Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-04-23

] W "ou"t tHr result Let not any man |
say the same method is not at cur |
disposal as 1t was to the brethren OF |
the church 1T Jerusalem. We are |
dealing with the same God. and he is |
just as powerful row as then and Just |
as ready to listen to the earnest pleas |
or his children. Men may argue that |
we do not have today all the gifts of |
the apostolic church. but on this one !,
point there can De no dispute-wc are |
iree To pray about our troubles and |
commit oar affairs to the Lord only |
now. as ever, we must not laZily de- |
pend on God to do ii all while we sit |
with folded arms aud await his dis |
pensauons. We nhust work as well as
pray, and do our Part to make the |
prayer come truo. |
Angelic Intcrposition.
Some people do rot ind arstand that
we have the help OF angels when we |
orc in need OF guidance. l, is the |
Fashion of the day to think that that |
wonderful thins we call the human |
tra.r Is the chief dcpenjanc. of man !
in Getrng him out OF difficulties. God |
has given us brains and he expects |
us to use them, but there are many
Things beyond the power of the brain
TO solve-therc are emergencies
when all mans experience and |
judgment fail as u reliable guide |
| For God to do everything for us az
though we had no thinking powers
would be to keep our powers dwarfed |
by inaction. Just as the angel who |
lea Peter from the Jail LEFT him when |
me liberation was accomplished. so
God helps us in emergencies, but |
when we are able to get along by the |
use of our own powers he leaves us
to 40 so. No matter how much reli- |
ance we place on divine help, it is our
duty to practice self-reliance, and |
leave 1t to a higher power to do the |
things that are beyond our ability |
Peter could not have struck the |
shackles from his limbs or opened |
the prison doors-this the angel did !
for him-but when he was free and |
able to look ou- for himself. the an
gelic help was withdrawn. We thor
oughly believe that God stll takes
care of his people, though he may not |
do 1t just in the way we would ex-
done. He knows letter than we
what should be done, and if his cause
Is furthered by our suffering, as the |
church was fired with new zeal by |
the death of James. we should deem |
ourselves favored Of God to be /
chosen as the instrument of his pur,
poses 1t is well that we should |
leave all these things to his superior |
wisdom and goodness. and say thy |
Will be done; yet all this is a farce |
and mockery if we are disposed to |
let God do everything, just like an
inarimate machire that can only |
move as the hand of man directs |
1t. If there is something We want |
God to do for us. our first duty is to |
do all we can to bring it to pass, at |
the same :ime praying without ceas- |
ing for divine help. A true saying, |
but one that is very often misapplied, |
is the assertion that God helps those |
who help themselves. Even Peter |
would not have been liberated had he |
not responded to the angelic COM
mand to arise and follow. The |
shackles were not first stricken from |
Lin. but they 1ell off when Peter |
obeyed. 1t pays us to remember that |
Gods help comes to us only on his |
own terms. and not as We would die |
tate. Faith and obedience are the |
prerequisites of blessing. II we want
to have the help and protection of
the Lord. we must do our best to |
carry out his will. He never yet re- |
fused to come to the rescue of him |
who was faithful ard obodent
Are Angels Sent?
Peter was daZcd by his miraculous
experience and thought at first he |
was dreaming. But when he came to |
himself and realized that he was wide |
awake, he said. Now l know of a |
suitlN lll'ii tlt HdIH sent MS |
argel." All of us can. if we will, re-
call experiences that cannot be other |
wise explained than by angelic inter- |
position, although the heavenly mes
senger was not visible to our mortal |
eyes. In some hour of peril we have |
beer rescued wheE every human |
chance was against us. our footsteps
have been turned from the path of |
error by some force we could not |
comprehend by human sensibiities |
When we were intent on some sinful |
Indulgence something occurred that |
diverted us; we met friend perhaps |
who proposed something else: the |
companion who was to share our in |
iquity could not go: maybe il raincd |
and forced a postponement and sober |
econd thought caused us to change |
our mind; or we missed the train or |
! toat that was To take us to our in |
tended rendezvous. Were these things |
nothing but blind chance-just hap |
pened so? Let me tell you, nothing |
ever ''just happens. The God who |
rumbers the hairs of our head and |
notes the sparrow's fall is eXerting !
directing and ovenuling force ever
every human occurrence. The angel |
of the Lord turned you aside and |
would not let YOU sin when you had |
planned to do so Let no one say
these things are the creature Of ac-
! ClutHt oT tne loTCc OF nluOen IN
stinct There are many men living |
who know absolutely that such is not
the case. God plans to save YOU from
yourself ana his angelic messengers
carry out the plan. Sometimes when
you were overwhelmed with trouble
and were almost ready to give up,
suddenly aud without apparent rea-
son better thoUchts came into your
mind and you started out again with
a renewed courage, or perhaps the
angel came to you in the guisc of a
friend and put 1t into his heart to
saw just the right word of cheer to
strike = responsive chord in your cen
sciousness and put new song in
your mouth. This is as true today /
as in the day of Peter. or as when
Elisha was beseiged by an enemy. for
"the angel Of the Lord encampeth |
round about theii that fear him. and /
delivereth them"