The Nevada County picayune., 1911-03-17
How God Answers Prayer By REV. H. PAGE DYER Rector of Episcopal Church of Ascension. Philadelphia

Why should we pray? Many intelli- gent people say we should not 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 infidels and agnostics and atheists have been known to turn to God at such time; they have ceased to 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 ex- tremity, who was not willing to break wholly with his denial of God. cried out as he was lying, 70 God, if there be God, save my soul, if l have soul"
 If one were to ask us why we should pray we could give many an swers If we believe in God at all tand almost everybody does), we realize his power and our depend ence, and. therefore, the need of prayer. If he csn help us tomnipo- tent) and knows how to help us (omniscienD and wants to help us tall-loving). then there is only left the need of our request or prayer.
 Every religion of every kind, heather. pagan, superstitious, Jewish, Christian, does pray. If, 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 race, black, white, yellow. savage, wild or civilized.
 This seems to be rash position to take and we would not think of taking such a stand in any matter other than our relationship to God And if there be an intelligent and loving delay, 1t Is not very polite or courteous not to speak to him at times. This speaking to him should include adoration and thanks, as we'll as begging. We would not so neglect a merely human friend.
 But If 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 secu- lar life every good and perfect gift comes from God alone, but always through some one else.
 Our money comes from God, but through dealings with men; our cloth Cnd hut fhrnnOh 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. l said this at a mission and challenged any one to find an exception, The only thing they could suggest was farmers prayer for rain. which came. But this involved clouds and baro- metric pressure and oceans and for ests and may meteorological agents.
 The second and true theory Is that God answers our prayers. He alone can, but always through some agency. As this Is true in our secular and phy- sical life, so it is true in our spiritual
 
 God through our mother, so we get our Christian life from God through baptism.
 As we got our physical strength from God through exercise. so we get our spiritual strength from God through confirmation. As we get our spiritual nourishment from God through bread meat, etc. so we get our spiritual nourishment from God through holy communion. As we get our phyhical cure from God through the doctor and medicine, so we get our spiritual cure from God through penance.
 This law is so universal and so sim pie that we would never think of doubting it if 1t 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