The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-01-05

breaches ON
PRAYER FAITH
SON OF OIL KING TELLS Y. M. c. A.
GATHERING THAT IN FACING A
CRISIS IN HIS LIFE HE ASKED
GUIDANCE FOR FOUR YEARS,
AND FINALLY GOT HIS ANSWER
IN THE NIGHT.

| Tarrytown, n. Y, Jan. John D.
| Rockefeller, Jr., in addressing a large
audience this afternoon in the Y. NJ.
| G. A. building, which was made pos
sible by a gift of $4,000 from his
father, told of his faith in prayer.
He said that when he faced the
crisis Of his life and his happiness and
usefulness to the world depended upon
the decision, he prayed to God for four
years night and morning to guide him
| in the right path. Suddenly one morn
| ing before the sun was up and dawn
! had broken, he arose from his bed and
| lighted a lamp. He said the path of
| his life was as clear to him as though
there was a sign pointing which was
| the right road to take. He took his
pen and paper, and there in the early
morning committed himself to the life
he should lead. What the crisis was
or how he committed himself he did
not say:
PauFs Question.
Mr.. Rockefeller spoke on the young
mans question, and referred to Paurs
question:: Lord, what wilt Thou have
me do?"
|
three words in that question: said
Mr.. Rockefeller. FIRST, I will place
the emphasis on the work Thou
| What wilt Thou have me do?
THE best advice of q friend is Of
ten wrong. Think of the great sums
paid to lawyers and doctors for ad-
vice. Think of the hours of waiting
to see them, while Gods advice is free,
and we can have it at any time. He
will tell you what to do.
| Now, I want to place the emphasis
on me- We all know what every
body else should do. I know what
my nefghbor should do. It's what I
should do that concerns me. I be-
| lieve that everyone was put here for
some purpose. There IS work to do.
| and, If we don't do our share, it may
| go undone, and we shall lose the bless
ing and rewards Of doing that work.
| Now, the last word in that mes
| sage, do 1t implies action. Let no
man ask if he prefers comfort or ease.
He should only ask the Lord when he
| is willing to do battle. The answer
may call for courage, sacrifice, 1t may
| involve a Encouragement of your life
| plans, but let no man ask the question
who fears the answer. It may lead
you into the missionary field, the min
istry, or a banking house. And pos
/ sibly to do work with a pick and
shovel. If it's Gods call that bitches
must be dug, it's honorable work No
task for God is too humble or too
lofty. He will help us bear our bur
dens, and if we are weak, he will make
4 US strong.
Cannot Go Alone.
MAY be some of You will say An
right, I've asked for help from God
and never received any answer. I
answer you by putting two other ques-
tons. Did you really want God to be
your counsellor and to direct your
life, or were you too satisfied with
your way of living? I knew man
once who thought he was self-suffi
| Gent. Time went on and he had re-
verses. He was crushed to earth.
| Still he said he needed no help from
! above. Time went on and he was
fcruely disappointed in love. ] talked
with him, and / saw his spirit had
| changed. He said 7 have made mess
of it going it alone and he looked
up to the Great Counsellor to guide
him"
Perhaps you are afraid of the an
| swer. There may be L duty to per-
form that you will be unwilling to pay.
If so, you can't blame the Great
Counsellor. The second question is.
Have you done the thing necessary
| to get the answer? Have you put
yourself in the way of getting the
answer as Paul did? Paul got off the
| ground and went into the city and did
q mans work. A good many Of US
want the jobs to come out into the
country to us instead Of going into
| the city to get them. A man with
that attitude will never get an answer
TO his prayer. The men who pray
| to God, like children send letters to
Santa Claus for toys and candy, will
never find much in prayer. Prayer is
| intended to get into closer communica-
ton with God, so that you can hear
his slightest whisper"
Meets the Crisis.
Then Mr.. Rockefeller told of the
| crisis in his life. mo man can prove
to me-" he said, that there is nothing
| in prayer after my experience. God
| answered me- There is not a man
| present whom he won't answer If he
asks sincerely.
1T is great deal better to try
| and fail in a good cause, than not
to try at all" he said. Don't look
for an easy answer or any easy job
Don't mind if the hands get soiled.
Don't look around for a job that
just suits you. Take the first job that
comes along. I have with me today
Bible 1 treasure above all else, be-
cause my mother gave It to me thirty
years ago. I prize the book because
| it tells me that night and morning
MY mother is praying for her boy. ]
think I've got the best mother in the
| world. Every man here thinks he has
the best in the world, too.
Maybe some of you boys have
! somewhat forgotten your mother.
Maybe you have not written to her
!. as often as you used to. How she
/ dotted on the letters from her boy.
But If they don't come she win explain
to the neighbors that her boy is prob
ably so busy that he mas not had time
to write. She viii always make ex-
| cuses for him. And she will be pray