Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1922-09-09

sion. You con.
tinuc the quest by calling nj the house
of your friend, but even when you
reach the door you do not possess the
gift. Then you knock and are adj
United and receive the reward Of per
sevcring prayer. You asked. sought.
knocked and obtained. In modern
terms you prayed through This
does not exclude ejaculatory prayer
such as that Of Nehemiah WHO. in an
emergency. lifted his heart to God
with earnest desire. The two 60 to-
gether as will he clearly seen by
comparison Of Nehemiah 1:5-ll with
Nehemiah 2:4.
For faithful persevering prayer
there is a personal and pressing need.
y recent writer says: "There is an
awakening In knowledge and general
interest among the people but there Is
no corresponding awakening 10 God
and Ills claims. The cry among the
spiritual Of all lands is for rain. They
recognize the drought. There may be
n divergence Of view rs To the cause
or causes. but there Is agreement as
to the fact of a great need. Many
churches are held together 10y custom
or responsibility. The stream of d.
vine life and joy is not coursing
through our congregations"
This need Is not the supreme incen-
tive 10 pcrsevcring prayer; there is a
stronger incentive than this. namely,
that cur Lord wants us 10 pray. This
fact constitutes call to prayer. Con.
slider this until you feel its drawing
power. Jesus Christ. the Captain of
our salvation. looking over the field
of battle, seeing the spiritual forces
that oppose. and knowing, as He
alone can know. the value of inter.
cession. bids rs pray pcrsevcringly.
TASK and We shall receive, seek and
We shall find. knock and II shall be
opened unto YOU" We may not have
a vivid sense of the worlds need. We
may not know the philosophy OF
prayer or the process by Which forces
are set in operation in answer TO
prayer but this much we may know
and bclieve-Ile wants us To pray.
Not in feeling or moods. or DISPOSE
tions must we find the impulse TO
pray. but in the counsel and call of
the great Commander who says: ASK
and We shall receive. seek and We
shall find. knock and II shall be
opened unto you
The chief hindrance to prayer is
unbelief OF US. as of Israel. II may
be said: They could not enter in be-
cause of distrust." The simplicity OF
prayer confounds the worldly.wise,
and as another has said: Because II
offers or seems 10 offer way out OF
difficulties which appears to be too
easy, we are apt TO discount It's
operations and TO regard II as mainly
a theoretical proposition. But let the
skeptic sneer and the wOrldly-wise
scoff and the doubter doubt or deny
the power of prayer, the child OF
God must know on the authority OF
His Lord that lie is called 10 n life of
persevering prayer. Christ. who is the
Wisdom Of God and the Power Of
God has said: ASK and We shall re-
ceive. seek and We shall find, knock
and II shall be opened unto YOU"
The late DR. Andrew Murray once
wrote the following words concerning
prayer: "The honor TO which God
calls us ms intercessors is simply in
conceivable. All Heaven Is waiting
for the prayers of His church 10 bring
down the blessings that are stored up
there for us. and that God is longing
10 bcstow. II ministers and Chris.
tians could but be brought TO realize
that God has actually made the com
ing of His kingdom and the pouring
down of blessing dependent on our
faithfulness in prayer they surely
would begin to feel that prayer is, in
very deed, the highest expression of
our allegiance To God. and the chief
power that we can exercise in bring
ing Christ's salvation 10 men,"
There Is an eye that never sleeps
Beneath the wing OF night;
There Is an ear that never shuts.
when sink the beams Of light
There il an arm that never tires.
When human strength gives way:
There is n love that never falls.
when earthly loves decay.
That eye is fixed on seraph throngs:
That ear n filled with angels songs:
That arm upholds the world on high
That love is throned beyond the sky.
But there's a power which men can WELD
WELD
when mortal aid is vain.
That eye. that arm. that love TO reach.
That listening ear 10 gain:
That power is prayer which scars on
high.
And feeds on bliss beyond the sky
On the Adjoining Of Women.