Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1896-03-17

80 ,I<sx, these facts ana
xyHHeesSi. ~ sssSsrs7 promises come with
y@T SS,xs~kE consultative force, SO :
as 10 make a deep
aIrd lasting impress .
sion. Learn by
iearC+tIhe scholar should learn some of
THESE verses bynheart: Christ's Prayers
IL VIII be interesting 20 many to make a ,
study Tof Chris is, pFayars. as to kind, form,
spirit public, private, ss a means, by .
"hicn ne may teach us to pray. See refer g.
ences below. fhne.--November, A d. %.
fIace-Somewhere in Perea, the country
80 years old
We 1ull lesson for to-day is as follows:
o. GIVE us day by, day our daily bread.
ST. ANA forgive us, our sins; for we also d.
orslve every one that is indebted to us.
Affi lead u5 not into, temptation: but de-
lVer us from evil.
"a Ana r said unto, them Which of you
siEaii have = friend! and shall go unto him
az Inlunig1t, anCtf say INTO him, Friend,
i4sid me three loasSes;
.. For ,, friend of mine in his journey
- come tn1rne, and have nothing to set
before him?
! 2. AnGAhe from within shall answer and
say. Trio able m snot: the door is now shut,
ana my childlan are with me-. in bed:
cannot rise ard give thee.
8. Say unto you. Though he will not !
rise nalgive him, because he is his friend.
and give him as many as ne needeth.
. Fctd say unto you, Ask, and 1t shall
be given you. seek and we shall finda
knoct and it shall be opened unto you.
TO- For every one that asketh receivetht
and he that seeketh findeth; and to him
that Snock koch 1t shall be opened.
IL. IL a SON shall ask bread of any of YOU
thahis a father will he give him a stone!
or Rthe ask fish, will hs for fish give
him. a serpent?
saa Or IL he shall asia an egg. will he
oYssr hica a scorpion?
u. IL we then, being svil, know how to
gtEe good gifts unto your children: how
much more shall yolr heavenly Father
give the Holy Spirit tn them that ask him?
4 Some explanations to to-day's4 lesson
1 are rs follows:
Our Father watch art In heaven"
Il Our" not my" Father" to, whom we
owe all We have ard are, in whose image
we are made; whom we love, and trust.
and obey; to whom We can pour out our
Utmost souls. I'm heaven" and therefore
infinite, omnipsesent, whose very nature
makes heayea what II is. and able to reach
every person. and help in every need. His
greatness will not put a gulf between him
and us, IL we realize that his love Is as
infinite as his power, aad his tender mer-
cies as great as his being.
Duty. This invocation Is In accord.
ance with the First and Second Com
mandments.
A Doctrine. The true nature of God
(F'ather in heaven).
A Lesson. The brotherhood Of man.
Our Father.
Warning. Against selfshness.
A Spirit of worship, love. trust obe-
dience communion.
"Hallowed be thy name" 'Thy name
stands for his character, for whatever he
is. as when man signs his name to a
promissory note, 1t expresses his char
acter, his ability, his possessions. all he
has and is. May the name of our Father
be hallowed, held in reverence. treated as
holy and sacred. by ourselves and by all.
in heart, in thought. in word. in deed.
A Duty. corresponding to the Third and
Fourth Commandments. one the guard
against irreverence, the other a means Of
hallowing our Fathers name.
A Truth. The uplifting power Of rever-
ence for that which is high above us. (See
Carlyle's Heroes and Hero Worship)
Warning against irreverence of every
form, as degrading the souf.
An Inspiration to seek that all the world
may hallow our Fathers name.
An Order. Note that our first petition Is
toward Cod the second for his kingdom.
and the third for our fellow men; before
we ask a single thing for ourselves. True
prayer is large-hearted, ennobling. not
selfish.
Thy kingdom come" The kingdom or
reign of God in Christ over the whole
world, when the rule OF Satan and his
principles shall be overthrown, and God
and the principles of his heavenly right
eousness shall prevail among all men.
This Is the most magnificent blessing the
world can receive. 'Thy will be done, as
in heaven so in (on) earth" The petition
implies % that we ourselves desire so to
90 Gods will. co That we wish Gods viii
TO be done in us and for US by his provi-
dence and by his Spirit. This is much
more than mere submission to Gods will.
80 That all the world may obey God as
perfectly as the angels OBEY him. What
prayer this is! What changes what
overturnings it implies. What changes in
business. in daily life, in politics. Whar
new homes there would De. What activi-
ties in church. what renovations Of So
ciety, what changes of fortune.
6. For friend of mine" Giving the
reason for his inopportune but urgent re-
quest The friend arriving at that late
hour, was doubtless suffering from hunger
There were almost no hotels in the east
to which he could SO. The host was en-
tireiy out of food. but hoped that his friend
might have some left over, though usually
they prepared bread enough only for a
single day. Perhaps he did not even have
meal to make bread OF.
I. Trouble me not" "The phrase i'm
plies irritation" MY children are with
me In bed" In the same apartment. but
not in the same bed. Each had bed or
mattress lis is usual Tor a w..ole family
(of the poor to sleep I'm the same rovm."
Il cannot rise and give thee" Ii is alto
gether too much trouble.
s. Not because h, is his
friend Though the higher motive, will
not avail, Tor the friendship Is Sc weak
Yet because of his importantly he will
rise end give him" Ii was less trouble 10
grant his wishes than TO endure the IN
wearied importantly.