Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-11-15

praying. When Stonewall wants US to
march, he looks at us soberly, Just as
Men, we have got to make long
march, We always know when there
is going to be a long march and right
smart fighting. for Stonewall rs power
full on prayer just before big fight.
When Stonewall Jackson was asked
In prayer" he said: III you will not
mistake and think am setting myself
up as an example, which ! am not.
will give an illustration from my own
habit. l have so fixed the habit OF
prayer in my mind that never raise
glass of water to my lips without q
moments asking OF Gods blessing.
never seal letter without putting a
word of prayer under the seal. | never
take letter from the post without q
brief sending Of my thoughts heaven
ward. never change my classes IN
the section room without a minutes
petition for the cadets who go out and
those Who come in" Don't you
sometimes forget?" said a friend. Hs
replied: Il think can say that
scarcely do. The habit has becoms
almost as fixed as breathing" But"
says some one from a different section
Of the country from that in which
General Jackson lived, were his pray
ers answered." Yes, as earnest pray
ers are always answered, in Gods way,
which is often quite different from
mans way. and Gods way is always
the best way, while our way may b.
the wrong way.
John Newton's Prayer
In all the tossing of this life lay hold
of the rope Of prayer mentioned by
John Newton, who was converted on
shipboard from being blasphemous
sailor to become great preacher of
Righteousness and who said: When |
first amused myself with going to sea.
when the winds rose and the waves
became rough, tumbled and tossed
about like porpoise in the water. At
last | caught hold OF a rope that was
floating about, and then | was enabled
to stand upright. So when in prayer
a multitude of troublous thoughts in
wade your peace, or whep the winds
and waves of temptation arise, look
out for the rope. lay hold OF the rope
and stay yourselves on the faithful
ness of God keeping his promises.
My hearer, l will tell you the time
when you can afford to cease praying.
Ii will be when you have no sins ts
be pardoned, no sorrows to be COM
forted, no more friends or foes who
need your intercession. QueensEliza-
beth said to Walter Raleigh. Raleigh.
when will you stop begging?" Raleigh
replied, When your majesty leaves off
giving" And your time, my hearer.
to stop prayer will be when God has
no more pardon and mercy and
strength to bestow and the resources
OF the Infinite are exhausted. Have
lock knew the value of prayer when he
arose at 4 o'clock in the morning for
his devotions. The soldiers Of the
Fourteenth Massachusetts regiment
showed that they knew the Joy OF
worship when they took delegate off
the Christian commission to see what
they called their praying place"
Now, II God has during these re-
marks shown US the uses. the import
ance. the blessedness Of prayer. sup
pose we try to do what Job did when
he prayed for his exasperators. Many
Of us at the beginning Of Il Is subject
felt that. while we could pray for our
selves and pray for those wlo were
kind to us. we never could reach the
high point Of religious experience in
which we could pray for those who an
noy us and make US feel worse in
stead OF feeling better. That was a
Matterhorn, that was an Alp. to the
top OF which we feared we could
never climb. but we thank God that
by his omnipotent grace We have
reached that height at last. Let us
pray! o Christ. who didst pray for
thine assassins. we now pray for those
who despitefully use us and say all
manner of evil against us. For their
eternal salvation we supplicate. When
time is no more. may they reign on
thrones and wear coronets and sway
scepters of heavenly dominion. Mean
while take the bitterness from their
soul and make them soon think
we'll Of us as now they think evil
Spare their bodies from pain and their
households from bereavement. After
all the misunderstanding and contro-
versies Of this life are over, may W,
keep with them eternal jubilee in ths
mansions on the hill. And as thou
didst turn the captivity Of Job wheI
he had prayed for those who badl,
used him and health came to his body
and prosperity to his estate. now tina,
We have by thy grace been able t.
make suppl!cation for our antagonists
cure our diseases II we are Ill, ant
restore our estate IL 1t has scattered
and awaken gladness in our home
steads il they have been bereft. an
turn the captivity of our physical pal
or financial misfortune or mental dis
tress. And thine shall be the kingdom
and the power and the glory foreve
and ever Amen.