Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1914-01-30

This is the day of the expert"
and the specialist. The scientific
spirit requires us to accept the ver-
dict Of the highest authority. Why
then, in the name of all that's rea-
sonable, should we be expected to
take the word of physicist upon
subjects essentially spiritual? This
tiresome. The man who has spent
his life in the study of wholly mate
rial and natural laws may not be ex-
pected to have the last word upon
the mystical relationship between a
personal God and the men and wom-
en- whom He calls His children. Thus
was Darwin, for instance, sceptical
concerning the value or meaning of
poetry; he saw nothing in it. Like
wise, some poets could see nothing in
Darwin's theory Of natural selection.
Each knows his own speciality.
Clearly, If We are going to consult
specialists, let us not go to an aurist
to have our eyes attended to, nor to
nerve specialist to have a club foot
Strengthened, nor to a geology spe-
cialist to have our views upon spirit
uality quickened Stick to your
last!" cried the painter to the shoe
maker, who, elated over his success
In criticising a shoe in a painting,
foolishly tried to pass judgment on
the general artistic excellence of the
work. There are many humble, un-
lettered saints, rich in experience of
personal relation with God, who are
better authorities upon prayer than
the latest German critic of the Bible.
Let us be scientific enough to admit
that some things lie Beyond the
Natural Order" which by the way, is
the title of Nolan Rice Best's pene-
| trating little book on prayer.
An Experts Counsel
Nobody ever thinks of turning to
the words of Jesus for information
upon mathematics, geography, his
tory, or the physical sciences. Those
were not His subjects. He was avow-
edly a specialist upon spiritual
truth. He was times greatest ex-
pert upon the subject of God. To
make God more understandable was
His mission upon earth. Through all
the ages since, He has been the
worlds most Illuminating teacher of
the spiritual life. Concerning this
lie speaks with authority.
This Is thee obvious reason why
His friends and followers asked Jesus
to teach them about prayer. They
realized that the subject was one to
be studied; they needed expert ad-
vice upon it. Therein they were wiser
than millions of Christians who
have never read single book upon
prayer, never given an hours
thought to the subject; and who do
not know the difference between a
childs bedside petition and a minis
ter's pulpit prayer.
In answer to His disciples request,
which was called forth by the fact of
finding Jesus Himself in prayer, the
Teacher propounded a model form of
prayer. It's principle embodied the
right ideals of mans petitions sent
to God. We call it "The Lords Pray
err; it really is the form given for
use of disciples. BY no means is it
to be recited as a mere collection
or words; there is no especial efficacy
III the particular English words into
which it was translated in 1911. The
spirit, the idea, the principle-that
alone counts. The rendering of the
twentieth Century New Testament
makes vivid the genius of the origi-
nal:
when you pray" Jesus answered,
you should say-'Father,
May Thy Name be held holy,
and Thy Kingdom come.
Give us each day
our bread for the day before
us;
And forgive us our sins,
Tor we ourselves, too. forgive
everyone in debt to us;
And do not take us into tempta-
tion.'"
The School That BrOadens Life
The wise parent sends his son to
the school that will broaden his life.
as we'll as impart certain information
to his mind. That quality ch racter-
ICES the school of prayer which the
Master kept for His friends. There
is profound educative value in
I'raying Jesus kind of prayers. No
body can remain small-minded who
has been a diligent student in this
school. The first word of the Ideal
"rayer lifts one above self and self's
petty concerns, and cries out for an
object so exalted that none of us can
truly grasp its reach and immensity
the glory of the ineffable Name,
May Thy Name be held Holy'-that
Is a prayer worthy of the ever-be-
holding archangels about the throne
OF Heaven Get a person into the
frame of mind which seeks first to
hallow the reputation of Jehovah and
you have lifted him out of the i'm
prisoning pettiness of selfishness.
We shall be delivered from the
smallness of the saints when once
we all get to praying that Gods
Name may be hallowed.
The best training a young lawyer
or doctor or editor or preacher or
business man can get is to be in
personal association with a really
great master in his chosen calling.
Just to share the office of John
Marshall was enough to fire young
man OF capacity with broad views
of the law. The disciples Of Jesus
got their kingdom ideas (rather
slowly, 1t is true, for they were un-
promising materially by keeping
company with Him. Naturally, He
taught them to pray for the coming
OF that Kingdom to which He had
given His life. To enter the Masters
school Of Prayer is to learn to think
kingdom thoughts, to bear kingdom
burdens and to be fired by kingdom
ambitions. That Is the second les
son in prayer, and 1t is allied to the
first. A supreme objective is thus
kept before the spirits eye, to draw
ones powers forth to their greatest
extent. This puts a kingdom plumb
line alongside of life. 1t imparts a
final standard of values. Contrast
1t with the storied and wicked peti-
ton, God bless me and my wife, my
son John and his wife; us four. no
more. Amen"
An observer of present usages. in
world affairs finds that the men who
bear the largest kingdom RESPONSE
bilities are the most insistent in
their emphasis upon the need of
prayer. with prayer or not at all'
is the battle-cry of the Every Mem
Der Canvass. The Laymens Mis-
sionary Movement frequently issues
special calls to prayer. The devoted