The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-07-02

PULPIT.
"Behold, He
Prayeth'
(Acts tx. I'D
Pastor RusseWs Dis
HD1I1-cD
course

view to noting to what extent SELF
Will, or our own plans and arrange
ments, are influencing us. and to what
extent we are sincere in desiring to
know and to do the Lords will.
Safe In a Praying Home.
Most of you probably have heard the
story of early frontier life, in which
two travellers were obliged to seek
shelter in u mountain home, in local
ity which they had been warned was
dangerous, especially as they had mon.
ey. Only the necessity Of the occasion
forced them to seek the shelter. They
purposed keeping guard throughout the
night, the one sleeping while the other
watched in turn, fearing they would
be robbed, possibly murdered. How
ever, just as they had reached this
conclusion, one of them noticed a crack
In the door, and peering through it be-
held the uncOuth householder on his
knees In prayer. He explained the sit
uation to his companion, and they both
realized their safety and went to sleep
in peace.
There is principle involved in this
matter of prayer The heart which
seeks fellowship with it's Creator seeks
the loftiest companionship, one which
will be sure to lead him more and
more out Of willful sin and depravity.
Those who have no fellowship with
fntsl nne orvn,
Of formality in secret. There must be
motive, either to be seen of men or
to be heard of God, otherwise there
would be no prayer.
Whoever seeks his Creator in prayer
Is proportionately amenable at heart
to righteous influences. Whoever has
no appreciation of prayer thereby
shows that proportionately he is
estranged from his Creator-Out Of fell
lOwship with him. And while such
may at times, or perhaps for a con-
siderable time, be outwardly moral
and honest, we may be sure that their
estrangement from God might at any
time lead off into sin. They are off
the path Of divine fellowship, and on
the path Of carelessness and worldli-
ness, which may at any moment lead
off into the ways of unrighteousness.
Throne of Heavenly Grace.
st. Paul exhorts the church, Let us
come boldly (courageously) to the
throne Of heavenly grace, that we may
obtain mercy, and find grace to help
In every time of need" (Hebrews iv,
49,. He is not addressing the world.
but the household of faith. as indicat-
ed by the word ..'us." The picture he
brings before our minds is that Of the
Tabernacle and the priests conducting
the service. He points out that our
Lord Jesus as the great anti-typical
High Priest has made an atonement
for the sins Of all believers. and that
therefore believers who have turned
from sin may come to the heavenly
Father courageously-nOt in fear, moth
ing doubling. They may come even
when they realize their fmperfection
and natural blemishes; when they real
lie they have fallen short Of the Lords
standard. and of their own standards;
of grace, Of mercy, of favor, where
they may drop the burden of their
imperfections and obtain a blessing.
and bear song away.
The world cannot come to this throne
OF grace. because still in sin; because
they have not yet turned their backs
upon sin. because they have not yet
nfN1 Hhr;n l,at,. n1a
their Saviour, and because, therefore,
he is not their High Priest. The Apos-
tie says. He hath appeared in the
presence Of God for uS"-believers. He
has an arrangement disclosed in the
Word which says that by and by he
the new and living why is opened only
to those antitypical priests and Levites
who desire to come to the Father
through him. No one loving and prac-
ttcfng sin has any invitation to this
throne Of grace. He must learn first
the exceeding sinfulness of sin; he
must become sin-sick before he will
realize his need of or have an appre-
citation for the Good Physician and the
balm which he alone can supply for
the healing of the SOUL
Find Grace to Help.
The Apostle not only declares that
believers at the throne of grace may
obtain mercy, forgiveness of unwill-
ing sins. imperfections, but that addi-
tionally they may find grace to help in
every time of need HebrewS iv. 16).
Surely this is true. as every developed
Christian must know. Hence, the
faithful approach the throne Of grace
with courage. not only when they have
trespasses to confess and apologies to
make, and forgiveness to ask. but also
as they think of the trials, temptations
and difficulties along the way, and OF
the day. They learn to seek fortifica-
ton against sin, against their own
weaknesses, against the encroach-
ments of the world. the flesh and the
Adversary. They obtain these bless
ings by their fellowship with the Lord.
1t lifts their hearts from the earthly
things and the sinful things. 1t brings
20 them a fresh realization of the Fa'
lher's love and care. 1t reminds them
repeatedly Of their call of the Lord to
be his disciples, and of the terms and
conditions upon which they are ac-