The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1918-07-17
SUNDAY SCHOOL NOTES
Side Lights On Next Sundays
Lesson for Teachers and Pupils
Edited by Charles X. Meyers.
July 21-Praying to God. Luke II,

July 21-Praying to God. Luke II,
1-13.
We have for our lesson this week
the Lords Prayer and words Of Jesus
upon the subject Of prayer. With this
before us the things which might be
lsaid are seemingly limitless.
The blessed Jesus was a man of
Iprayer One might wonder why, if
the Son of God and equal with God,
He needed to take hours off His min
istery to talk with God. We will have
to take it out in wondering. The fact
remains that Jesus did remove Him
self from the public and spent hours
in prayer. This fact being seen by
the disciples one of them said Lord.
teach us to pray" Then were given
the words of the great prayer.
We oft hear orators, and find writ
ers dwelling at length on the great
landmarks in the advancement of the
world to be found in the Magma Char
tar and the Declaration Of Independ-
ence. Antidating these is the chris
tan religion and the opening words
of the great prayer "Our Father" If
all people of the earth have common
father. then all are brothers and equal
ly entitled to the love and respect OF
their fellows, and stand equal in the
sight of God. 1t was the recognition
of this common fatherhOod which in
spired the barons and the common
people to call for and demand the
great charter of liberties from King
John; and the founders of our nation
to set forth in the Declaration of In
dependence that all men were created
free and equal and entitled to the
right to liberty and the pursuit Of
Happiness. 1t is the recognition of
the common brotherhood of men
which has caused the United States,
England, France and Italy and the re-
publics of South America to band to-
gether to overcome those nations
whose governmental ends are to
crush down individuality, set overlords
over the common people, enslaving
their minds and bodies. Cruel Ger.
many, monarchial Austria, barbarous
Turkey must not and shall not rule
the earth. The inspiration for this
determination on the part of their
opponents in the present war comes
from the religion of Jesus Christ and
the recognition of the meaning of the
| first words of the great prayer Our
Father" The great apostle Paul in
his famous address on Mars Hill at
Athens gave utterance to words that
further set forth the position Of the
christian religion when he said "God
hath made of one blood all nations of
men for to dwell on the face Of the
|earth." 1t is the recognition of this
Ifatherhood which is the moving cause
for foreign and home mission work
and which levels caste and class dis
tinctions wherever the gospel of Jesus
lis preached. ..e~gr
It will be; readily seen that all the
space of the column could be taken up
with the first words of the prayer so
/ must proceed. The common Faith
|er Is in heaven. Where that may be,
none can tell. Jesus, however. gives
God a habitation. Jesus says that He
has gone to that place where God
Unveils to prepare place for you and
me; Jesus tells US of the presence in
that place Of the spirits of those who
have lived here on earth VS. and He
says that we can be there also Please
let this truth sink deep in the heart.
The prayer makes petition that the
Kingdom of God may come on earth
las it is in heaven" If that part Of
the prayer is truly meant it calls for
endeavor on the part of every chris
tian to give time, energy, money to
make the world around obey the rules
of the bible religion, We hear much
in our day about the second, coming
of Christ but as far as you and are
concerned that subject need not take
much of our time from true christian
endeavor. The world is far from
ready for the second coming of Christ
and all know that men and women are
not to be made by force human or d.
vine to obey the will of God. Jesus
never did that when on earth before
and He will not come to earth again
to compel obedience. We can only
help along the second coming by
spreading the gospel and living our
selves upright lives.
The portion of the prayer which
calls on God to forgive our sins or
trespasses, as we in turn forgive those
who sin and trespass against us, de-
mands the greatest attention. We
can not expect that our prayers will
be answered for mercy and pardon if
we hate one another and are unforgiv-
ing. Remember the words of the great
Paul when he urges you and me to
'Forgive one another, even as God for
Christs sake has forgiven YOU" Re-
member the words Of Jesus when he
says, speaking of the Jewish custom
of bringing offering to the temple
when asking for pardon for sins. IF
thou remembereth that thy brother
hath aught against thee, leave there
thy gift before the alter go thy way;
first be reconciled to thy brother and
then come and offer thy gift" At
another place Jesus says (Matthew
6-15) "But if we forgive not men their
trespasses, neither will your Father
forgive your trespasses." These last
words came just after giving the pray
er about which we are studying. You
must put revenge, hatred and unfor
giving spirit from your heart and life
| if you expect favors from God in re-
Spouse to prayer. Just put that down
in your memory and don't forget it.
| can not take time and space to
talk further as to the words of the
prayer. Jesus by His example and
command tells us to pray. He says
as showing the attitude Of God to-
ward us that even more than the wish
lOf earthly parentS TO give good gifts