The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-06-12
ARE Our PRAYERS ANSWERED.
new Ed f. Cook Says the Days of
Miracles Are Not Past.


Rev. Ed F. Cooks subject at Wesley
Monumental Church yesterday morning
was Are Our Prayers Answered?" His
text was jeremiah xxxiii, 3: Call unto
me and 1 will answer thee and show thee
great and mighty things which thou
knowest not
Mr.. Cook said 1.-THE most naralvz,ne sin
Oh the church is unbelief. The members
OF the church do not practically believe
what. they think and say they do This
pracucal infidelity is manifested most
clearly in the attitude which many assume
toward this privilege of prayer. Why, if
man says that he believes God answers
ms prayers exactly, granting him what
ne prayed Tor, we call that man a crank.
we say that when a person prays. he
always gets something, though il NAV nor
De what he prayed for; he may not get
anything more than the spirit of humility
OF Ieellng of dependence upon God Com
pare this ingenious suggestion with some
crucial point in the Christians experience
wheh IN deep earnestness and sincerity
he has implored blessing at Gods
hands and received it, Compare it with
ChrlsCs promises to His disciples.
ne church says theoretically and con-
Fehtionally that God does answer prayer
out practically it seems TO consider that
II would be undgniiied in God TO do so
Ihls vague theory has been the direct
cause OF the disuse of prayer, so prevalent
at present. 1t is a wonder" said Mr.
COOK, that the church has any power
at all. There are multitudes for whom
we ought TO pray, but having no faith in
our prayers efficacy, we have lost that
power and authority in the moral govern
ment of the world, which God places in
the hands of conseerated men. We could
prlns great blessings upon our homes, our
churches and upon the world by prevail
ing with God in prayer and bringing down
the divine power The gospel has not
conquered the world yet, because the
Christian church lacks faith"
we know" said Mr.. Cook, that God
hears and answers prayer because of his
positive and specific command to pray.
God would not give this command
II he did not intend to answer
the prayer His promises 10 the one who
prays are so simple and His conditions so
easy that all can comply. Divine power
Is within reach of the humblest man ana
one man of faith, humble though he be
would be more powerful than dozen bril-
liant but Goddess men. Live in the spirit
of prayer, in the atmosphere of devotion
in spiritual telegraphic communica ton
win GOu we don [ talk enough to God
about our everyday affairs. If we did
we would make fewer mistakes, commit
fewer follies
The simple proposition of Christ, Ask
and We shall receive is really a more
wonderful thing than his miraculous birth
The disciples of Christ would never have
undertaken the evangel,zation of the world
without this promise.
THE text is a challenge to US TO receive
a wonderful revelation. The day of mi
racles are not past God to-day answers
the believers prayers by the conversion of
souls, the salvation of lives, and the with
drawal Of the shadow of death. We need
the same simple faith in God that the
child has in its parents. God is commit
ted to hear and answer our prayer, If we
but come into harmony with his plans
and purposes"
AT the conclusion of the sermon, Mrs
Alderman sang, as a solo, the beautiful
hymn, BLESSED Hour of Prayer"
On next Sunday a special service for
the children win be arranged. The SER
mon and music will be adapted TO their
needs and the services made as interest
ing as possible to them. Older people
however are cordially invited to be pres
emit The children will make a special Of
fering for Mission Sunday Schools.