The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-04-29

.r,oNTny,T. lesson closed, leaving
Jesus in Judea. After answering me me, AN I'm.
Yer duke * 25-SI) lie procetHoeu Oh Ra an,
;ehnn, Mere fra accepted the hospitality
Of Mary and Martha. both q Will w
showed their appreciation OF lne tittin,,
tinsuisbed visitor the former by sittins
a. i Ills feet 10 Learn, the latter by min
istering to His comfort That nome wa wa,
destined to become the resting pa ICE ana INA
asylum in after months, even " ny -, III
y ~ tii, " bethany. Jesus went forth ,S
, Win His disciples into retirement The
place and events o. IlIas S 59 onotinieS
Il M I'5' instruction which had been inter
81 1nptea by the lawyer, seeking TO nrsils
Inc Whole company into fullest sympathy
WIN each other ana With Himself. Sweet
and holy converse it was, too intimate
aud delicate TO md record on the pages
OF those Sketches that have been pre-
served for the disciples Of the after cen
turtles.
OCCASION our present lesson per
taius to the close OF that private inter
View. Jesus had been engaged IN PRAYER,
perhaps with the disciples, perhaps y. with
Himself. With HIM, as With us, there
IRE times Of desired communion at, the
tlroue Of mercy, and there are times
when one ought TO be alone with GOD.
Y Some ono urged Jesus on this occasion
10 teach the disciples 10 pray. Ills eN,,
ample had awakened their desire and
made them conscious of their Ignorance
and weakness II was pleaded that John
the Baptist had done the same with his
disciples-an interesting fact in the min
istfy Of that eminent preacher Christ $
prayer meeting was probably more blessed
Than Johns. and they desired TO know the
secret. Jesus granted the request, show
ing that while any petition offered IN sin
cerity must be acceptable, a mark of
piety tActs, tx: III. vet one needs In
struction in order 10 render this service
in lis best manner tEccle,, Y: y. Minis,
tiers ought ncw to observe this TACT and
do likewise.
ANALYSIS The response of Jesus 10
The request Of the disciples may be di-
4 yidSa into ,w Ss PSs liz rSt gITfs
sermon Matt, Vi: 9-l8r, except that the
concluding doXology is omitted. That
model will be treated here under two
beads-the petition for the divine honor
and glory, and those for the benefit Of
The petitioner. the latter being purely
human. After the form of prayer Jesus
offers the encouragement to pray Oversees
asb and 49,, under ihree heads friendship,
promise and sonship He evidently felt
that His disciples would need encourage
ment more than model, for He occu-
tAan with the other. il has always been
TO. Men are more in danger OF ccasng
10 pray altogether than they are OF cm-
Z ploylng improper language. But here Je,
SUE corrclates the method of prayer and
the assurance of It's value making each
topic plearer and more forceful by the
run coitalneu IN me 3thef, ana SO e%-
ceedlnS me request OF me people
DIvINE,--In the form Jesus begins with
three petitions pertaining primarily to
God, bur involving also the welfare Of
meil-reyerence for His name, he coming
Of the Kingdom, the doing of His Will.
These were all prominent old Testament
themes U4ey, y 3; Xech. tx: o. Indeed
the decalogue only formed ana enioined
CEN Xxx; 2-lD that for which the Chris
iian IL instructed Ia pray, showing that
the essentials OF righteousness are Of Unit
vergaI obligation tMatt. s. lS, These
Simportant considerations, They are TO he
Altered in q lilial spirit, God being re,
Gardfd as a Rather. While Gllnpses %
such relation were obtained in he fornei
time, Ii WAS reserved for Jesus 10 usher
men into il and cause them 10 act az
cordmg 10 II Matt, ~ ~, The praSel
was also TO be offered with t1ouRhts z
another world, IN which God vs. periectl.
lonored and obeyed tyerse % the gran'
object being 70 set lIp here heaven.
Kingdom In place of the sin and suffer
Ing that now abound.
Observation-Disclosures this higher viey