The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1896-01-20

came in to hear the discussion. The in
hdel arose and said to the leader OF me
Bible class: II hear you allow quest.i8Rn i,5
at the start let US kneel down and ask
God to guide US" "Oh, no." said the IN
idel Il did not come to pray; l came ..,in,,
to discuss" But" said the leader, you
will of course submit to our rule, ana
that is always to begin with prayer.
The leader knelt i'm prayer. and then arose
and said to the infidel: Now you pray.
The intiGel replied: Il cannot pray; l have
ne God to pray to- Let me go! Let me
go"' The spectators who expected fun,
found nothing but oyerpowering solemnlty,
and a revival started, and among the 1rst
who were brought in was the inhdeL That
prayer did it,. In all our lives there have
been times when we felt that prayer was
answered. Then let us say so.
There fingers on this $ de of the river
that divides earth and heaven, ready az
any time TO cross over, the apostle OF
prayer for this century, jeremiah Calvin
Lanphier, the founder OF the Fulton street
prayer meeting, ana II he should put On
his SpectacleS and read this, l salute him
as more qualified than any man since
Bible times in demonstrating what prayer
can do Dear Brother LanDhier, The
high heavens are fun of his fame. Having
announced meeting for y o'clock, Sep
tember %, 1851. he sat in the upper room
on Fulton street, New York, waiting Tor
people to come. He waited for n half-
hour, and then a football was heard on
the steps, and after awhile in all six
and the next day forty, and from nat
time to this, for over thirty-eight years,
every day. Sabbath excepted. that Full
ton street prayer meeting has been a
place where people have asked prayer ana
answers to prayer have been announc y,
and the throb of that great heart Of sup
plication has thrilled not only INTO he
heavens, but clear around The Worlc,
more than any spot on earth. That has
been the place where the redeemed OF 'lle
Lord said so!
Let the same outspokenness be employ
ed toward those by whom We have been
personally advantascd. We wait until
they are dead before we say SO. Your
parents have planned for your best IN
terests all these years. They may Some
the cares, the losses, the disappoinGnents'
the WOrrimcnts Cf life, be more lrr-r3ol2
than they ought to be. and they probably
have faults which have become oppre5-
siye as the years so by. But those eyes,
long before they took on spectacled, We're
watching for your welfare, anu theh
hands, not as smooth and much more
deeply lined than once, have Done tor ) on
many a good days work. Life has been
to thom more Of a struggle than sou viii
ever know about, ana mGch OF tue SUI ua
gle has been for you, and how much ti-ey
are wrapped up in your welfare you "ll
never appreciate. Have you by w"rd or
gift or behavior expressed your thanks!
or il you cannot quite set UP 10 say II
face to face have you written u IN some
holiday salutation2 The time VIII soon
pass and they VIII be gone III OF your
sight, aud their cars viii not near anu
their eyes Will not see. If you owe them
anv Kindness of deed or any words CI ap-
probation, why do you not say 500 ttoW
much we might all of as save ourselves
in the matter OF regrets if we did not
delay until too late an expression Of Cd
legation that would have made ne Last
years Of earthly life more attractive me
grave is deaf. and epitaphs on cold mar
bic cannot make reparation.
In conjugal life the honeymoon is soon
past. and the twain take it for granted
that each IS thoroughly understood. HOW
dependent on each other they become ana
the years 20 by, and perhaps nothing IS
said to make the other fully understand
that sense of dependence. impatient
words sometimes come forth. and motives
are misinterprete and il is taken as 4
matter Of course that the two VIII walk
the path of life side by side until about
the same time their journey SHAH pe eno-
ed but some sudden and appalling ltttSS
loosens the right hands that We're clasp
ed years before at the altar of orange bics-
SONS, the parting takes place, ana among
not ofteuer, il Won ever Gid at all, tell her
or tell him how Indispensable she was, or
no" ind spensa5le ne was 10 your hapil-
ness, and that in some plal.t, square t3ik-
long ago, you did not ask for forgiveness
fer iniiTwities and neglectSs ana pv some
unlimited utterance make il understood
that you fully appreciated the fidelity
and reinforcement Of many years Alas!
how MANY such have TO lament the rest
Of their lives: "Oh if had only said sor
There are hundreds or mir STEERS VINO
have hard work 10 make sermons he>-au~e
no one expresses any appreciation. Ihey
are afraid OF making hun VAIN. me mo-
rnent the henedction Is pronounced they
turn on their heels and go out ferhapS
n was subject or which he mad put
especial pains. lie sought for the right
text. and then did his best 20 put the old
thought into some new shape. He had
prayed that i might 90 70 the hearts OF
the people. He had added 70 the arSu-
.nent the most vivid Illustrations he could
think Of He had delivered all with
power that left him ncrvOusly exhausted,
~ ~ HESS
ed by il, and resolved upon higher life
and noblcr purposes. Yet all he hears IS
the clanS Of the pew door, or INC shutting
Of feet ia the aisle, or some remark ABOUT
the weather. the last resort Of in1nity.
Why did not that man come MP and say
frankly. ''You have done me good%'
yyhv d.d not some woman come up and
say: 81 shah 20 home 20 take mp the
burden Of life more chccrfully2' Why did
not some professional man come up and
say: Thank you, dominic. for that good
advice I VIII take Il. God bless you?'
Why did they not tell him so? ] have
known minister's. in the nervous reaction
that comes 10 some after the delivery Of
a sermon with no seeming result, 20 so
home and roll on the floor in agony.
And now ! close with giving my own
personal testimony, for | must not enjoin
upon others that which ] decline myself
parentaSe as pious as the world ever saw,
/ attest before earth and heaven chat /
have always felt the elevat'ng and restrain
ing Influence Of having had a good father
and good mother. and if am able 10 DO
half as VOL for my children as the old
folks did for ne viii Pc thankful forever.
The years of my life passed on until, az
about eighteen years Of age. I felt the pres
sure Of eternal realities. ard after prayer
and religious counsel 7 passed INTO what
] took to be a saved state, and Joined the
church and I attest before e1Tth anc
heaven that J have found i a most help
fui and inspiring association. ike the
companionship so well that 7 cannot be
sssEssss.