Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1906-03-22

nonsense, says some ono 10 me,
nonsense. 1t was not through the
help Of God that Rahab saved the fam
lily. They were saved on account Of the
bargain she made with Joshua's spies.
After she had hidden these two spies In
her home and saved their nccks from
the pursuers she made them take an
oath to save her and her fathers house
hold. They had to do II, being bound
by their sacred oaths. Then, in order
to make her rescue more certain, the
two spies said. Place scarlet rope in
your window and our soldiers will not
hurt you when they enter the town TO
search It, Rahab did this and she
was saved God had nothing TO do
with il. That Is just the way with you
Christians. II man is sick and you
pray over him, then you say God makes
the invalid well. The simple fact Is
the man would get well, whether you
prayed over him or no."
Yes. my friend, know that it is the
common idea. You are exactly in the
same position as prominent professor
of one Of OAR large state universities
who. a short time ago. said to his class:
Young gentlemen, prayer has abso-
lutely nothing to do with the outcome
of tho natural world. When the condi-
tons are right for 1t TO rain, the rain
comes. When the medicines are taken
and the fever has run its course, the
patient gets well. and It makes but
little difference whether the sick man is
n Mohammetlan or Christian. When
the tornado has blown itself out, the
storm ceases, and not before. Prayer
may have It's influence on the spiritual
world, but IT has absolutely no iufiu-
ence in the material" Now, I take
issue with those who hold such ideas.
God does rule the material And God
does change the outcome OF the mate
rial This ancient story Of preservation
Of Rahab in the destruction Of Jericho
IS q symbol of what has taken place
many times in history and of events in
your career and in mine.
How nahab Was saved.
You say Rahab was saved by Josh
ua's army? She was saved by the pro-
| tectng hand of God alone. Did you
| ever stop to consider where Kahab' 9
house was bultI The Bible distinctly
| tells this in Joshua ii. 10: For her
house was upon the town wall, and she
| dwelt upon the wall" Now, AS this
| house was built upon the wall, what
| happened when the besieging army
marched in? Why, that part Of the
| wall where Rahab's house was and
where she gathered her father and
mother and brothers and sisters was
| left standing. God did not allow that
part Of the city wall to totter and fall
for if it had with the tumbing OF
those mighty rocks Rahab and her IA
Tiers household surely would have
been instantly killed. You say. "Rahal
and her household were saved by The
Hebrew soldiers on account of the
scarlet thread placed in the window
IT'S true: God does work through hu
man agencies But. / say, Rahnb was
also saved because God Ield up tina
wall upon the top OF which stood Ra
hab's home. Can you not see that Coo
IN answer to prayer cares for the phys
ical we'll being of man as well as sh'
spiritual?
Do you feel that 1t is a silly or Use
less act to go and kneel by the litll
crib Of your sick child and say, &c
God, make my baby well, if it be III,
will:' Was not the life OF Hczesial
prolonged fifteen years through hi
praying TO God? DO you think it a
n To
on n long voyage 10 .lneel and say, It
Lord. thou who dost govern the wind
and dOst hold the seas in the palms o
thy hands. guard us and care FOR us a
we pillow through the trarkless deep:
Was not the Mayhower protected o
her journey to the American shore be
cause John Robinson and his band O
. followers started the pilgrim father
with the pleadings OF prayer? In a
| old book ! once saw picture Gale
"The Prayers For tie crusaders.
There at the foot of the cross knelt III
, wives, sisters. mothers and children
while off in tie distance You could sc
| the armies marching toward the cas-
ern capital of David. All. yes: ma
5 every one Of our homes be living pic
, ture of 1.-The Prayers For the Crusat
E ers.'' May we pray for the safety {
our loved ones. May we pray for til
. restoration of health to the sick. Ma
l we pray that God shall guard I'll
l bodies Of our dear ones. even as Go
2 was the Saviour OF Rahab and her T;
t Tiers household, upon the top Of Il
heaving, rocking, tuInbling and sha
tered walls Of Jericho, at the mercy (
+ an invading host.
y A Practical Application.
But was this Rahab's only reward
:, Nay. God not only saved Rahab, b'
= ;, also all the property that she and III
= fathers household had. God saved r
labs body, her clothes and her none
and her Jewels and her house and III
food In other words, by this rescue I
Rahab God seems 70 come TO us al
say, III you will only trust me ar
live for me, | will look after your foe
, and clothing and house rent and CHI
:, dren's education and all that you ne;
=. in temporal sense" Therefore,
>, God is to be our temporal provider, "
!, should never be willing to enter in
, any commercial or business dealings
life without first kneeling to ask h
guidance and hcip. Now. some chur'
sI,.- rl~