The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1902-09-11

There is a sense in which all prayers are
answered either by obtaining the object
sought or by securing something far better
adapted to the ultimate end of all true
praver-perpetual happiness through un-
broken goodness.
All PRAYERS will 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 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.
ouently crave those things which would be
destructive to their best interests. both
here and hereafter. Like Elijah under the
iuniDer 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 1t 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 is unselishness.
Prayer in the case of Simon Magus was ig-
norant, because it sought the mere gratih-
cation Of worldly pride.
The farmer who prays to save himself
from labor will never secure a 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 are
rejected There is no use praying for rain
without clouds. If one prays for disposi-
tion of sweet sympathy he may be COM
PEELED to accept the breaking power of
sorrow.
There is a divine method in every nat
ural and spiritual realm. Every grace of
the spirit must be purchased by sacrifice.
The chisel and the mallets are instruments
by which beauty clothes the marble. Pur-
itv 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: Joseph's troubles paved the
way to Joseph's throne. Through prison
window John Bunyan saw the trumphs of
his pilgrim True prayer must accept the
price of Its answer
Pray to see Europe and YOU must accent
the ocean voyage. PRAY for physical power
and Won must ACCEPT discipline. Pray for
spiritual power and you must accept self
sacrifice.
Prayer Is sometimes unanswered because
OF nonobservance of the conditions of true
prayer. A 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 listens to
Gods voice. It must also be addressed to
the Father in the name of the only accept
able One-His Son. Jesus Christ.
Cain prayed in his own name and went
out with fallen countenance Abel came
through the lamb of atonement and was
accepted.
The motion of human PRAYER to he ef
fectlve must be seconded by the Divine
Mediator. When prayer is prompted by
the Holy Spirit accompanied by simple,
childlike confidence, offered in the name of
the Saviour, from pure motive and the
petitioner is willing to accept the wise,
Just aad, divine method of answering, it
will be heard in heaven and granted bv
infinite love-The Rev ]. D. Leek.