The St. Joseph observer., 1922-12-23


niracuolus way. Then we begin to
think there Is no power in prayer be-
cause we do not see this unusual or
unnatural manifestation. Jesus con-
dcmned this style of prayer when he
said: The heather think that they
shall be heard for their much speak
ms BE not yc therefore like unto
them: for your Father knoweth what
things ye have need OF before ye ask
Him"
Our prayers are answered In the
realization that Love is always meet
! ing our needs. The truth Of this
comes to me I'm a homely illustration
! from my buyhood. In childhood |
| lived ON a farm in kentucky and |
/ remember that in the springtime we
! always wanted tomato plants to set
/ out i'm the garden about the middle or
| latter part of April. Accordingly in
. February father would SOW tomato
/ seeds In box in the house. ana then
| when the sun came out he took the
| box out of tho house and put it on
/ the porch I'm the sunshine, with
! Blasg over IL, ana as the sun rays
| beat upon the glass they warmed the
/ ground, the seeds broke open, and the
! tender plants stuck their heads
! through the ground. and as they were
| carried into the sun day after day
] they grew, until presently they We're
| large enough to put out in the garden.
Now the sun was not shining for our
box alone; il came down to warm the
| Whoic earth and to bring again the
! miracle OF sprinCtime and growth,
and when we took our box out into
the sunshine we saw growth and life
! manifested.
Likewise with every human prob
lem. Because of evil. hatred, Jealousy,
| injustice, envy. or secret sin, or con-
| sCiousness is darkened and we have a
| problem, which we call disease. lack,
81 a In 60 IssiFa o.
the darkened consciousness into the
sunlight of Gods truth and love, then
the darkness is dispeled and the
trouble disappears as mist before the
morning sun.
But you may say: Il have tried but
l cannot bring my problem out of the
dark" There is a way provided. The
Bible and the Christian Science text
book help you to understand divine
Principle whereby you can bring this
problem out Of the dark. If you will
read the last chapter in the textbook
you will find many testimonials from
men and women from widely separat
ed sections of the country, testifying
to how through the study Of this
truth they have been able to bring
their problems to the light and find
their solution.
If it should seem TO be beyond your
present ability to demonstrate, there
| are Christian Science practitioners.
consecratinE all their time and
thought to ,lis work, and they are
ever ready. when the problem is too
: heavy to be borne, to help US to bring
it to the light. to that right under
tanding of God, to that realization, as
Mrs. Eddy expresses il, Of mans at
onc-ment with God.
, PRAYER.
II is often asked. how do Christian
Scientists pray? In the opening chap.
ter of the textbook, entitled Prayer
Mrs. Eddy says: THE prayer that re.
! forms the sinner and heals the sick is
an absolute faith that ali things are
possible to CODA spiritual under.
standing of Him, an unsettled love
(Science and Health, p. ]: Ia. L,
: not this .nnderstanding Of prayer
reconcilable with Pauls injunction
: that we pray without ceasing? Can.
not we always under all circum.
e stances have this absolute faith thai
S all things are possible to God, and tn,
= further assurance that In the spiritua
2 understanding of His ever -presenc,
man is safe? Then the thought OF
4 unselfish love do we not find this II
| accord with the Masters PRAYER 9TH,
Y will Oh God. not mine be done? anC
/ in his saying: 1t is more blessed I,
\ give than to receive? AS we thinl
OF our prayers are they not general!
r petitions for self, failing to realiz,
e that the larger part Of prayer is Civ
n | ing?
, was interested in this practica
e point I'm testimony Of which hearC
. recently. A man went to a Christian
, Science practitioner and said: II nee,
= Help TINS morning; ] cannot get m'
/ breath; and the practitioner said "Ii
. your own statement is the key to you
r difficulty You are always trying {,
% get something. This morning il i
I ! breath. If you had your breath Vol
n doubtless would be wondering whcr,
you could get orders in your business
. and If YOU had them your desir,
= would probably be to get more. I
e you had all YOU wanted you woul.
n then be wondering where YOU coul,
y get some material pleasure or recrea
uon. But / have never heard yor
G asking for help to know how you car
4 give anything. If you will learn I,
l give you viii not have SO much diff
u Guilty in getting"
e Realizing his selfishncss. the MAJ
i began to see what he could give I,
y help the world and the men an,
d women around him. As he learne,
to give, he found that he did get hi
!, breath, and his business also inCreas
r ed, proving the truth Of Jesus state
J ment; Seek ye first the kingdom o
God and His righteousness, and al
a these things shall be added unto YOU
y The world needs much giving. Yo,
It ask: What can ! give? You can Civ
IS more consideration, patience, love
i thoughtfulness, Justice unselfishness
e Joy, tenderness and when we brin
- these treasures to Gods storehous
IS we shall find that we have alread
% received abundantly more than w
# have brought.
= Do we stop TO consider tho attitud
e of mind that is ordinarily brought I
e God in prayer? In our limite
e, thought Of prayer have we not praye
l. much Ike the little girl of whom
# read who knelt at mothers knee an
'r prayed for father mother, brothe
g and little sister, and finally woun
re up by saying: And, Oh Lord. pleas
It make Rome tho Capital of Turkey.
m Her mother had never heard a praye
10 like that. She said: "Why, daugh
'r ter, what in the world do you mea
n by praying like that?" The child an
Ie swered: "Oh Mother, He must answe
IS that prayer or | am ruined. becRus
Fl that is the way / wrote It down toda
Is on my examination paper" The llttl
d girl was not thinking about all tn
," Inconvenience II might have brougt
l. to Italy and Turkey by changing the
ID capitals. but only Of her examinatio
le marks.