Lexington dispatch-news. [volume] (Lexington, S.C.) 1917-1919, 1919-10-01

l@ saved. and prays
IN El earnestly for It.
the Holy Spirit
produces in the heart of the one prayed
for a feeling equally strong that he
ought to be saved.
Not that God converts any one
against his will, for conversion means
the surrender Of ones will, but that
God in answer to believing prayer can
put the sinner into such a hell Of con-
viction that he will gladly accept
Christ IN order to get out.
Some years ago, in town IN Ohio,
four women who had unsaved hus-
bands agreed to meet once week to
pray for the conversion of these four
men. After a few weeks one Of them
was saved and joined with the four
women in praying for the other three
men. A little later g second man
surrendered and joined the circle, and
later still third. Nor did these wom-
en- confine themselves merely to pray
er, but by their daily life and ex-
ample and testimony did all they
could to help answer their own pray
ers. Finally on certain day the
four wives and three husbands
agreed to meet to pray for the conver-
sion of the fourth husband. When his
wife returned from the meeting, she
found her husband glad to see her.
He said: 81 know where you have
been, and what you have been doing,
and I an glad to tell you that you
needn't pray for me any longer, for I
have accepted Christ as my Savior"
Not only does prayer bring convic-
ton of sin, remove difficulties, and
soften prejudices; but often it opens
tie way for US to meet the very per-
son whom we desire to help. / heard
q minister say recently that he was
urgently requested to interview and
lead to Christ lady who was entirely
unknown to him. She did not attend
his church, and he had no reasonable
excuse for calling upon her. He be-
gan to pray that God would open the
way for meeting. and the very next
Sunday at the close Of the service a
lady came up and introduced herself
to him; and it proved to be the very
one whom he was anxious to meet.
She had come to his church for the first
time, and entirely without the solicita-
ton Of any one.
When George Miller was in this
country a friend Of mine asked him
how long he had ever prayed continu-
ously for any object. Taking little
book from his pocket, he said: "When
I was converted I was wild boy in
college. My conversion broke friend
ship between my roommate and my
self, for he would have nothing to do
with such a fanatic he said. I wrote
his name in this book, and promised
God that I would pray for him each
day until he was converted, or until l
died. I prayed five years with no ap-
parent result. Ten years went by with
no change. I continued for fifteen
years-twenty years, and still he was
an unbeliever. I did not yet give him
up, but prayed twenty-five years, each
day mentioning mis- name at the throne
of grace, and then came letter say
ing: I have found the Savior Then" )"
said Mr.. Miller, 'I checked out this
petition as answered. In this same
book I have names of others that 1
have prayed for, FIVE, ten, and fifteen
years, and scores of names against
which there is cross, showing that
the requests have been granted"
Here, then, was a man who made a
business Of prayer, and who kept his
accounts with the Lord in business
like way. When he had matter to
present to Gods attention, he first
found a promise on which to base his
appeal, always making sure if possible
that it was according to Gods will.
Then he recorded his petition in a
book, and watched and waited for the
answer. Is it any wonder that this
mans faith grew rapidly, ana tnat ne
became the most notable, and possibly
the most successful, praying man of
modern times?
It is said that in battle It takes a
hundred pounds Of lead to kill a man,
because ninety-nine pounds and fifteen
ounces of it is wasted in wild firing
that aims at nothing and hits no one.
On the other hand the sharpshooter
wastes no ammunition, but picks his
man, and makes every bullet tell. So,
If we would pray for fewer objects,
more carefully selected, and then make
record Of our prayers and watch for
the answer. we should not waste so
much breath, and we should obtain
more results.