Evening journal., 1918-03-01

Christian Duty and Privilege" John
t4d2-t7. Written by Or. Dwight W.
Wylie OF the st. Paul Presbyterian
Church, Philadelphia. Pa.
A privilege Is an exemption from
some burden, or from some task. It Is
the possession Of an oppo tunty 10 do
that which we can do when our powers
are free. A right is the discovery and
the acceptance Of a responsbility-and
as we grow in strength from day 10
day. the rights OF mind body aud heart
are to be maintained. And so with the
duties Of life-for 2 duty is simply our
consciousness OF our own power 1t Is
the revelation to a man Of his own
gelf-respect. and his conception OF duty
depends upon the consciousness Of his
manhood. So the size Of manhood de-
termines the size Of our duties A little,
selfish man has little conception OF
duty, but a great, unselfsh man finds
that his life Is related to the whole
world, and from day TO day discovers
that 1t Is related more and more unto
God. Such a man Is changed from glory
20 glory, for we remember that lt Is the
glory Of q man to serve. "A servant is
not greater than his master" and
Christ came not 10 be mlnistered unto.
but 10 minister"
Prayer is your way to God, and His
way to you. In prayer we speak TO
Cod and In prayer God speaks to US.
When a man prays. he tells God what
be thinks of himself. and if a man truly
prays he sees FIRST Of all Gods relation
% his own life. and then what relation
this life may bear TO God and 10 the
whole world. The nlcuty Of prayer
docs not lie in the being Of God, nor
does IL lie In the constitution OF the
world The difficulty Of prayer comes
because we who pray refuse to take
the answers which come. God always
answers prayer, but we are quite de-
termined In our own minds that the an
swer must be Yes" The power Of
praye~ must he FIRST IN our own hearts
II prayer is 20 be acceptable 10 God
certainly it must change our own lives
flrst II God is expected TO do things
Tor us, surely lie viii expect us to dC
things for Him. Christ said, IF ye ash
snything in my name, and the name
Of Christ certainly means complete SELF
surrender tO Che viii Of God and g
life given wholly 20 service In Gods
name.
So we must ask ourselves in praying
90 God whether we arc willing that ou
prayer shall change our own lives. The
Master has told as that 1t Is the wori
Of God 90 believe. Jesus blessed as faitt
the word of the man coming ot old
saying. 81 say unto this man, Go, anC
he goeth So we must believe God, anC
believe that he is rewarder or thos'
who seek Him. and 10 seek God means
1rst Of all. 30 obey Him.
Christ had c0myiete faith 10 prayer
All that H. said and did was source'
in prayer. Tho miracles were ilrst per
formed upon his knees in prayer. Cal
vary was frgI in His heart In the gar
den. before % was the cross withou
the gate. Jesus tells US that obedi 'nc
which is simply a duty, makes ser
wants. but that obedience which Is tn
result Of love, makes friends, an
PRAYER is simply the fulnllment Of jill
word when Re says, Il have ntt calle
YOU servants. have called 20
friends"
Prayer is the making Of plans an
notifications for the hourly or dail
work. The decision concerning. tempta
ton must be made upon our knees.
las been often said that the battle
ground of the soul is prayer, and IN
power of temptation is always IN pro
portion 10 our lack Of prayer We kno'
that we are the children OF God "he
we pray. and we know that God Is ou
Father when we accept His answe
Gods mercy and love are not less ]
evidence when He says, No ina
when He SAYS Yes It has been sal
that God trusts everything to praye
IT ls the only thing that Christ al
IA rouse the desire Of the disciples, 70
when they found Him praying, the
said. Lord. teach us TO pray.
Perhaps 70 Is not saying too mucn !
affirm that the most Important dut
and the highest privilege OF the Chrh
tian, is prayer.
Next Sundays topic will be write
bv Mr.. L. Davis, Educational secretar
Of the Y. NJ C.. A.
II there is anything you are in doul
about or any matters you wish to al
cuss don't fan 90 mention them at VI
meeting in Central Church, Monday.
order that you may get them straigh
ened out.
There are two societies we would I'D
TO see we'll represented; they arc. peI
ware Avenue Baptist and First Baptls
New Castle. The trolley cars are st
running from New Castle to Wilmiu
ton. and 70 is only a short distance fro
Delaware Avenue Baptist Church
Central Church. Be on hand next Mo-
day night.
That Lookout Committee Chairml
does not wait for good weather to
his visiting. He is boosting Christie
Endeavor all the time and has his cor