The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1902-10-01
Unanswered Prayers.

There is a sense IN which all prayers arc
answered either by obtaining the object
sought or by securing something Tar better
adapted to the ultimate end OF all true
praver-pernetual happiness through un.
broken goodness.
An PRAYERS win be answered when they
accord with wisdom, unselhshness and the
highest good.
To answer every petition literally under
the present order OF things would make in.
finite wisdom the slave OF human caprice,
absolute holiness y partner in human folly,
and boundless compassion the author OF
endless cruelty.
Prayers are sometimes unanswered be-
cause OF the character and tendency OF the
objects sought Men. like children. FIRE:
uuently crave those things which would he
destructive to their hest interests. both
here and hereafter. Like Elijah under the
juniDer tree. they pray for that. which falls
far below the highest good. and like Paul.
with his thorn in the flesh. we too often
seek ease rather than strength. It is bet.
ter to have grace to bear burdens than to
be weak and free from burdens.
Prayers sometimes remain unanswered
because they spring from wrong motives.
The soul OF real PRAYER il unselfishness.
Prayer IN the case OF Simon Magus was ig'
norant, because it sought the mere gratiti.
cation OF worldly pride.
The farmer who prays to save himself
from labor will never secure harvest:
Israel at the Red Sea may call upon God
until doomsday without avail unless they
obey the divine Go forward" Malicious.
ness will find no AID or comfort in prayer.
The "as Thou wilt" Of Jesus Is the true
standard Of acceptable petition.
Sometimes answers are sought IN VAIN
because divine methods OF answering arc
rejected. There is no use prsying fer rain
without clouds. II one prays for disposi.
tion Of sweet sympathy he may be com.
PEELED to accept the breaking power OF
SORROW.
There is q divine method in every nat
ural and spiritual realm. Every grace OF
the spirit must be purchased by sacrifice.
The chisel and the maliets are instruments
by which beauty clothes the marble. Pur-
ity often comes only by fire.
The greatest attainments come at the
greatest cost. The pebbles are smooth and
symmetrical by the crashing Of the floods
on the shore: Josephs troubles paved the
way to Joseph's throne. Through prison
window John Bunyan saw the triumphs OF
his pilgrim. True prayer must accept the
price Of its answer.
Pray to see Europe and you must accept
the OcRan voyage. frdS LOT pnysicai poWeE
and You must accent discipline. Pray for
spiritual power and you must accept self
sacrifice.
Prayer 10 sometimes unanswered because
OF nonobservance OF the conditions OF true
prayer purpose to do the will Of God is
the fundamental requirement in prayer.
Without this prayer is not heard. God lis.
tens to mans voice when man listena to
Gods voice. 1t must also be addressed TO
the Father in the name of the only accept.
able One-His Son. Jesus Christ.
Cain praved in his own name and went
out with fallen countenance. Abel came
through the lanb of atonement and was
accepted.
The motion of human PRAYER to be ef.
fectivc must he seconded by the Divine
Mediator. When prayer is prompted by
the Holy Spirit. ACCOMPANIED by simple.
childlike confidence, offered in the name Of
tho Saviour. from n pure motive. and the
petitioner is willing to accept the wise.
just and divine method OF answering. it
will be heard IN heaven and granted by
infinite love.-The Rev. J. ID. Leek.