The Tupelo journal., 1904-09-09

THE prayers or Cody kings time and
i time again stayed the destroying
hand of the enemy and delayed the judy
ments that had been pronounced against
Israel for her sins. The prophets.
through prayer were able to shut the
heavens Of rain and dew and then to
pray and bring the rain and the dew.
Through their ministry. of prayer the
prophecies and purposes of God were
realized. 1t is declared OF Daniel tina
he understood by the books the number
of the years whereof the word Of Jeho-
yah came to jeremiah. the prophet, for
the accomplishing of the desolations Of
Jerusalem, even 70 years" Prayerful
study of Gods word had revealed Gods
purposes concerning Israel. and Daniel
goes on to say: 81 set my face unto the
Lord God, to seek by prayer and suppl
cations, with Hastings and sackcloth and
ashes" And pleading Gods promises,
he prayed for the ~deliverance of Israel
from captivity, and God heard and an
swered hat prayer in the wonderful way
recorded in the books of Ezra and Ne
hemiah. Jesus coming was ushered in
by the prayers Of Gods children who
we're looking Tor the consolation OF
Israel" And the devout Simeon in the
temple as he prayed was given the vision
of the coming one and had been assured
that he should see Him ere he died. And
the prayer of faith found its realization
as he took the infant Jesus in his arms
and blessed Him, %pronouncing that Won
derful prophecy over Him which is find
ing it's fulfillment to this very day.
TAMES declares that "the effectual,
fervent prayer of a righteous man
availeth much" The testimony of Gods
word from Genesis to Revelation proves
the truth of this declaration. All of the
men who have wrought with and for
God have been men of prayer. And ev-
cry Christian in his own experience may
prove that it is true; yea, it is not only
his privilege. but his duty to do SO. His
Christian life must be barren indeed.
and he must be almost a stranger to God
and out of fellowship with Him, II the
prayer of faith is not rising to the Fa-
Their and receiving its answer. All men
who have wrought with and for God
have been men of prayer. Jesus was
much given to prayer. whole nights be-
ing thus spent, while the weary disciples
were unconscious in sleep. Repeated
reference is made to Jesus prayers and
seasons of prayer. but l doubt If any
adequate idea can be formed from these
detached references to the utter depend
ence which Jesus placed in these sea-
sons alone with the Father. II
the complete record of every
moment of Jesus three years
ministry were before us, I believe
we should be startled and amazed, yea
and condemned. for our W ~prayerless
lives. by the large place which prayer
took in His ministry. Christ was vic
torious through prayer. He prevailed
because He prayed. and we must not for
get that prayer marks our pathway to
victory; 1t is the way In which we may
prevail with God. One of Jesus most
earnest a%dmonitions to His disciples is
to pray and not to faint.
DUT in spite of the overwhelming testi-
- mony of Scripture and of those to-
day who have proved again and again
the power and efficacy of prayer. how
prayerless are the lives of many of Gods
children. The wicked. Job declares.
ask: What profit shall we have if we
Ill., ~, W. a. ~ u,opIar RI ~
the people of the world can ask such
question, or that they can go through
life utter strangers to the true heart
prayer which reaches God-for there is
much so-called prayer which never gets
any higher than the head or me altar
rail or the pulpit or the vaulted ceilings
of the church which echoes the sound
thereof. But that there should be those
of Gods children who in their hearts
ask the question. if it is not framed with
the lips: What profit shall we have if
we pray unto Him." seems almost in
credible. heard the story. a true story,
Of a little boy Christian and his joy in
receiving answer to prayer. He was
.trudging along with a heavy basket on
his arm. 1t was a lonely country road
and darkness was falling fast. Home
was vet a long way ahead. He tugged
at the basket and struggled on until
it seemed to him as though he would
rop What could he do? Well, he
might have done a good many things.
He might have sat down and cried. He
might have grown cross and impatient.
All. how many of us would under like
a little Christian who prayed, and when
he got into a place where he did not
know what to do he would talk to Jesus
about it. So he set his basket down by
the roadside, and kneeling behind some
bushes. asked help to get home. He was
so absorbed in his little prayer that he
did not hear the carriage On the soft turf
road draw near the spot and then stop.
His prayer ended he came out to begin
again his weary tramp homeward, and
there before him was a carriage waiting.
The driver had seen the basket and
stopped in wonder. And as he saw the
little boy come from the bushes he in
vited him to ride with his basket into
town. And the prayer was answered.
Think you it would have happened SO.
prayer or no prayer? Perhaps. But
there was prayer and the answer to
a 1t was the prayer habit that
brought that little boy to his knees. 1t
was God who brought circumstances
to pass which answered the prayer. And
it is in Just such little experiences Of life
where God wants us to talk with Him
and ask His guidance and help. And He