The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1917-02-26
PRAYER IS NECESSITY
N EVERY MANS LIFE
Rev. Thomas Semmcs breaches Force
full Sermon I'm Meade Memo
rial Episcopal.
PRAYERS MAKE US SPIRITUAL
Reaches Out Not Only Into the Flu
ture in Point of Time, but Also TO
Ends of Earth In Point of Space.
Satan Fears Prayerful Men.

before a body of several hundred la
boring men. who called upon him sud
denly for an address. What should he
speak about, what vital subject would
be worthy of the occa sion, how could
he make the best use OF his oppor-
tunity and leave a permanent impress
sion on the minds and hearts of his
hearers" said Rev. Thomas Semmes
last night in Meade Memorial Episco-
pal church.
AS he stood before the union there
seemed to him to be but one matter
for him to speak about. The rela-
non OF man to God as son to the
father-the closest and most sacred of
all mans relationships He showed
them in few words that such n re-
iation couf1 only be realized and sus-
tanned by spiritual communion; or,
IN other words, by prayer. The Faith
eT is spirit, man is a spirit; there
fore, the only intercourse possible Is
a spiritual communion. Such COM
munion strengthens the spiritual in
US and prepares us to receive power
from God and enables us to draw
power from God for others
Prayer then becomes a living
force-the most powerful agency man
exercises in this world. In the great
work OF God in reconciling the world
to Himself and drawing men into sym
pathy with holiness and into obedi-
ence to Righteousness God has per-
mitted man to he a laborer with Him.
self, First, God sent His Son to be
come man and TO show men how
TO live the life of holiness and power
Men who believe In Christ and accept
Of nd -.
workers together with God. God
equips them in several ways. Their
life and influence is a factor in the
battle, Our life is what we are Not
what we appear to me TO be. but
what we appear to me TO be. but
service is another factor IN the fight
This is worth only so much as the
life behind the service The service
must be unselnsh. The motive must
he sincere.
Money Another Factor.
IF we are seeking the praise of
men we have our reward without any
from God. Our money is another
factor: that Is, the money we do not
spend on ourselves S. r. Gordon
says God values only the money with
the red tinSe OF sacrifice upon It.
Christ said that the poor widow, Civ
ing her two mites. gave more than
Att AHS fiSA "ii1 VAL 4ii &iASlE Gtld ana
silver into the treasury OF the temple.
Christ's arithmetic figured out, not
the amount that was given. but the
. amount that was left in the hands
of the giver. The man who spends
a hundred thousand on luxurious
home and gives ten thousand to save
the world does not give as much as
the scrub woman who sets aside her
dollar each week for Co.'s cause
ton that counts. God does not need
money. God needs the spirit of self
sa crifice on the part Of his people
But the greatest of all factors in
the work of helping God save the
world is prayer. Our prayers help
God in His work more than all the
rest of our equipment--life. service. or
money. Our prayers make US spirit
ual. and spiritual power is the night
est power in the universe. The great
est thing men and women can do is
to pray. The greatest work ever done
in the world was done by the power
OF prayer. The greatest men and
women who have lived In the world
have been those who have had power
In prayer. The greatness of work
is measured or determined by the in
fiuence or effect it has had upon the
world. Nothing has ever influenced
the world or impressed so deep q
mark upon it as the life and teach
ings OF Christ-and the end is not
yet
Prayer reaches out not only into
the future in point Of time, but also
TO the ends OF the earth in point of
space A man may pray the prayer
OF faith in his chamber and God will
work on the opposite side of the
earth. Prayer will obtain from God
what no other act will obtain. There
/ is no good gift. there is no degree
of spiritual power God will withhold
| from the man who seeks ii through
persevering, believing prayer. In this
| world Satan reigns now as prince.
Spoke of Active Agency.
Christ spoke often of the active
agency of Satan in the world and
called him the prince of this world.
| Christian experience has taught men
that the only weapon they can use
TO defeat the work and purposes OF
Satan is prayer. Satan fears the
prayerful man or woman, Their spirit
of absolute reliance upon God to de-
feat his temptations is always effec-
tive. The man of prayer seldom en-
tiers sin. II he does sin his return
to God is sure and permanent. The
prayer of even prodigal brought
him back to his fathers house ana
/! to. his fathers love.
THE main work of every pastor is
to lead his people TO pray--real. earn
est, intelligent prayer The purpose
of every great preaching revival is
to draw people into spiritual COM
munion with God. Christ said of the
temple, My Fathers house shall be
called a house of prayer We some
times make il a house of preaching.
house of organizations, house of
money getting. house Of social SER
vice. and not primarily house of
prayer. But all nations must -ecog
nize that Gods house is n house of
prayer.
IF we amply this great truth in
practical way to the life OF the church
and community we will find that earn
est PRAYER ON the part of the people
will bring manv who are cold and
indifferent Back to the church 'asYei tn
the Holy Communion. 1t Will stop
much vain talking AMI complaining
in the churches II will make many
more serious and sincere. 1t will adj
just differences among people. 1t will
reveal and cleanse many hearts. 1t
will show the absolute need Of Gods
law of forgiveness and love. Shall
We pray then? WIN Christ fail us.
VIII the Father fail usg Then why
n4tSnsA IL tai
2ss Is III Il lss2g IN