The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1915-09-30

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teaching concerning the chief objec
OF prayer. which is the holy spirit
Indeed. this eleventh chapter OF Luke
Is the most comprehensive teachn,
on the subject Of prayer that ths
Bible contains.
And where is the great teacher
now? Seated at the right hand 0, i
God, where HE ever liveth to mau
intercession for u.s." And could ON
spirit-ears be opened, could we hear
him as he pleads for us and for The
lost world, | am sure our hearts wouh
grow tender, and our eyes moist, and |
with trembling lips we too should say
Lord. teach us how to pray"
We remember how Abraham PRAYED
Lot out of Sodom, and Nehemiah
prayed himself into the good grace.
OF the king, and Elijah shut up the
heavens for three years. and The
friends Of Peter prayed him out oil
prison; and all these were men Of
like passions with ourselves. Lord
teach US to pray. Yes, to pray" We
can recall many utterances Which
passed for prayer, but which we fear
the master would not recognize a !
such-seltish prayers. thoughtlea
prayers, which had no aim or pu
pose. prayers from which we did not
expect an answer, did not look for al |
answer. and would have been might
lily surprised II an answer had come
And all of these have gone up 10 /
the mercy-seat with our names upon
them, and there they lie in the !
archives Of heaven unanswered. be
cause unanswerable. Oh, friends Il |
is one thing to make prayer. Il h /
quite another thing to pray. Lord
teach US how to pray. How sugges
tive that phrase is Make a prayer'
As II prayer could be made to or
der, whether there was any occasIon
for II or not! But to pray, to really
talk with God, and bring things 10 /
pass, that is privilege which angels
might covet. and an art which h /
worthy Of {, lifetime of study.
The Chinese write their prayers on
bits of paper and throw them into the |
air, hoping that they may be blown
up to heaven. The Hindus have
praying machines, and express their
devotion by turning a crank The FOL-
lowers of Mohammed five times day
fall upon their knees wherever they
are at the hour of prayer, and call
upon God. Roman Catholics in Mer
leo take OFF their hats when the clock
strikes twelve, because II was at The
noon hour that our Savior was nard
upon the cross. and again when the
clock strikes three, because at that
hour the son of God died for our sins
Yes, there are prayers enough. but
not enough of praying. Lord teach
Us how to pray.
How much we need to be taught
How often we ask for things which
1t were better for us not to have
while the things we need most are sell
dom mentioned. Paul was right when
he said, 1--WE know not what to pray
for as we ought" How little we real
lie the willingness OF God to answer
prayerl Too often he is addressed as
a capricious tyrant from whom bless
ing can be obtained only by persist |
ent teasing instead of loving father
who lives and labors for his childrens
welfare, How little we perceive tho
scope OF the promisesl We see The
surface meanings, perhaps, but the
depths-Oh, the depths! How little
we understand the deep things o
God!
How little we understand the rela
tion of prayer to Christian work. The
common idea is that work is the main
business OF Christian, and little
prayer Is necessary to help the work
along. Work is the strong bow which
supplies the force to speed the arrow
on its way while prayer is the feather
which tips the arrow, and helps guide
1t to its destined mark. Christ's idea
is entirely different. In his concep
tion prayer is the chief business oi 9
Christian. with just enough work 10
make a channel through which the
spiritual forces generated by prayer
may find an outlet. Prayer is the bow
which supplies the force and work -
the feather which guides the arrow 10
wards its destination. IF ye shall ask
Il will do" he says In other words
Christ is still doing the work which
he began to do" (Acts I'D, md Do
invites us to help him by prayer
whereas too many Christians thnS
that they are carrying on the work
but need little help from him.
Yes, we are ignorant, but thank
God we cap all learn. Jesus mas
opened a school of prayer in which
II we will. we may learn tho dlvno
art. And what teacherI How p~,
tient, how longsuffering with dul'
scholars! And how much he knows
about the subject For eighteen nun
dred years this has been his conslan'
occupation. and now he invites US "
become his pupils. and offers TO teaca
US all he knows. "All things thai
have heard from my father, ! ha''
made known unto you John lo;lsf