Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1911-03-16

gent people say we should no pray
and they give reasons for so believ-
Ing But even so. when there comes
into their life some serious Illness. or
some approaching disaster. or the
facing OF death. almost all OF them
fall TO prayer
Even inhdels and agnostics and
atheists have been known TO turn to
God at such a time; they have ceased
70 rely upon their atheism or agnos
ticism and have felt the God they had
denied TO be their only help in their
time OF need. One such In his . Z
tremity. who was not willing to break
wholly with his denial OF God. cried
out as he vas lying. 20 God. II there
be a God. ave my soul. II | hay a
soul"
II one were TO ask Us why we
should pray ne could give many a
sSers. n We believe In a God at all
and almost everybody doesl. We
realize his power and "a depend
ence. and. therefore. the reed Of
PRAYER. II he Can help US lomnir3 >
tent and knows how TO help Us
iomniscientl and wants TO help us
,a~li-ioyingi. then there is only left
the need OF our request or prayer.
Every religion OF every Kind,
heather. pagan. superstitious. Jewish
Christian. doe pray. II. therefore.
we fail to pray We are putting our
Judgment against every religion past
and present known to man and also
against the instinct OF every rac
black. white. yellow. a wild or
civilized
This seems 20 be a rash position TO
take and we would not think Of taking
such a stand in any matter other than
u relationship to God And il there
b. an intelligent and loving delay. it
is not very polite or courteous not TO
speak 20 him At times This speaking
to him should Include alteration and
thanks. as well as begging We would
o so neglect q merely human friend
But II we do pray. how does God
answer US, We find men hold two
diverse theories as to this One Is,
That God sends his answer directly
from heaven and not through an
agent. But this IS surely contrary TO
our universal experience. In our
lar life every good and perfect gift
from God alone. but always
through some one else
Our money comes from God. but
through dealings with men; u cloth
ing ONE from God. but through deal
ings with an importer. merchant or
tailor. In our physical life our birth.
development. cure and nourishment
all come from God. but through our
mother. exercise. doctor and food !
said this at a mission and challenged
any one 10 find an exception. The
only thing they could suggest vas a
But this involved clouds and baro-
metric pressure n oceans and for
es,s and MAY meteorological gents
The second and true theory is that
God answers our prayers He alone
an. but always through some agency.
As this IS true in our secular and ply
steal life. so IL is true in our spiritual
life. As We got our physical life from
God through our mother. so We get
our Christian life from God through
baptism
As ne got our physical strength
from God through exercise. 50 we get
our spiritual strength from God
through confirmation As We get cur
spiritual nourishment from God
through bread, meat. etc. 50 nc get
our spiritual nourishment from God
through holy communion. As We get
our phyhical cure from God through
the doctor and medicine. 80 We get
our spiritual cure from God through
penance.
This law is so universal and so sim
pie that We would never think Of
doubling it IL il were not for our re-
ligious prejudices.
What are some OF these agencies
which God uses The four fundamen-
tai needs of birth. strength. food.
cure are supplied as above. There
are many incidental and subsidiary
needs all supplied by God but through
agencies.