Sequachee Valley news. (Sequachee [Sequatchie], Tenn.) 1896-1952, 1904-04-21
UNCLE JOE'S
LETTER.
Written for the News.

Hold on st. John said would de-
bate the question in friendly spirit,
but you seem 10 have your fighting
clothes on Come. keep quiet, Because
say thing don't make IL SO, but |
don't suppose any Of the saints would
misrepresent anything, neither do | ac-
cuse them.
did say in my my letter that did
not heH W that purlic prayer was ae-
ceptable 20 God and Sill say the same
II wa consider that part OF Worship as
practlced today, whirh is called prayer.
Why, ST. John, ifone-trnth of one per
cent Of the prayers which are prayed
in one month were to be heard and ans
wered there would be no one on earth
to-day, for have heard many prayers
with a request that God would save ev-
erybody, and remove sin IS far from
them as east from west, and to come
down with mighty power, save Us all
from our sins, and all such eXclama-
tions. Now Christ said TO use no vain
repetitions, for God knew whatwe need
ed before asking | say If one-tenth of
the prayers were answered there would
be no one to pray or pray for long since,
Christ went away from his disciples
to pray.
Where was Daniel praying where the
Il. !, ; b.a, inf hp
den of lions?
Christ went up on a mountain to pray
and while the disciples were asleep he
prayed. If he was in the habit of pray
ing in the presence of his disciples why
did they ask to be taught to pray?
No sir, don't believe the prayers of
they are not acceptable with God. For
be says that if you ask in faith you
shall receive whatsoever you ask. And
| also believe that if man makes a re-
quest of God in faith believing he will
receive it, it will be granted him,
St. John said that blind Bartimus
prayed for his eyes to be opened. Well,
in sense he did because he was in
earnest, but doubt if Bartmus knew
be was speaking to God when he said:
Jesus, thou son OF David, have mercy
on me-" lie no doubt thought no was
talking to man of the household OF
; David. who was gifted with power that
other men were not
Why, st, John, your proposition
would save tho whole world IN a week.
You know it would if the prayers that
are delivered were heard and answered.
As to preaching | don't believe you
can show a single instance where any
: of the apostles ever opened service with
prayer. In Peters preaching you find
nothing of the kind. Philip when be
preached to the eunuch never opened
with prayer. | don't care anything
: about the theologians or doctors of law
: scribes or pharisees, or anyone else
0 whom you say have not discovered the
t the fact.
They are like me in one respect, very
little of what they say is correct in re-
gard to religion or the Christian life.
Lam willing for everybody to reaC
the Testament and decide for themsel
g yes. This is what do and all Americi
Q could not change my opinion when sucl
. opinion is formed from a careful inves
" tigation of the Scriptures.
v And | say again that believe pray
err can be prayed in public to good ei
. feet, but think it very improbable o
very rare that one is. guess ST. job
and other preachers are somewhat iik
. the old lady who prayed for the noun
@ tain to he removed. On retiring sh
e petitoned the Great God to remove tn
!; mountain before morning. When sh
tain still there. Just as l expected,
she exclaimed, "the mountain is still
there" ST. John prays for things an
at the same time don't expect 1T to b
done and consequently is not disal
pointed.
In answer to MIR. Griffith, OF Pell CITY
Ala, will first say am not one VIII
claims to know all of the mysteries
sacred history. but one who willingl
confesses there are many things in
which | do not understand, and TIL
question, who is Joseph's fatner?"
one of them. The way understand
is that He'll was the name of Jacob 4
given infLuke, or was the same ma
spoken of in Matthew but called by
different name. AS to Joseph's dreaI
or vision, don't think be bad that pI
in the papers, for the Scripture show
that he was minded to put her ava
privately so that no one would kno
about the circumstance, showing thi
Joseph felt embarrassed, which WI
very much human, and guess IL such
circumstance was TO occur TO Mr.. Gri
ith, ST. John or Uncle Joe in this az
Of enlightenment that we would not
guided by dreams but would on first 1
formation of the fact be of for Arka
sas OF some other country without Il
bride.
The reason why Joseph was mentio
cd was because the histories of the &