Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1916-02-25

cision. Let US knee1 right down here
and ask him. 1 will pray first, and
then you follow"
The young man could not consistent
ly refuse. He knelt with her, and at
the close of her prayer he began to
pray himself. He had not uttered
three sentences before he sprang to
his feet, saying, 81 see it. It is not
right. will give it up at once"
In this case prayer was answered
Immediately, but in many cases the
answer is long delayed.
country friend of mine asked him
how long he had ever prayed continu-
ously for any object. Taking little
book from his pocket, he said, When
I was converted was a wild boy in
college. My conversion broke friend
self, for he would have nothing to do
with such a fanatic he said. wrote
his name in this book and promised
God that would pray for him each
day until he was converted, or until
/ died. / prayed five years with no
apparent result. Ten years went by
with no change. I continued on for
fifteen years twenty years, and still
he was an unbeliever. 1 did not yet
give up, but prayed twenty-five years,
each day mentioning his name at the
throne of grace, and then came a let
ter saying, I have found the Savior
Them said Mr.. Muller, 81 checked out
this petition as answered. In this
same book I have other names that
1 have prayed for for five, ten and
fifteen years, and scores of names
against which there is a cross, show
ing that the requests have been
granted"
Here, then, was man who made a
business of prayer, and who kept his
account with the Lord in business
like way. When he had a matter to
present to Gods attention he first
/ found a promise on which to base his
| appeal, always making sure, if pos
sible, that it was according to God s
! will. Then he recorded his petition
in book and watched and waited for
the answer. Is it any wonder that this
mans faith grew rapidly, and that
he became the most notable and pos
sib1y the most successful prayer OF
modern times?
We see by this illustration why
many prayers fail; they are rambling
appeals, so vague and indefinite thai
even the petitioner can hardly remem
Der what he prayed for when he rises
from his knees. Not expecting any an
swer, no record is made of them, ani
no surprise is felt if the answer doe:
not come. Ands so the solemn farce
goes on year after year.
1t is said that in battle it take'
hundred pounds of lead to kill /;
man, because SO pounds and Is ounce
of it is wasted in wild firing which
aims at nothing and hits no one. o.
the other hand, the sharpshoote
wastes no ammunition, but picks hi
man and makes every bullet tell Sc
if we would pray for fewer objects
more carefully selected, and then max
a record of our prayers and wtach fo
the answer, we would not waste s.
much breath, and we would obtai
more results.
Delay in answering prayer ofte
proves a great blessing to us. In som
cases it tests the strength of GU
desire, and shows us that we did nc
care very much about the objects a
all, just as request for an educatio
which is soon dropped shows the pa
ent that the boy was not sufficient
in earnest to appreciate the, privileg
if he had it. In other cases della
leads us to examine our motives, an
we find that they are purely or pa
TALLY selfish, and withdraw the reques
of our own accord. Possibly the della
opens our eyes to some secret sill
and leads us to abandon it, for "If
regard iniquity in my heart, the Lor
will not hear me-"
Man is a creature of growth, and
takes time and change and children
and cftentimes losses and bereav
ments and old age, to soften his hea
and show him his need of a Savior.
Consider how many influence
wrought upon you before you yielded
how many appeals were made, he
many times the still, small voice whi
pered before you answered yes"
Consider all this-you will not wo
der that it takes time for God to a
swer prayer which involves the chan,
of human will from disobedience
obedience.
Lord, teach us how to pray.