Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1918-04-09
LET US PRAY.

read that He went out into a noun
| tain to pray, and continued all night
| i'm prayer TO God" duke vi:12). He
taught His disciples also to pray, and
gave them a form of prayer which
multiplied millions of the wisest and
: best people of earth still utter from
| day to day duke MILD.
Was the greatest Teacher who has
ever appeared in our world mistaken
when He prayed for Himself and taught
His followers to pray? Was the best
and wisest of the Sons of Men a fool
or q fanatic?
In the apostolic writings. as in the
personal teachings of Jesus, prayer is
! enjoined. st. James fatty and firmly
prayer OF a righteous man availeth
much" and it is perfectly clear that he
accepts not that foolish theory of prayer
which declares men get only "subjec-
| tive benefits" from it. The apostle goes
on to say, ELIAS was a man subject to
| like passions as we are, and he prayed
] earnestly that ii might not rain; and ii
| rained not on the earth by the space of
| three years and six months. And he
prayed again, and the heaven gave rain,
and the earth brought forth her fruit
| (James v:17-1S). Evidently st. James
| did not believe that the prayer of Elias
did no more than reconcile the prophet
| TO the patient endurance of a long dry
spell.
Some have supposed that St. Paul
| and St. James were at variance con-
| corning the subject of works and faith,
| but no one has ever suggested that
they disagreed about the subject of
prayer. st. Paul says, 81 will therefore
that men pray everywhere, lifting up
| holy hands, without wrath and doubt
| ing q. Timothy, ii:S). And again, II
| eXhort, therefore, that, first of all, sup
| plicatlons, prayers, intercessions, and
| giving of thanks, be made for all men;
| for kings, and for all that are in au-
| thority; that we may lead quiet and
peaceable life in all Goodness and hon
esty; for this is good and acceptable in
| the sight of God our Savior, Who will
| have all men to be saved, and to come
unto the knowledge of the truth" q.
| Timothy ii:1-4).
Why may we not pray for the presi-
dent of the United States that in these
| dreadful times he may be divinely guild
| ed, and thereby be enabled to secure
the welfare OF our nation and the per-
manent peace Of the world. Would it
not bring better results than acrimo-
NOUS criticism of the administration
| can achieve?
Why should we not pray that the
| God of battles would give victory to
our army and the armies of our al
! lies in France? God has turned the
| tide of war in other days.
But some will say the kaiser also
prays to God. But may we not ask
to what God the German ruler prays?
| Manitestly the god to whom the Ger
man emperor prays is a monstrous idol,
created by his own bloodthirsty mind,
and although he has never carved the
image in wood or stone, it is none the
| less an idol Let US be warned by his
| evil example and pray to Christ our
Lord, not to n Pigment of frantic fancy.
| Christ is living today, and is our very
present help in this time of trouble.
Other DIRECTORS will quote Napoleon's
atheistic maxim that God is on the
side of the heaviest artillery false
maxim which history abundantly re-
| flutes.
Who had the heaviest artillery when
( Napoleon invaded Russia? God showed
on the Corsican and defeated him.
How did Israel escape from the bond
| age of Egypt. if God is always on the
side of the strongest physical forces Z?
| The Egyptians had all the arms, yet the
! helpless Hebrews escaped a.. #F
Who had the heaviest artillery when
the Spanish Armada threatened Eng
land? That feet supposed to be 'in-
Vlnclble' was broken and defeated by
Gods Irresistible wind.
Who had the heaviest artillery when
| the independence of the United States
| was won by Washington and his ragged
regiments?
Queen Mary of Scotland said she
! feared the prayers of John Knox more
| than she feared an army, and she was
right. John Knox prayed Give me
| Scotland or 1 die" and God gave it TO
him. He rules Scotland today as King
| George does not and cannot.
| A mist and fog was a prime factor
| in determining the battle of the Marine.
and God may take hand in other bat
/ ties yet as the war for righteousness
and peace is waged against injustice,
! cruelty and militarism. God is not dead
and He is still hearing prayer.
1t is time for the preachers to begin
| calling our people to prayer. We have
| had lectures on food conservation, Lib
erty bonds, war-saving stamps, etc. And
! all this is we'll, perhaps. But the time
has now come, when the nation must be
called back to God. He only is our rock
| and our salvation; He is our defense.
| Already many hearts have been
pierced with poignant grief, and dark
shadows rest on thousands of homes.
Sorrows still more sore await us. Let
! our people return to God in penitence
| and prayer.
Trust in Him at all times; we peo-
pie, pour out your heart before Him;
God is a refuge for MS" Psalms
! lxii:S).