The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1923-08-11
s DEATH
SEEN AS WILL
Of GOD
Nations Prayers for His Life
Answered in Best Way,
Pastor Declares.

BY The REV. JENS C. ROSELAND,
Pastor, st. Olaf Lutheran Church.
All pray, because a consciousness
of dependence upon a Supreme
Power asserts itself in the heart of
every normal person. Prayer is the
primary function of faith in a Sow
ereign Being. Only faith prays. and
prayer proves us religious creatures.
Even in the midst of the most vocif-
erous professions Of atheism here
is a voice that speaks forth from
mans innermost self saying: ''Oh,
Thou Great God"
It is particularly at the impasses
in life, when man Is forced to de-
spair Of human help, that this God,
ward call is heard from the depth
of every rational soul. Where the
affliction is confined to the individ-
uaI, the God-ward appeal is either
q cry Of trust and confidence, or Of
hopelessness and despair, and it Isl
always simple and honest. Where
conventional yielding to the forces
OF a public sentiment, without any
real inner impule to appeal for d.
vine help, such a participation in
the expression of public joy or sor-
row, implies neither trust nor des-
pair, is entirely perfunctory, and
possesses no element Of prayer to
God.
Prayed for President.
In the unexpected and apparently
untimely death Of our beloved Presi-
dent, our nation is just passing
through the ordeal Of a national
sorrow. While the great leader was
bravely fighting the last battle, and
the wires flashed ominous bulletins
over the land. appeals were made
by officials in high authority for
prayers on his behalf and for his
speedy recovery. From thousands
of firesides and. pulpits, by Ameri-
cans Of every creed and color, ar.
dent responses were made to such
appeals. America was praying to
God for the recovery of her Presi.
dent. There was a painful sus-
pense of a few hours, and then,
with the startling suddenness OF a
lightning flash, came the shocking
news that the President was dead
The sad event suggests a number
Of anxious questions. H~s not God
solemnly pledged Himself to near
prayer? Had not the throne Of
grace been literally besieged by mil
lions OF persons for the Presidents
recovery? OF course. it may he
objected. that much of the praying
was purely perfunctory, lacking
every essential of the God-pleasing
prayer: and yet the number of
prayers by consecrated and God.
fearing men and women must have
been Overwhelmingly great. Did
God not hear these prayers? Was
there a conflict between His Provi.
dence and His promises?
True Prayers Answered.
There is no conflict in God. His
promises are yea ana amen. No
true prayer Is unanswered by Him.
Even the prayer of His Son in
Gethsemane to be spared, II pos.
sible, the agony of vicarious atone.
ment was heard and answered.
And we may add that no prayer
vas ever answered more. generously.
Let US be well assured that Ameri.
cas- true prayers for her dying
President were heard, and will be
answered. But we need to be re.
minded that as God is infinitely
greater than man, so His answers
are the infinitely greater than our
prayers. Perhaps many prayers
were limited to the Presidents
physical recovery. An aIl-w1se and
infinitely gracious God saw fit to
make His answer large enough to
include not only the Presidents
supreme good, but also the health
and happiness Of the whole nation. |
Suppose God had raised UP the