The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1904-09-24

hand Of the enemy and delayed the judg-
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
Through their ministry Of prayer the
prophecies and purposes of God were
realized. It is declared of Daniel that
he understood by the books the number
of the years whereof the word of Jeho-
yah came to jeremiah, the prophet, Cor
the accomplishing of the desolations Of
Jerusalem, even 70 years. sPrayerful
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 suppli>
cations, with HASTINGS and sackcloth and
ashes" And pleading Gods promises.
he prayed for the deliyeranee of Israel
from captivity, and God heard and an
swered that 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
were looking for 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, pronouneing that WON
derful prophecy over Him which is find
ing its fulf1lment to this very day.
YAMES declares that the effeetual,
fervent prayer Of a righteous man
avai1eth 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 it's 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 IL
the complete record of every
moment CT Jesus three years.
ministry were Before us, believe
We should be startled and amazed, yea
and condemned, for our ewn pray erless
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: it is the way in which we may
prevail with God One of Jesus most
earnest admonitions to His disciples is
to pray and not to faint.
DUT in spite of the overwhelming testi-
omony of Scripture and Of those to-
day who have proved again and again
the power and efficacy Of prayer, how
prayer1ess are the lives of many of Gods
children. The wicked, Job declares,
ask: What profit shalt we have if we
pray unto Him." We do not wonder that
the people OF the world can ask such
question, OF 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 The 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. Il 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 It was lonely country road
and darkness was falling fast. Home
was yet long way ahead. He tugged
at the basket and struggled on until
it seemed to him as though he would
drop What could he do? Well, he
might have done a good many things.
He might have sat down ana cried. He
might have grown cross and impatient
All, how many of us would under like
circumstances? But he did not. He was
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 kneeIfng 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 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
prayer It was the prayer habit fnat
brought that little boy to his knees. It
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 holm And Ha