Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1900-11-17

! is stepping into the holy Of 4olies. 1t
is telegraphy with the be- ems. II Is
the winding up Of the cH 4 OF the I'm
mortal soul II is Intercommunication
between the finite and the infinite
prayer suggested by circumstances.
Breath OF the Soul.
Prayer Is what some one has called
"tbe slender nerve that moveth the
muscles Of omnipotence." Prayer is
the healthful respiration Of the soul. II
Is the whisper Of helplessness into the
ear OF help. II is laying bold Of nj.
mightiness, omnisclence and omnipres.
ence at one aud the same time. Prayer
enlists all divine and angelic REINFORCE
ment. Prayer is laying hold Of
pulley fastened to the heavenly throne.
Prayer Is the first breath Of Il new
born soul. and II Is heard In the last
gasp of earthly Christian experiences
Prayer! In an Instant II mounts the
highest heavens. Neither seraph nor
archangel ever few swifter or higher
than the infants petition at her
mothers knee. What an opportunity Is
prayer! Why not oftener use II pray
ing for ourselves and. like job. praying
for others? What better work would
we do, what better lives would we llve.S
what better hopes would we entertain.
If we multiplied and Intensified our
prayers!
Some one asked a soldier of Stone
wall Jackson the secret OF the great
generals influence over his men. Does
your general abuse you. swear at you.
to make !. marchY' "Swearw re-
piled the so. Or. mo! Ewell does the
swearing: Sl-. ewall does the praying
When Stonewall wants us to march.
he looks at us soberly. just as II he
were sorry for us, and says, Men, we
have got to make long march, We
always know when there is going to be
O long march and right smart fighting,
for Stonewall Is powerful on prayer
just before a big fight" When Stone
wall Jackson was asked the meaning
of the passage instant in prayer" he
said: IF you will not mistake and
think | am setting myself up as an
example, which am not. will give an
illustration from my own habit. have
30 fixed the habit Of prayer In my mind
that | never raise a glass Of water to
my lips without a moments asking OF
Gods blessing; | never seal letter
without putting a word Of prayer I'M
der the seal; never take q letter from
the post without a brief sending Of my
thoughts heayenward; never change
my classes In the section room without
a minutes petition for the cadets who
go out and those who come in"
HeIpfuIness of Prayer.
Now, II God has during these re-
marks shown us the uses. the impor
lance, the blessedness Of prayer sup
pose we try to do what Job did when
be prayed for his exasperators. Many
of us at the beginning Of this subject
felt that while we conld pray for our
selves anh .'ay for those who were
kind to Us we never could reach the
high point OF religious experience In
which we could pray for those who an
nov us and make us feel worse instead
Of feeling better That was Matter
horn. that was an Alp. TO the top Of
which we feared we could never climb.
but we thank God that by bis omnipo-
tent grace we have reached that height
at last. Let us pray. Oh. Christ, who
didst pray for thine nSsassins, we now
pray for those who dcspitefully use us
and say all manner OF evil against us
For their eternal salvation we suppl |
cate. When time is no more. may they |
reign on thrones and wear coronets |
and sway scepters Of heavenly domin
ion. Meanwhile take the bitterness
from their soul and make them soon
think as we'll of us as now they think |
evil. Spare their bodies from pain and
their households from bereavement.
After all the MISUNDERSTANDING and |
controversies Of this life are over may |
we keep with them eternal jubilee in
the mansions on the hill. and as thou |
dldst turn the captivity Of Job when he
lad prayed for those who badly used
him, and health came to his body and
prosperity to his estate, now that we
have by thy grace been able to make
for our antagonists. cure
our diseases. II we are Ill; and restore
our estate, II 1t has been scattered; and
awaken gladness In our homesteads. II
they have been bereft: and turn the
captivity of our physical pain or finan
cial misfortune or mental distress. and
thine shall he the kingdom and the
power and the glory forever and ever
Amen!
copyright 1900 Louis Klopsch. N ~