Mexico weekly ledger., 1901-07-11
Rev. A. A. Wallace Shows Clearly
by the Bible that Gods Peo-
pie Should Pray for Rain.

law into operation, and does he not do
it-both in nature and in graces
instances are Joshua's
commanding, by faith, the sun to
stand stin, and Moses, in answer TO
prayer at the Red Sea, reversing the
law Of nature which makes water seek
a level. The strong East wind over
came the law of water seeking a level
and the Israelites went through the
divided sea.
Objection Two-Rain is governed
by natural laws. Answer: Peter be-
gan to sink under the operation Of the
law Of gravitation; he cried to Christ
who answered him and saved him from
drowning by putting forth the stronger
law of His own divine assistance.
Objection Three: 1t is for temporal
mercieS and, therefore, selfish in
motive. Answer: Christ was moved
with compassion upon the hungry
m~ultitudes and performed a miracle
for their temporal good. And when
teaching His disciples to pray Hesaid:
"Give us this day our daily bread"
Surely God does not intend that we
are TO pray only for spiritual things.
Objection -Four: Failure to secure
rain will give scoffers an opportunity
to revile our faith. Answer first
Scoffers revile the inconsistent living
of Christians, rather than their faith
full praying. Answer second; Elijah
ran the risk Of such SOOTHING when he
made the test by fire on the heights
of Carmel; l Kings Is. Answer third:
The logic Of this objection forbids us
to pray when ever u friends are
sick and yet such prayer is command
ed of God. See James, 5th chapter.
Answer fourth; Such scoffers could
also SCOT at the prayer made by our
Saviour In the Garden Of Gethsemane;
Let this cup pass from me-" But
God pressed that cup to His lips 50
that He drained it to its last drop.
Objection Five: 1t asks God to
change His purposes. Answer; Prayer,
TO use the words OF a great preacher,
is not overcoming Gods unwilling
ness, but the taking hold Of the divine
willingness. We pray not to change
Gods plan, but 10 do our part in the
outworking Of Gods great and beney-
olent purpose.
In the second place note positively
the scriptural warrant.
Solomon's prayer at the dedication
Of the temple. / Kings 8 1886. This
wise and inspired man taught Israel
to pray to God when the heavens were
shut up and the rain withheld. The
answer is promised. See II Chronicles
7 1914, and Zecheriah 10 i.
The examples of physical deliver
ance that abound In the Old and New
Testament lead us to pray for deliver
ance in the time OF drouth.
Lots deliVerance and protection in
a small city of the plain, Nehemiah's
prayer to Almighty God for help in
rebuilding the wall Of Jerusalem,
Jonah's cry to God from the belly
Of the great fish; Hagar's deliverance
and protection when she fed from hel
mistress and the preservation of hel
sons life when dying Of thirst. The
deliyerance Of the Israelites at the
Red Sea. The waters Of Maraf
healed and the giving OF water from
the rock at Horeb. All speak in
eloquent warrant Of prayerfo temper
al care and protection and bic
US make known our wants Z
God our Heavenly Father. If New
Testament warrant Is demanded it j
SUFFICIENT to cite the petition in thi
Lords prayer, Give US this day Oui
daily bread" For how can we hay'
this daily bread except through thu
rain? Where does it come from ex
cept from Gods hand? Then reaC
Philippians 40 BE careful for moth
ing, but in everything by prayer ant
supplication with thanksgiving le'
your requests be made known unit
God When God says sin every
thing He mea what he says and
can therefore take hold Of his arm
for temporal help as well as lay hOl'
upon it for spiritual good.
How should we pray for rain?
First With confession of sin an,
repentance. We should turn unit
Him; and when the people turn thu
to Him "with full purpose Of mind t
seek after a new obedience He vii
hear them and heal the land.
Second. We should pray viii
faith. Hebrews I1-6. 'But withou.
faith IL is impossible TO please Him
for he that cometh to God must be
lieve that Hei is, and that He is a re
warder OF them that diligently seeI
Him.
Third. We should pray submissive
ly; in every petition that we make "
should have the Spirit Of Christ VIII
taught US 10 pray s'Thy will be done.
When the grasshoppers came as
scourging army Owe the western par
OF our State and swept before then
every green thing, there sat in the Of
fee OF Governor a man Of God, G. II
Hardin, Of blessed memory. He pro
claimed a day Of fasting and prayer
The people OF this State humble
themselves before God and asked tina
starvation be averted. They turneI
TO a God whose can we're open {
their cry. The grasshoppeE began t
/, leave at once and in three days tina
mighty destroying host was scattereI
by Gods hand and the earth brough
forth her fruit. Who did IL ! an
swer without the quayer Of a doubt
IGod did It 10 answer 10 the prayer 0
a repentant, faithful, submissive pee
pie.
Let again such prayer be made an'
Gods a viii be open 70 our cry.
A. A. WALLACE.
osteopashy.
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