Norwich bulletin., 1919-08-18
RICHMOND PREACHER AT
 UNION CHURCH SERVICE

The fourth in the series of rnior services of the United and Park Con.
 gregaIional churches was held in thl
 latter church on Sunday morning Rev
 '. C. Skinner. D. D.. of Richmond Va.
 Fleae he'd a scholarly sermon interPret-
 fng the various clauses of the Isordsz
 rtaycr as it is written in the sixth
 charter of Matthew. taking the prayer
 in it's entirety as his text.
 When the disciples first heard thie
 wonderful petition it fell from the
 Masters lips they must have realized
 as never before how very ignorant and tsr worthy their prayers had been- This
 was literally their first 1ession in the school of prayer--not a mould into winch all aspira tions are to be couch ct but rather model to teach us how to pray.
 Our Lord never made a larger coi1- tribution to the worlds literature than when He formulated this petition, which embraces every relation between man and God. the Ruler of the uni verse-the relation between servant and master. that of sinner to saviour. of pilgrim and guide, captain and fol- lowers. God appears as king. spiritual oenefactor.. guide and mighty deliverer m comparison with the roles we play as servants. dependents. pilgrims and cs,pt:vea.
 IT ere never was such a prayer. frainin as this does every need of man; there is no emergency in the life of race or individual which Is not voiced in it-every need of mankind is put into scarce dozen sentences. Un- less with all sincerity and earnestness of heart, we can say Our Father" graspipg the real significance of that phrase, it is worthless to go on with the remainder of the prayer. these two words are the golden hinges which open the treasure house of the great petition
 The average man usually prays first for himself and then for the needs of the world; but Jesus teaches just the contrary; not till in our broadest sym pathies We have gone over land and sea, should we ask for our own needs. The orler of petitions in the, Lords prayer aIe rich in their significance; as a ra tttI of fact. prayer is not the wheedie Gods indulgence. but the ex- ercise by which we are to help God realize His kingdom in the world. leaving OUT own personal requests to come last.
 How long will it be before our nun dane life will pond with the Ser mon cn the Mount. so that this earth shaii reflect back His spirit and mind? Until that time comes. this prayer will not be answered or the relation of na- tiOn to nation. man to man, energfzed by the spirit of it. His kingdom Is to permeate all society and activiy of life eventually.
 The petition Give us this day our
  so ~personal is this request in the face of the kingdom,s needs, We are only one of sixteen hundred million worlds why should God concern Himself a bout our daily bread? But we are His children. and that changes the face of things, making the request only a natural and reasona biel one for sus- tenance from a Divine Benefactor. Every man>sin this world who is doing the will of God as best he can has right to ask for his daily food.
 God is more concerned about the manner of our conduet. however. than the actual things we get done. When 1t comes to forgiveness, ,-does any, man fare limit the great ocean of Gods owe by his own reluctance to forgive?
 We are pilgrims and far from home in this world of ours. and we need Divine guidance moresthan all Often we lose our way among the bypaths and stumble blindly until we come to recognize in God. the Guide who de1iv- CTS us from evil. leading us. if we so1 will. into the glory of the kingdom.
 The morning anthem Pleasant Are Thy Courts Above (Henrich), with short solos by Mrs. Arthur Story and NIT. Seamans was rendered by the .hurch choir with their customary ex- ,ellence, while the offertory duet, The Homeland (Hanscom). of appealing music and words was very sweetiy sung by Miss Helen Whitford of New london alto and Choirmaster Eben earned who were both in fine voice.