The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1911-04-13
A PRAYER
FOR YOU
By REV. STEPHEN PAULS0N

DriSOn. Ine liberty OF MS movements
was restrained he was in stone cell,
and he was chained to a Roman sol
dler-but his prayers were not
chained
st. Paul says: "The prayer OF
righteous man availeth much" and
there are surely more things wrought
by prayer than we ever imagine. |
tell you It is worth while having one
who carries you on his heart to such
an extent that he prays for your safety
and welfare. When Lots family was
In danger Abraham prayed until God
promised them safety. When the Ephe-
sian church was going through the
fires of persecution, Paul sent up pray.
ers in their behalf from his prison cell
When Peter was in danger of backslid.
Ing, Jesus prayed for him: Simon,
Simon, behold Satan hath desired to
have thee but have prayed for thee
that thy faith fail not"
DO not many faithful pastors send
up prayers, as Paul did, for the
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, they not pray for the homes Of the con-
gregation and for individuals who are
going through some trial and for the
young people who are starting out into
life? And now as OF old, the prayer
Of a true. sincere man avaleth much.
II IS a part OF a faithful minister's
service which Is very often overlook
ed and yet is Of the first Importance.
What a fine thing It was for the Ephe-
SLAMS to have St. Paul praying for
them upon every remembrance. AL
though he was far away, he was still
their pastor the shepherd of theh
souls
But for what did he pray? Did he
pray that they might live In comfort
and ease and have plenty? Did he
pray that they might be free from per.
secution and that the church might
grow without hlndrance? That, prob
ably would have been our prayer un-
der like circumstances. But his pray.
or was That Christ may dwell In
your hearts by faith"
How wonderfully comprehensive
that prayer is when we begin to an.
alyEe It. On, 1t takes the inspiration
OF the Holy Spirit to make a prayer
like that 1t takes insight into the
deep things Of God, and into the
needs of the human hearts.
Do you think that there is anything
you need more than that? Do you
not honestly think that that would
make most things right which are
wrong, would bind up broken hearts,
would heal things that hurt, and drive
out evil things which are spelling your
hte2 Yes, you know II, and know
II, so let our prayers be that Christ
may dwell in our hearts by faith.
This is the substance of your faith.
A better and more comprehensive
definition Of our religion could not be
given. 1t contains the whole OF
Christianity as the acorn contains the
oak.
The whole Jewish law had its dl.
vine Inspiration, It's secret spirit but
!. was hidden In vast system OF
forms. Christ said, 81 come not to
destroy but to fulfill" and the true
spirit OF the law was seen IN him. In
winter an old apple tree is homely.
Enarled and twisted. But in spring
when II is covered with blossoms
there Is nothing more beautiful. So
The old Jewish law blossoms into
beauty and comes to fruit in Jesus
Christ.
Christianity is not system Of
laws, but state of the heart. Christ
10 a man-that Is the Christian relig.
Ion 1t is Christ dwelling in the
heart by faith, and then man be
gins to know the length and the
breadth and height and depth of the
love OF Christ which passeth knowl.
edge Outside OF personal expert
ence, Christianity is pale as lunar
rainbow.
There are three avenues OF expe-
Hence by which Christ may come to
man-slght, intellect. the heart. To
nave seen Christ was deemed OF great
Importance In the early days. Those
VINO had seen Jesus possessed a Ger.
aln distinction, Paul, defending his
apoSlIeship, says. Have | not seen
nlIn Z! But how meager was the
OnrlStian life Of those days com.
pared with that of later ages, and did
not Jesus pronounce blessing on
tnose who had not seen and yet
believed?
Christ may be presented to a mans
intellect There are certain facts to
10 known and understood CONCERNING
u'rn, but there are also many that are
ueyohd our understanding. Creeds
sum up few great facts of our relig.
'on' Not that the repetition of
creed will make anyone a Christian
out a creed is like the astronomers
"'eseope. He sweeps the heavens
W ma particular star. BY and by
Tue telescope brings It to his eve
#" IS not the instrument that sees the
STAR but the mans eye. A blind man
could not see the heavenly bodies
'.n telescope, no matter how pow
e'!ul 1t might be. So creed NAV
o'Ing facts to your intellect, but Il
"Res the heart to apprehend and in
terpret them.
therefore Paul prayed for the Ephe
" o'ans not greater knowledge, but that
, .m,s' might dwell In their hearts by
" %u For the heart may embrace
Su''S' with an enthusiasm of love,
,,o eu though the intellectual percep
"'u De imperfect and vague.
AS God Sees Us.