Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-01-21
gUpyHcr. arEAoH Us To PRAY

oHerciee. We arc saved by talth, bu
We must work out our salvation by doinl
the things God Wills. The more we dc
for cod, the more God will do through
us Faith viii Increase by experience.
II you are stranger to prayer you
are stranger to the greatest source OF
power known to human beings. II we
cared for our physical life In the same
lsckadaisical way that we care for our
spiritual, we would be as weak physically
ns we are spiritually. You 60 week in
and week out without prayer. 1 want to
be giant for God. You don't even sing;
you let the choir do It. You go to prayer
meeting and offer no testimony.
you are a stranger to the great privi-
isge that is offered to human beings.
Some OF the greatest blessings that people
enjoy come from prayer. In earnest
prayer you think as the Lord directs, and
lose yourself in Him.
Some people say: It's no use to pray.
The Lord knows everything anyway.
That's true. He does. He Ia not limited,
as I am limited. He knows everything
and has known II since before the world
was. We don't know everybody who 10
FoInK to be converted at this revival,
but that doesn't relieve us Of our duty.
We don't know, and we must do the work
He has commanded us to do.
"others say. But | don't get what |
pray for Well, there's a cause for
everything Get at the cause and you'll
be all right. II you are sick and send
for doctor, he pays no attention to the
disease, but looks at what produced It,
II you have a headache. don't rub your
forehead. Probably the cause isn't there
but in the stomach. In Matthew l hnd
Il written ASK and 1t shall be given,
Seek and ye shall find Knock and 1t
shall be opened unto you III your prayers
are not answered you are not right with
God. II you have no faith, IL your mo-
tive is wrong, then your prayers VIII be
IN vain. Many times when people pray
they are selfish. They are not gripping
the word. l believe that when many
wife prays for the conversion OF her nus
band It isn't because she really desires
the salvation of his soul, but because she
thinks IL he were converted things would
be better for her personally. Pray Tor
your neighbors as well as your own fam
fly. The pastor of one church does not
pray for the congregation of another de-
nomination. I'm not saying anything
against denominations. 1 believe In them.
believe they are of God. Denominations
GDpTeHenL n hah4'
with warm emotions would not make a
good Eplscopalian, but he would make
crackerjack Methodist. Oh the curse OF
sclf1shnesBl The Lord is dying for relig-
ion. for religion pure and undehled. Pure
and undefled religion is visiting the
widow and the fatherless and doing the
will OF God without 80 much thought OF
yourself. tell you, a lot OF people are
going to be fooled on the day of judg-
ment.
isaiah says the hand OF God is not
shortened and His ear Is not deaf. No,
His hand is not shortened so that II
cannot save. He has provided agencies
by which we can be saved If He had
made no provision for your salvation,
then the trouble would be with God but
He has; so II you go to hell the trouble
viii be with you.
taken idols into their hearts and put
stumbling blocks before their faces. God
is not going TO hear you II you place
clothes, money, pride Of relationship be-
fore Him. You know there is sin in
your life. Many people know there is |
sin IN their lives. Yet ask God to bless |
them. They ought first to get down on
their knees and pray. God, be merciful
TO me a sinner II you ask God for
blessing before you ask Him for forgive
ness you are a fool-that's what you are.
Some people are too contemptibly
Ill1BI IOT 1Ou 10 near ltieNls NOu won
hear you IL you stop your ears to the
,ries OF the poor. You drag along here
Tor eight weeks and raise a paltry sum
hat a circus would take out of town In |
Two hours. When some people give things
10 the poor they rip off the buttons and
he fine braid. Some people pick out old
'lothes that the moths have made into
deves and give them to the poor and
hink they are charitable. That isn't
'harity, no, sir! It's charity when you'll
dive. something you'll miss. It's charity
ghen you feel 1t to give.
And when you stand praying. forgive
you have aught against anyone. It's
10 use 10 pray II you haveSa mean, mis-
rahle disposition, II you are grouchy, IL
'ou quarrel In your home or with your
lelghborH.
IT'S no use to pray for a blessing when
'ou have fuss on with your neighbors
doesn't do you any good. You 20 to n
ewing society meeting to make MOSQUITO
citing for the Esquimaux and blankets
or the Hottentots. and instead you sit
nd chew the rag and rip some woman
p the back. The spirit Of God flies from
trifa and discord.
People say. She is a good woman.
tut worldly Christian. What? Might
Is well speak Of a heavenly devil. Might
y well expect a mummy TO speak and
'ear children as that kind to move the
Forld Godward, Prayer draws you nearer
o God. tf'
Teach us TO pray implies that want
0 be taught. It's a great privilege 10 be
aught by Jesus. A friend of mine was
reaching out In Cedar Rapids, Ia, and
ad to go TO a hospital In Chicago for an
peration. and. was asked TO go and
reach in his place. Alexander was lead
~ the singing, and one night Charles
alled a little girl out OF the audience 10
Ing. She didn't look over four or Ave
ears OF age, though she might have been
little older. ! thought. What's the user
Ter little voice can never be heard over
his crowd But Charlie stood her up IN
chair by the pulpit and she threw back
er head and out rolled some OF the ,
"eetezi music have ever heard. II was
Ionderful / sat there and the tears
treamed down my cheeks. That little !
ifi was the daughter OF a Northwestern
1slnser and he took her TO Chicago when
Or mother Was away. Some one took her i
} Patti. who was In the city Patti took
le little girl 10 one OF her suite OF rooms
nd told her. TO stand there and sing ,
aeE sho went 70 the other end OF the ,
lite and sat down on e divan and ,
ateusd. The song moved her 20 tears.
he ran and hugged and kissed the little ,
III and sat her down on the diYan ana !
I'd TO her. Now you sit here and III 20
yer there and sing. She took I'd her !
osition where the child had stood, and
e lifted her magnificent voice ana she
ing Home Sweet Homa aud f1sh. f.st |