The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1915-10-01

eNaNhihk NollNtiuiub tue NUltl ODlcCt
OF prayer, which is the holy spirit.
Indeed, this eleventh chapter OF Luke
is the most comprehensive teaching
on the subject OF prayer that the
Bible contains.
And where is the great teacher
now? Seated at the right hand OF
God, where He ever liveth 10 make
intercession for us" And could our
spirit-ears be opened, could we hear
him as he pleads for us and for the
lost world, am sure our hearts would
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 graces
of the king, and Elijah shut up the
heavens for three years, and the
friends OF Peter prayed him out OF
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 as
such-selfish prayers, thoughtless
prayers. which had no aim or pur
pose, prayers from which we did not
expect an answer, did not look for an
answer, and would have been might
lily surprised IL an answer had come.
And all OF these have gone up to
the mercy-seat with our names upon
them, and there they lie i'm tho
archives OF heaven unanswered, be-
cause unanswerable. Oh. friends, IL
is one thing to make prayer, IL is
quite another thing TO pray. Lord,
teach us how 10 pray. How sugges-
tive that phrase is. Make a prayerl"
AS IL a prayer could be made to or
der, whether there was any occasion
for IL or not! But 10 pray TO really
talk with God, and bring things to
pass. that is a privilege which angels
might covet. and an art which is
worthy OF lifetime OF study.
The Chinese write their prayers on
bits OF paper and throw them into tho
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 a day
fall upon their knees wherever they
are at the hour OF prayer, and call
upon God.
How much we need 10 be taught!
How often we ask for things which
IL hottnr m haun
while the things we need most are sell
dom mentioned. Paul was right when
he said. I'VE know not what TO pray
for as we ought" How little we real
ize the willingness OF God 90 answer
prayer Too often he is addressed as
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 the
scope Of the promises, We gee the
surface meanings, perhaps. but the
depths-Oh. the depths How little
we understand the deep things of
Godl
How little we understand the rela-
tion OF prayer 90 Christian work. The
common idea Is that work is the main
business OF a Christian, and a little
prayer is necessary 10 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
II 20 It's destined mark. Christ's idea
is entirely different. In his ccncep-
tion prayer is the chief business of
Christian. with Just enough work TO
make a channel through which the
spiritual forces generated by prayer
may find an outlet Prayer IL the bow
which supplies the force. and work is
the feather which guides the arrow to- |
wards it's destination. III ye shall ask |
i will do" he says. In other words,
Christ is still doing the work which |
he began 10 do acts 1:D. and he |
invites US to help him by prayer.
Yes, we are ignorant, but thank |
God we can all learn. Jesus has
opened a school OF prayer In which. |
IL we will, we may learn the divine
art. And what a teacherl How pa
tient, how longsurering with dull
scholarsi And how much he knows
about the subject For eighteen hun
dred years this has been his constant
occupation. and now he invites Us 20
become his pupils. and offers TO teach
US all he knows "All things that
have heard from my father. have
made known unto you" John 15:15l. /