promises are not one second old,
and that they drop straight from the
throne of God into your heart
remark again, we must seek God
through church ordinances. What"
saw YOU, cant man be saved without
going to church," I reply, there are
men, l suppose, in glory. who have
never seen a church, but the church is
the ordained means by which we are
to be brought to God; and If truth af-
fects us when we are alone, it affects
us more nightly when we are in the
assembly-the feelings of Others EN-
phasize our own feelings. The great
law of sympathy comes into play, and
a truth that would take hold only