Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-01-27

s. e. x
THE SECTION includes verses 1-s-in-
{ structions as TO heart worship with the
/ emphasis On Prayer
{ TIME.-In the summer Of A D. o.
PLACE.-The Mount Of Beattudes. or
Horns Of Eattin.
THE LESSON.
/. Heart Worship 5-s. In the
first half of this chapter Jesus gives
/ US lesson On heart worship. and ap-
plies the principle He lays down 10 Civ
ing, 10 praying and to fasting. The
principle is that Of absolute sincerity,
without sham, without pretense, with
/ out unworthy motive concealed under
the apparently good object.
ThePrinciple Applied to Giving-One
should give aims for The sake of help
| ing Others. because il is right, because
il is pleasing to God, because it is the
natural outflow of love. So far as aims
are given for the purpose Of being hon
ored and admired, il is hypocrisy and
not virtue
The Principle Applied to Prayer
VS.. So. 5. Thou shalt not be as the
hypocrites are" who do not really pray,
do not desire or expect what they ask,
sire 10 appear very religious to men.
and hence stand apart like the Pbari-
see in the parable, as if absorbed in de-
yotion, in the synagogues," the proper
places of worship, where the worship
ers can see them, land in the corners
Of the Streets" where they could be
seen from four directions. THAT they
may be seen of men," who will praise
them for their piety and think them
very good. '"They have their reward"
The reward they sought. They got no
answers, for they did not seek anything
from God.
6. But thou, when thou prayest:"
your real purpose being to pray, ''enter
irto thy Closet" or secret chamber,
where others can neither see nor hear
"Shut the door" to keep out all other
persons, as we'll as TO shut out worldly
thoughts. pray to thy Father" who
is your friend, who loves to aid his chill
dren. (Which is in secret" The in
visible spiritual God. (which seeth in
secret" Knows every secret place,
every hidden desire. shall Reward
thee openly" Better. as in r. ", rec
Give you the things you ask for, or,
if these are not good for you, give you
the better things you would have asked
for. had you seen as God sees.
Z. But when We pray, use not vain
repetitions:" The repeating over and
over of set forms, as if there were some
virtue in the mere act of praying; as if
God would do something for them, on
account of their much speak;n g."
8. Your Father" No earthly father
cares for / of heartless repetitions.
Nor does our Heavenly Father. know
eth:" Appreciates; He feels for you,
therefore you can come to Him with
freedom. and ask what you will.
II. The Lords Prayer.-Vs. 9-13. 8.
After this manner therefore pray yes"
With nc vain repetitions, but as chill
dren asking of father the things they
need. u. The fact that Christ gave
His prayer in two different forms shows
that no exact form of words was re-
quired; and the fact that Luke, writing
at least Is years after the formation
of the church, gives one form, and Mat
thew another, shows that no obligatory
form was in use in the churches.
Note that first in this prayer are the
petitions for others-for Gods honor,
and the coming Of His kingdom among
men. After that. both in place and inn
portance. come the petitions for our
selves. The very act of praying such
a prayer enlarges and broadens the
soul, and is an auiidote to selfshness.
In the two most important recorded
prayers Of Christ-at the institution of
His supper John ~, and in Geth-
semane, He begins His prayer with pc
titions for Himself, but the spirit is
precisely the same as in the first pati-
ton of the Lords Prayer. He would be
gloriied in order that His Father might
be glorified; and He would have the cup
pass from Him, but only if the Lords
will could be best done in that way.
lie that does not want first of all to
have the kingdom come within himself,
and TO do Gods Will as it is done in
Heaven, cannot sincerely pray that
others may do Gods will, and belong
TO the kingdom.
An Enforcement of the Fifth Petition
VS.. IA, Is. This marks the impor-
tauce of this point. Il For if We for
give men their tres passes:" The word
indicates reckless and willful sin, con-
scious violations of right. The hard
est sins to forgive. Your Heavenly
Father viii forgive you:"
Because it shows that I'VE are in that
penitent condition which makes for
giveness possible for Us, and good for
US.
Is. But if We forgive not:" God can
not forgive under such circumstances,
without by the very act increasing sin.
/ and injuring the one forgiven.
Each one Of US is bound TO make
/ the little circle in which he lives better