The Washington times., 1902-05-12
PRAYER SUBJECT OF
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
Prof. Merrill E. Gates Teaches
the VaugllnfClass.
Takes His Subject From Peters Deliv-
cry From Prison and Talks of
Effectiveness of Prayer.

Prof Merrill E. Gates. secretary of th
Board of Indian Commissioners. taugt
the lesson at the Vaughn Sunday Schoc
class at Calvary Baptist Church yester
day morning. One of the largest gather
ings of men of the entire series of meet
ings was present.
Peter Delivered From Prison" was tn
subject OF the days lesson. Prof. Gate
spoke simply and personally to the class
telling particularly of his own experience
with earnest and sincere prayer.
Before proceeding with the lesson II
self. Prof. Gates sketched the characte
and distinguishing traits of several O
Christs disciples. and showed what prayer
had done for them. He told how. often
times. the most humble men. men who's,
surroundings are of the most unpromis
ing and lowly sort, are lifted out o.
themselves and permitted to accomplish
wonderful things through earnest and sin.
cere prayer to God.
Christ gives us a positive assurance o,
an answer to prayer said Prof. Gates
If We pray earnestly. and with faith in
God to answer that prayer, we will GER
tainly have our desires fulfilled II IL is
best for us in the sight of the master. Our
prayers cannot fail to be answered.
lie then gave several examples where
constant prayer. even in the face Of
seemingly unsurmountable circumstances.
had triumphed in the end and brought
happiness TO those who had sought It. and
had the faith to believe that it would
come. He told of one instance where the
prayers OF three young men in a college
class mad been the means of turning to
Christ nearly all the members of the
class. Il had taken time for this 10 he
accomplished, but the three students he'd
persevered. believing that in the end their
prayers would he answered. One member
OF the class. who was a general fayorite
with all the boys. held off longer than
the rest and persistently refused to ac-
cept the gospel. On. account of his TN
usual popularity with the students the
three young men desired above all else
to see him turn from the life he was liv-
ing and join in the meetings with them.
Nothing seemed capable of reaching down
into his heart and drawing him out Of his
old ways. ~''5
Effectiveness of Prayer.
But still the young men continued to
pray, and as the other students accepted
the gospel they also began to pray Cor
their friends salvation. Time passed by.
The answer to their prayers was not in
sight. The college term dwindled down
until barely a month Was left. 1t even
decreased to week. and finally the last
day, the day of parting came, and still
their prayers had not been answered. |
Sill the young men continued to pray. |
rhey still had faithiin God to touch that |
heart and bring him out OF him. |
'eit -s.- .s.-rst-
College broke up and some of the boys |
eft Immediately. Among them was the |
10Y in whose welfare the class was so
eeply interested. He only lived about
hirty miles from the college and was one
4 the first to leave. On the following
ay the other boys had made their prep
rations to go. But they had not given I'D
he hope of having their prayers answer
d. They still firmly believed that the
hange would come ,
While they were waiting at the railroad
tation for the coming of the train which
as TO take them away from the college
nd the dear old spots which they had
'ihe 10 IoVe, the young man for whom
icy had been praying ran up to the sta
on. He had walked all the way hack
ON his home in the hope that he would
'e his classmates before they departed |
e was radiant with happiness. and shout
out TO his companions that he had given
his old life and had turned to God. He
lew how they had been praying for him
III had come back to tell them that their | {
ayers had been answered G
And that was only one of the thousands q,
examples" said the speaker. ..of how
aver has worked out its own triurpb in
@ end" '-
Deliverance OF Peter, ,
Prof Gates then reverted to the deliy-
ance OF Peter from prison. That, he
Id. was one of the Bibles most striking
stances of the power of prayer. There I
IS hereditary hatred of Christ and his
use by the Herodlan family. he said
ter was one of the most conspicuous u
iders OF the church. II the leaders fell.
rod thought, the church would Soon no
tinguished. The intention TO kill petar
the end Of the Passover made Herod NJ
the Jews rejoice as Saul went ON his Vi
Y to Damascus.
Against Peter were Herod. the Jews. | Ell
prison. chains. soldiers, iron doors.
d the day OF execution at hand For di
ter were an active, observing God. a cl
lyins church, angels and supernatural
'ces. Public Christian assemblies were G,
/ possible, but in every Christian home ia
secret places, prayer for Peters deliy Jo
ince went up increasingly. The case II
'med hopeless; the next day the pub r..
death would come ID:
ierod. he continued. was confident. w
ter was sleeping quietly. II he knew
1t death was near he knew that heaven Ell
S near Then the angel came. God A,
his part; chains and iron door obeyed
a; the angel left the prisoner when Ba
was out OF the Jail. Peter then had gr
DO his part and find a place of safety w
himself Thus had Peter been de- ce
cred from death by the prayers of the in
ristlans. Prayer was their only de- ca
sc and weapon. They could not forci- to
have rescued Peter. They could not pa
zeal to Herod. They could appeal to at
us Christ. Mary and her praying
'nds we're stronger than Herod and his
lies.
ext Sunday morning at 9:30 o'clock by
T. Needham. Of Columbian University. DIR,
have charge Of the service OF the or,
ighn Glass, and Will teach the lesson. -
NO UNION OF MECHANICS. Oh