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You may copy it, give it away or re-use it under the terms -of the Project Gutenberg License included with this eBook or online at -www.gutenberg.org. If you are not located in the United States, you'll -have to check the laws of the country where you are located before using -this ebook. - - - -Title: Prevailing Prayer: What Hinders It? - -Author: Dwight Lyman Moody - -Release Date: April 21, 2020 [EBook #61883] - -Language: English - -Character set encoding: ISO-8859-1 - -*** START OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PREVAILING PRAYER *** - - - - -Produced by Brian Wilson, MWS, David E. Brown, and the -Online Distributed Proofreading Team at https://www.pgdp.net -(This file was produced from images generously made -available by The Internet Archive/American Libraries.) - - - - - - -</pre> - - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/cover.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_title.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="titlepage"> - -<h1><span class="smcap">Prevailing Prayer</span>:<br /> - -<span class="smaller"><i>WHAT HINDERS IT</i>?</span></h1> - - -<p>BY<br /> - -<span class="xlarge">D. L. MOODY.</span></p> - - -<p>CHICAGO:<br /> -<span class="smcap">F. H. Revell, 148 and 150 Madison Street</span>.<br /> -<i>Publisher of Evangelical Literature.</i></p> -</div> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p class="center">Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1884, by<br /> -FLEMING H. REVELL,<br /> -In the Office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.<br /> -<br /> -<i>ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.</i><br /> -<br /> -Printed and bound by <span class="smcap">J. L. Regan & Co.</span>, Chicago.<br /> -</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_3" id="Page_3">[3]</a></span> -<h2 class="nobreak">PREFATORY NOTE.</h2></div> - - -<p>The two first and essential means of grace are the -Word of God and Prayer. By these comes conversion; -for we are born again by the Word of God, which -liveth and abideth forever; and whosoever shall call -upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.</p> - -<p>By these also we grow; for we are exhorted to -desire the sincere milk of the Word that we may grow -thereby, and we cannot grow in grace and in the knowledge -of the Lord Jesus Christ except we also speak to -Him in Prayer.</p> - -<p>It is by the Word that the Father sanctifies us; but -we are also bidden to watch and pray, lest we enter into -temptation.</p> - -<p>These two means of grace must be used in their -right proportion. If we read the Word and do not -pray, we may become puffed up with knowledge,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_4" id="Page_4">[4]</a></span> -without the love that buildeth up. If we pray without -reading the Word, we shall be ignorant of the mind -and will of God, and become mystical and fanatical, -and liable to be blown about by every wind of doctrine.</p> - -<p>The following chapters relate especially to Prayer; -but in order that our prayers may be for such things as -are according to the will of God, they must be based -upon the revelation of His own will to us; for of Him, -and through Him, and to Him are all things; and it is -only by hearing His Word, in which we learn His -purposes toward us and towards the world, that we -can pray acceptably, praying in the Holy Ghost, asking -those things which are pleasing in His sight.</p> - -<p>These Addresses are not to be regarded as exhaustive, -but suggestive. This great subject has been the -theme of Prophets and Apostles, and of all good men -in all ages of the world; and my desire in sending -forth this little volume is to encourage God’s children -to seek by prayer “to move the Arm that moves the -world.”</p> - -<div class="figright"><img src="images/i_004.jpg" alt="D. L. Moody." /> <br /><i>D. L. Moody.</i> </div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_5" id="Page_5">[5]</a></span> -<h2 class="nobreak">CONTENTS.</h2></div> - - -<table border="0" cellpadding="2" cellspacing="2" summary="table"> -<tr><td> </td><td class="tdr"><small>PAGE</small></td></tr> - -<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">CHAPTER I.</td></tr> -<tr><td><span class="smcap">The Prayers of the Bible</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_7"> 7</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">CHAPTER II.</td></tr> -<tr><td><span class="smcap">Adoration</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_19"> 19</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">CHAPTER III.</td></tr> -<tr><td><span class="smcap">Confession</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_25"> 25</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">CHAPTER IV.</td></tr> -<tr><td><span class="smcap">Restitution</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_41"> 41</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">CHAPTER V.</td></tr> -<tr><td><span class="smcap">Thanksgiving</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_51"> 51</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">CHAPTER VI.</td></tr> -<tr><td><span class="smcap">Forgiveness</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_59"> 59</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">CHAPTER VII.</td></tr> -<tr><td><span class="smcap">Unity</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_71"> 71</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">CHAPTER VIII.</td></tr> -<tr><td><span class="smcap">Faith</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_79"> 79</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">CHAPTER IX.</td></tr> -<tr><td><span class="smcap">Petition</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_90"> 90</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">CHAPTER X.</td></tr> -<tr><td><span class="smcap">Submission</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_102"> 102</a></td></tr> - -<tr><td colspan="2" align="center">CHAPTER XI.</td></tr> -<tr><td><span class="smcap">Answered Prayers</span></td><td class="tdr"><a href="#Page_111"> 111</a></td></tr> -</table> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<div class="chapter"> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_6" id="Page_6">[6]</a></span></p> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_006.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<h2 class="nobreak">Prayer.</h2></div> - -<hr class="tiny" /> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Prayer was appointed to convey</div> -<div class="indent">The blessings God designs to give;</div> -<div class="verse">Long as they live should Christians pray,</div> -<div class="indent">For only while they pray they live.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">And shall we in dead silence lie,</div> -<div class="indent">When Christ stands waiting for our prayer?</div> -<div class="verse">My soul, thou hast a Friend on high;</div> -<div class="indent">Arise and try thy interest there.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">If pain afflict, or wrongs oppress;</div> -<div class="indent">If cares distract, or fears dismay;</div> -<div class="verse">If guilt deject, if sin distress;</div> -<div class="indent">The remedy’s before thee—Pray!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verse">Depend on Christ, thou canst not fail;</div> -<div class="indent">Make all thy wants and wishes known.</div> -<div class="verse">Fear not; His merits must prevail;</div> -<div class="indent">Ask what thou wilt; it shall be done!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verseright">—<i>Joseph Hart.</i></div> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_7" id="Page_7">[7]</a></span> - - - - -<p class="ph1">PREVAILING PRAYER.</p> - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_007.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER I.<br /> - -THE PRAYERS OF THE BIBLE.</h2></div> - - -<p>Those who have left the deepest impression on this -sin-cursed earth have been men and women of prayer. -You will find that <span class="smcap">Prayer</span> has been the mighty power -that has moved not only God, but man. Abraham was -a man of prayer, and angels came down from heaven -to converse with him. Jacob’s prayer was answered in -the wonderful interview at Peniel, that resulted in his -having such a mighty blessing, and in softening the -heart of his brother Esau; the child Samuel was given -in answer to Hannah’s prayer; Elijah’s prayer closed -up the heavens for three years and six months, and he -prayed again and the heavens gave rain.</p> - -<p>The Apostle James tells us that the prophet Elijah -was a man “subject to like passions as we are.” I am -thankful that those men and women who were so -mighty in prayer were just like ourselves. We are -apt to think that those prophets and mighty men and -women of old time were different from what we are. -To be sure they lived in a much darker age, but they -were of like passions with ourselves.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_8" id="Page_8">[8]</a></span>We read that on another occasion Elijah brought -down fire on Mount Carmel. The prophets of Baal -cried long and loud, but no answer came. The God -of Elijah heard and answered his prayer. Let us -remember that the God of Elijah still lives. The -prophet was translated and went up to heaven, but his -God still lives, and we have the same access to Him -that Elijah had. We have the same warrant to go to -God and ask the fire from heaven to come down and -consume our lusts and passions—to burn up our dross, -and let Christ shine through us.</p> - -<p>Elisha prayed, and life came back to a dead child. -Many of our children are dead in trespasses and sins. -Let us do as Elisha did; let us entreat God to raise -them up in answer to our prayers.</p> - -<p>Manasseh, the king, was a wicked man, and had done -everything he could against the God of his father; yet -in Babylon, when he cried to God, his cry was heard, -and he was taken out of prison and put on the throne -at Jerusalem. Surely if God gave heed to the prayer -of wicked Manasseh, He will hear ours in the time of -our distress. Is not this a time of distress with a -great number of our fellow-men? Are there not many -among us whose hearts are burdened? As we go to -the throne of grace, let us remember that <span class="smcap">God -answers prayer</span>.</p> - -<p>Look, again, at Samson. He prayed; and his -strength came back, so that he slew more at his death -than during his life. He was a restored backslider, -and he had power with God. If those who have been -backsliders will but return to God, they will see how -quickly God will answer prayer.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_9" id="Page_9">[9]</a></span>Job prayed, and his captivity was turned. Light -came in the place of darkness, and God lifted him up -above the height of his former prosperity—in answer -to prayer.</p> - -<p>Daniel prayed to God, and Gabriel came to tell him -that he was a man greatly beloved of God. Three -times that message came to him from heaven in answer -to prayer. The secrets of heaven were imparted to -him, and he was told that God’s Son was going to be -cut off for the sins of His people. We find also that -Cornelius prayed; and Peter was sent to tell him words -whereby he and his should be saved. In answer to -prayer this great blessing came upon him and his -household. Peter had gone up to the house-top to pray -in the afternoon, when he had that wonderful vision of -the sheet let down from heaven. It was when prayer -was made without ceasing unto God for Peter, that the -angel was sent to deliver him.</p> - -<p>So all through the Scriptures you will find that when -believing prayer went up to God, the answer came -down. I think it would be a very interesting study to -go right through the Bible and see what has happened -while God’s people have been on their knees calling -upon him. Certainly the study would greatly strengthen -our faith—showing, as it would, how wonderfully God -has heard and delivered, when the cry has gone up to -Him for help.</p> - -<p>Look at Paul and Silas in the prison at Philippi. -As they prayed and sang praises, the place was shaken, -and the jailer was converted. Probably that one conversion -has done more than any other recorded in the -Bible to bring people into the Kingdom of God. How<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_10" id="Page_10">[10]</a></span> -many have been blessed in seeking to answer the question—“What -must I do to be saved?” It was the -prayer of those two godly men that brought the jailer -to his knees, and that brought blessing to him and his -family.</p> - -<p>You remember how Stephen, as he prayed and -looked up, saw the heavens opened, and the Son of -Man at the right hand of God; the light of heaven -fell on his face so that it shone. Remember, too, how -the face of Moses shone as he came down from the -Mount; he had been in communion with God. So -when we get really into communion with God, He lifts -up His countenance upon us; and instead of our having -gloomy looks, our faces will shine, because God has -heard and answered our prayers.</p> - -<p>I want to call special attention to Christ as an -example for us in all things; in nothing more than in -prayer. We read that Christ prayed to His Father for -everything. Every great crisis in His life was preceded -by prayer. Let me quote a few passages. I -never noticed till a few years ago that Christ was praying -at His baptism. As He prayed, the heaven was -opened, and the Holy Ghost descended on Him. -Another great event in His life was His Transfiguration. -“As He prayed, the fashion of His countenance -was altered, and His raiment was white and glistering.”</p> - -<p>We read again: “It came to pass in those days that -He went out into a mountain to pray, and continued all -night in prayer to God.” This is the only place where -it is recorded that the Savior spent a whole night in -prayer. What was about to take place? When He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_11" id="Page_11">[11]</a></span> -came down from the mountain He gathered His disciples -around Him, and preached that great discourse -known as the Sermon on the Mount—the most wonderful -sermon that has ever been preached to mortal men. -Probably no sermon has done so much good, and it -was preceded by a night of prayer. If our sermons -are going to reach the hearts and consciences of the -people, we must be much in prayer to God, that there -may be power with the word.</p> - -<p>In the Gospel of John we read that Jesus at the -grave of Lazarus lifted up His eyes to heaven, and -said: “Father, I thank Thee that Thou hast heard Me; -and I know that Thou hearest Me always; but because -of the people which stand by I said it, that they may -believe that Thou hast sent Me.” Notice, that before -He spoke the dead to life He spoke to His Father. If -our spiritually dead ones are to be raised, we must first -get power with God. The reason we so often fail in -moving our fellow-men is that we try to win them without -first getting power with God. Jesus was in -communion with His Father, and so He could be -assured that His prayers were heard.</p> - -<p>We read again, in the twelfth of John, that He prayed -to the Father. I think this is one of the saddest -chapters in the whole Bible. He was about to leave -the Jewish nation and to make atonement for the sin -of the world. Hear what He says: “Now is My soul -troubled, and what shall I say? Father, save Me from -this hour; but for this cause came I unto this hour.” -He was almost under the shadow of the Cross; the iniquities -of mankind were about to be laid upon Him; one -of His twelve disciples was going to deny Him and swear<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_12" id="Page_12">[12]</a></span> -he never knew Him; another was to sell Him for thirty -pieces of silver; all were to forsake Him and flee. -His soul was exceeding sorrowful, and He prays; when -His soul was troubled, God spake to Him. Then in -the Garden of Gethsemane, while He prayed, an angel -appeared to strengthen him. In answer to His cry, -“Father, glorify Thy Name,” He hears a voice coming -down from the glory—“I have both glorified it, and -will glorify it again.”</p> - -<p>Another memorable prayer of our Lord was in the -Garden of Gethsemane: “He was withdrawn from them -about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down and prayed.” I -would draw your attention to the recorded fact that -four times the answer came right down from heaven -while the Savior prayed to God. The first time was -at His baptism, when the heavens were opened, and the -Spirit descended upon Him in answer to His prayer. -Again, on the Mount of Transfiguration, God appeared -and spoke to Him. Then when the Greeks came -desiring to see Him, the voice of God was heard responding -to His call; and again, when He cried to the Father -in the midst of His agony, a direct response was given. -These things are recorded, I doubt not, that we may be -encouraged to pray.</p> - -<p>We read that His disciples came to Him, and said, -“Lord, teach us to pray.” It is not recorded that He -taught them how to preach. I have often said that I -would rather know how to pray like Daniel than to -preach like Gabriel. If you get love into your soul, so -that the grace of God may come down in answer to -prayer, there will be no trouble about reaching the -people. It is not by eloquent sermons that perishing<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_13" id="Page_13">[13]</a></span> -souls are going to be reached; we need the power of -God in order that the blessing may come down.</p> - -<p>The prayer our Lord taught his disciples is commonly -called the Lord’s Prayer. I think that the Lord’s -prayer, more properly, is that in the seventeenth of John. -That is the longest prayer on record that Jesus made. -You can read it slowly and carefully in about four or five -minutes. I think we may learn a lesson here. Our -Master’s prayers were short when offered in public; -when He was alone with God that was a different thing, -and He could spend the whole night in communion -with His Father. My experience is that those who -pray most in their closets generally make short prayers -in public. Long prayers are too often not prayers at -all, and they weary the people. How short the publican’s -prayer was: “God be merciful to me a sinner!” -The Syrophenician woman’s was shorter still: “Lord -help me!” She went right to the mark, and she got -what she wanted. The prayer of the thief on the cross -was a short one: “Lord, remember me when Thou comest -into Thy Kingdom!” Peter’s prayer was, “Lord, -save me, or I perish!” So, if you go through the -Scriptures, you will find that the prayers that brought -immediate answers were generally brief. Let our prayers -be to the point, just telling God what we want.</p> - -<p>In the prayer of our Lord, in John xvii, we -find that He made seven requests—one for Himself, -four for His disciples around Him, and two for the -disciples of succeeding ages. Six times in that one -prayer He repeats that God had sent Him. The world -looked upon Him as an imposter; and He wanted them -to know that He was heaven-sent. He speaks of the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_14" id="Page_14">[14]</a></span> -world nine times, and makes mention of His disciples -and those who believe on Him fifty times.</p> - -<p>Christ’s last prayer on the Cross was a short one: -“Father, forgive them for they know not what they do.” -I believe that prayer was answered. We find that right -there in front of the Cross, a Roman centurion was -converted. It was probably in answer to the Savior’s -prayer. The conversion of the thief, I believe, was in -answer to that prayer of our blessed Lord. Saul of -Tarsus may have heard it, and the words may have -followed him as he traveled to Damascus; so that when -the Lord spoke to him on the way, he may have recognized -the voice. One thing we do know; that on the -day of Pentecost some of the enemies of the Lord were -converted. Surely that was in answer to the prayer, -“Father, forgive them!”</p> - -<p>Hence we see that prayer holds a high place among -the exercises of a spiritual life. All God’s people have -been praying people. Look, for instance, at Baxter! -He stained his study walls with praying breath; and -after he was anointed with the unction of the Holy -Ghost, sent a river of living water over Kidderminster, -and converted hundreds. Luther and his companions -were men of such mighty pleading with God, that they -broke the spell of ages, and laid nations subdued -at the foot of the Cross. John Knox grasped all Scotland -in his strong arms of faith; his prayers terrified -tyrants. Whitefield, after much holy, faithful closet-pleading, -went to the Devil’s fair, and took more than -a thousand souls out of the paw of the lion in one day. -See a praying Wesley turn more than ten thousand -souls to the Lord! Look at the praying Finney,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_15" id="Page_15">[15]</a></span> -whose prayers, faith, sermons and writings, have shaken -this whole country, and sent a wave of blessing through -the churches on both sides of the sea.</p> - -<p>Dr. Guthrie thus speaks of prayer and its necessity: -“The first true sign of spiritual life, prayer, is also the -means of maintaining it. Man can as well live physically -without breathing, as spiritually without praying. -There is a class of animals—the cetaceous, neither fish -nor sea-fowl—that inhabit the deep. It is their home, -they never leave it for the shore; yet, though swimming -beneath its waves, and sounding its darkest -depths, they have ever and anon to rise to the surface -that they may breathe the air. Without that, these -monarchs of the deep could not exist in the dense element -in which they live, and move, and have their -being. And something like what is imposed on them -by a physical necessity, the Christian has to do by a -spiritual one. It is by ever and anon ascending up to -God, by rising through prayer into a loftier, purer -region for supplies of Divine grace, that he maintains -his spiritual life. Prevent these animals from rising -to the surface, and they die for want of breath; prevent -the Christian from rising to God, and he dies for want -of prayer. ‘Give me children,’ cried Rachel, ‘or else -I die.’ ‘Let me breathe,’ says a man gasping, ‘or else -I die.’ ‘Let me pray,’ says the Christian, ‘or else I -die.’”</p> - -<p>“Since I began,” said Dr. Payson when a student, -“to beg God’s blessing on my studies, I have done -more in one week than in the whole year before.” -Luther, when most pressed with work, said, “I have so -much to do that I cannot get on without three hours a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_16" id="Page_16">[16]</a></span> -day praying.” And not only do theologians think and -speak highly of prayer; men of all ranks and positions -in life have felt the same. General Havelock rose at -four o’clock, if the hour for marching was six, rather -than lose the precious privilege of communion with -God before setting out. Sir Matthew Hale says: “If I -omit praying and reading God’s Word in the morning, -nothing goes well all day.”</p> - -<p>“A great part of my time,” said McCheyne, “is spent -in getting my heart in tune for prayer. It is the link -that connects earth with heaven.”</p> - -<p>A comprehensive view of the subject will show that -there are nine elements which are essential to true -prayer. The first is Adoration; we cannot meet God -on a level at the start. We must approach Him as -One far beyond our reach or sight. The next is Confession; -sin must be put out of the way. We cannot -have any communion with God while there is any -transgression between us. If there stands some wrong -you have done a man, you cannot expect that man’s -favor until you go to him and confess the fault. Restitution -is another; we have to make good the wrong, -wherever possible. Thanksgiving is the next; we must -be thankful for what God has done for us already. -Then comes Forgiveness, and then Unity; and then for -prayer, such as these things produce, there must be -Faith. Thus influenced, we shall be ready to offer -direct Petition. We hear a good deal of praying that -is just exhorting, and if you did not see the man’s -eyes closed, you would suppose he was preaching. -Then, much that is called prayer is simply finding -fault. There needs to be more <i>petition</i> in our prayers.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_17" id="Page_17">[17]</a></span> -After all these, there must come Submission. While -praying, we must be ready to accept the will of God. -We shall consider these nine elements in detail, closing -our inquiries by giving incidents illustrative of the -certainty of our receiving, under such conditions, -Answers to Prayer.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_18" id="Page_18">[18]</a></span> - - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_018.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - - -<h2 class="nobreak">The Hour of Prayer.</h2></div> - -<hr class="tiny" /> -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Lord, what a change within us one short hour</div> -<div class="indent2">Spent in Thy presence will prevail to make!</div> -<div class="indent2">What heavy burdens from our bosoms take;</div> -<div class="verse">What parched grounds refresh as with a shower.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“We kneel—and all around us seems to lower;</div> -<div class="indent2">We rise—and all, the distant and the near,</div> -<div class="indent2">Stands forth in sunny outline brave and clear;</div> -<div class="verse">We kneel: how weak!—we rise: how full of power!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Why, therefore, should we do ourselves this wrong,</div> -<div class="verse">Or others—that we are not always strong?</div> -<div class="verse">That we are ever overborne with care;</div> -<div class="indent2">That we should ever weak or heartless be,</div> -<div class="verse">Anxious or troubled, while with us is prayer,</div> -<div class="indent2">And joy, and strength, and courage, are with Thee?”</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verseright"><i>Trench.</i></div> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_19" id="Page_19">[19]</a></span> -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER II.<br /> - -ADORATION.</h2></div> - - -<p>This has been defined as the act of rendering Divine -honor, including in it reverence, esteem and love. It -literally signifies to apply the hand to the mouth, “to -kiss the hand;” in Eastern countries this is one of the -great marks of respect and submission. The importance -of coming before God in this spirit is great, therefore -it is so often impressed upon us in the Word of -God.</p> - -<p>The Rev. Newman Hall, in his work on the Lord’s -Prayer, says: “Man’s worship, apart from revelation, -has been uniformly characterized by selfishness. We -come to God either to thank Him for benefits already -received, or to implore still further benefits: food, raiment, -health, safety, comfort. Like Jacob at Bethel, -we are disposed to make the worship we render to God -cor-relative with ‘food to eat, and raiment to put on.’ -This style of petition, in which self generally precedes -and predominates, if it does not altogether absorb, our -supplications, is not only seen in the votaries of false -systems, but in the majority of the prayers of professed -Christians. Our prayers are like the Parthian horsemen, -who ride one way while they look another; we -seem to go toward God, but, indeed, reflect upon ourselves. -And this may be the reason why many times<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_20" id="Page_20">[20]</a></span> -our prayers are sent forth, like the raven out of Noah’s -ark, and never return. But when we make the glory -of God the chief end of our devotion, they go forth -like the dove, and return to us again with an olive -branch.”</p> - -<p>Let me refer you to a passage in the prophecies of -Daniel. He was one of the men who knew how to pray; -his prayer brought the blessing of heaven upon himself -and upon his people. He says: “I set my face -unto the Lord God, to seek by prayer and supplications, -with fasting, and sackcloth, and ashes; and I -prayed unto the Lord my God, and made my confession, -and said, O Lord, the great and dreadful God, -keeping the covenant and mercy to them that love Him, -and to them that keep His commandments!”</p> - -<p>The thought I want to call special attention to is conveyed -in the words, “O Lord, the great and dreadful -God!” Daniel took his right place before God—in the -dust; he put God in His right place. It was when -Abraham was on his face, prostrate before God, that -God spoke to him, Holiness belongs to God; sinfulness -belongs to us.</p> - -<p>Brooks, that grand old Puritan writer, says: “A -person of real holiness is much affected and taken up -in the admiration of the holiness of God. Unholy -persons may be somewhat affected and taken with the -other excellences of God; it is only holy souls that are -taken and affected with His holiness. The more holy -any are, the more deeply are they affected by this. To -the holy angels, the holiness of God is the sparkling -diamond in the ring of glory. But unholy persons are -affected and taken with anything rather than with this.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_21" id="Page_21">[21]</a></span> -Nothing strikes the sinner into such a damp as a discourse -on the holiness of God; it is as the handwriting -on the wall; nothing makes the head and heart of a -sinner to ache like a sermon upon the Holy One; nothing -galls and gripes, nothing stings and terrifies unsanctified -ones, like a lively setting forth of the holiness -of God. But to holy souls there are no discourses -that do more suit and satisfy them, that do more delight -and content them, that do more please and profit -them, than those that do most fully and powerfully discover -God to be glorious in holiness.” So, in coming -before God, we must adore and reverence His name.</p> - -<p>The same thing is brought out in Isaiah:</p> - -<p>“In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw also the -Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and His -train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphim; -each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, -and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he -did fly. And one cried unto another, and said: Holy, -holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full -of His glory.”</p> - -<p>When we see the holiness of God, we shall adore -and magnify Him. Moses had to learn the same lesson. -God told him to take his shoes from off his feet, for the -place whereon he stood was holy ground. When we -hear men trying to make out that they are holy, and -speaking about their holiness, they make light of the -holiness of God. It is His holiness that we need to -think and speak about; when we do that, we shall be -prostrate in the dust. You remember, also, how it was -with Peter. When Christ made Himself known to -him, he said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_22" id="Page_22">[22]</a></span> -O Lord!” A sight of God is enough to show us how -holy He is, and how unholy we are.</p> - -<p>We find that Job too, had to be taught the same -lesson. “Then Job answered the Lord, and said: -Behold I am vile; what shall I answer Thee? I will -lay my hand upon my mouth.”</p> - -<p>As you hear Job discussing with his friends you -would think he was one of the holiest men who ever -lived. He was eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame; -he fed the hungry, and clothed the naked. What a -wonderfully good man he was! It was all I, I, I. At -last God said to him, “Gird up your loins like a man, -and I will put a few questions to you.” The moment -that God revealed Himself, Job changed his language. -He saw his own vileness, and God’s purity. He said, -“I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear, but -now mine eye seeth Thee; wherefore I abhor myself, -and repent in dust and ashes.”</p> - -<p>The same thing is seen in the cases of those who -came to our Lord in the days of His flesh; those who -came aright, seeking and obtaining the blessing, manifested -a lively sense of His infinite superiority to themselves. -The centurion, of whom we read in the eighth -of Matthew, said: “Lord, I am not worthy that Thou -shouldest come under my roof;” Jairus “worshiped -Him,” as he presented his request; the leper, in the -Gospel of Mark, came “kneeling down to Him;” the -Syrophenician woman “came and fell at His feet;” the -man full of leprosy “seeing Jesus, fell on his face.” -So, too the beloved disciple, speaking of the feeling they -had concerning Him when they were abiding with Him -as their Lord, said: “We beheld His glory, the glory<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_23" id="Page_23">[23]</a></span> -as of the only-begotten of the Father, full of grace and -truth.” However intimate their companionship, and -tender their love, they reverenced as much as they communed, -and adored as much as they loved.</p> - -<p>We may say of every act of prayer as George Herbert -says of public worship:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="first">“When once thy foot enters the church, be bare;</div> -<div class="verse">God is more than thou; for thou art there</div> -<div class="verse">Only by His permission. Then beware,</div> -<div class="verse">And make thyself all reverence and fear.</div> -<div class="verse">Kneeling ne’er spoiled silk stocking; quit thy state.</div> -<div class="verse">All equal are within the church’s gate.”</div> -</div></div> - -<p>The wise man says: “Keep thy foot when thou goest -to the house of God, and be more ready to hear than to -give the sacrifice of fools; for they consider not that -they do evil. Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not -thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God; for -God is in heaven, and thou upon earth—therefore let -thy words be few.”</p> - -<p>If we are struggling to live a higher life, and to -know something of God’s holiness and purity, what we -need is to be brought into contact with Him, that He -may reveal Himself. Then we shall take our place -before Him as those men of old were constrained to do. -We shall hallow His Name—as the Master taught His -disciples, when He said, “Hallowed be Thy Name.” -When I think of the irreverence of the present time, it -seems to me that we have fallen on evil days.</p> - -<p>Let us, as Christians, when we draw near to God in -prayer, give Him His right place. “Let us have grace -whereby we may serve God acceptably, with reverence -and Godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire.”</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_24" id="Page_24">[24]</a></span> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_024.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<h2 class="nobreak">The Trinity.</h2></div> - -<hr class="tiny" /> -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Thou dear and great mysterious Three,</div> -<div class="indent2">For ever be adored,</div> -<div class="verse">For all the endless grace we see</div> -<div class="indent2">In our Redeemer stored.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“The Father’s ancient grace we sing,</div> -<div class="indent2">That chose us in our Head;</div> -<div class="verse">Ordaining Christ, our God and King,</div> -<div class="indent2">To suffer in our stead.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“The sacred Son, in equal strains,</div> -<div class="indent2">With reverence we address,</div> -<div class="verse">For all His grace, and dying pains,</div> -<div class="indent2">And splendid righteousness.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“With tuneful tongue the Holy Ghost</div> -<div class="indent2">For His great work we praise,</div> -<div class="verse">Whose power inspires the blood-bought host</div> -<div class="indent2">Their grateful voice to raise.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Thus the Eternal Three in One</div> -<div class="indent2">We join to praise, for grace</div> -<div class="verse">And endless glory through the Son,</div> -<div class="indent2">As shining from His face.”</div> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_25" id="Page_25">[25]</a></span> -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER III.<br /> - -CONFESSION.</h2></div> - - -<p>Another element in true prayer is Confession. I do -not want Christian friends to think that I am talking -to the unsaved. I think we, as Christians, have a good -many sins to confess.</p> - -<p>If you go back to the Scripture records, you will -find that the men who lived nearest to God, and had -most power with Him, were those who confessed their -sins and failures. Daniel, as we have seen, confessed -his sins and those of his people. Yet there is nothing -recorded against Daniel. He was one of the best men -then on the face of the earth, yet was his confession of -sin one of the deepest and most humble on record. -Brooks, referring to Daniel’s confession, says: “In -these words you have seven circumstances that Daniel -useth in confessing of his and the people’s sins; and all -to heighten and aggravate them. First, ‘We have -sinned;’ secondly, ‘We have committed iniquity;’ -thirdly, ‘We have done wickedly;’ fourthly, ‘We have -rebelled against thee;’ fifthly, ‘We have departed from -Thy precepts;’ sixthly, ‘We have not hearkened unto -Thy servants;’ seventhly, ‘Nor our princes, nor all -the people of the land.’ These seven aggravations -which Daniel reckons up in his confession are worthy -our most serious consideration.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_26" id="Page_26">[26]</a></span>Job was no doubt a holy man, a mighty prince, yet -he had to fall in the dust and confess his sins. So you -will find it all through the Scriptures. When Isaiah -saw the purity and holiness of God, he beheld himself -in his true light, and he exclaimed, “Woe is me, for -I am undone, because I am a man of unclean lips!”</p> - -<p>I firmly believe that the Church of God will have to -confess her own sins, before there can be any great -work of grace. There must be a deeper work among -God’s believing people. I sometimes think it is about -time to give up preaching to the ungodly, and -preach to those who profess to be Christians. If we -had a higher standard of life in the Church of God, -there would be thousands more flocking into the Kingdom. -So it was in the past; when God’s believing -children turned away from their sins and their idols, -the fear of God fell upon the people round about. -Take up the history of Israel, and you will find that -when they put away their strange gods, God visited -the nation, and there came a mighty work of grace.</p> - -<p>What we want in these days is a true and deep -revival in the Church of God. I have little sympathy -with the idea that God is going to reach the masses by -a cold and formal church. The judgment of God -must begin with us. You notice that when Daniel -got that wonderful answer to prayer recorded in the -ninth chapter, he was confessing his sin. That is one -of the best chapters on prayer in the whole Bible.</p> - -<p>We read: “While I was speaking, and praying, -and confessing my sin, and the sin of my people Israel, -and presenting my supplication before the Lord my -God for the holy mountain of my God; yea, while I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_27" id="Page_27">[27]</a></span> -was speaking in my prayer, even the man Gabriel, -whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being -caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the -evening oblation. And he informed me, and talked -with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to -give thee skill and understanding.”</p> - -<p>So also when Job was confessing his sin, God turned -his captivity and heard his prayer. God will hear our -prayer and turn our captivity when we take our true -place before Him, and confess and forsake our transgressions. -It was when Isaiah cried out before the -Lord, “I am undone,” that the blessing came; the -live coal was taken from the altar and put upon his -lips; and he went out to write one of the most wonderful -books the world has ever seen. What a blessing -it has been to the church!</p> - -<p>It was when David said, “I have sinned!” that -God dealt in mercy with him. “I acknowledge my -sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. -I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; -and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.” Notice -how David made a very similar confession to that of -the prodigal in the fifteenth of Luke: “I acknowledge -my transgressions; and my sin is ever before me. -Against Thee, Thee only, have I sinned, and done this -evil in Thy sight!” There is no difference between -the king and the beggar when the Spirit of God comes -into the heart and convicts of sin.</p> - -<p>Richard Sibbes quaintly says of confession: “This -is the way to give glory to God: when we have laid -open our souls to God, and laid as much against ourselves -as the devil could do that way, for let us<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_28" id="Page_28">[28]</a></span> -think what the devil would lay to our charge at the -hour of death and the day of judgment. He would -lay hard to our charge this and that—let us accuse -ourselves as he would, and as he will ere long. The -more we accuse and judge ourselves, and set up a -tribunal in our hearts, certainly there will follow an -incredible ease. Jonah was cast into the sea, and -there was an ease in the ship; Achan was stoned, and -the plague was stayed. Out with Jonah, out with -Achan; and there will follow ease and quiet in the -soul presently. Conscience will receive wonderful ease.</p> - -<p>“It must needs be so; for when God is honored, -conscience is purified. God is honored by confession -of sin every way. It honors His omniscience, that -He is all-seeing; that He sees our sins and searches -our hearts—our secrets are not hid from Him. It -honours His power. What makes us confess our sins, -but that we are afraid of His power, lest He should -execute it? And what makes us confess our sins, but -that we know there is mercy with Him that He may be -feared, and that there is pardon for sin? We would -not confess our sins else. With men it is, Confess, -and have execution; but with God, Confess, and have -mercy. It is His own protestation. We should never -lay open our sins but for mercy. So it honors God; -and when He is honored, He honors the soul with -inward peace and tranquillity.”</p> - -<p>Old Thomas Fuller says: “Man’s owning his weakness -is the only stock for God thereon to graft the grace -of His assistance.”</p> - -<p>Confession implies humility, and this, in God’s -sight, is of great price.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_29" id="Page_29">[29]</a></span>A farmer went with his son into a wheat field, to see -if it was ready for the harvest. “See, father,” exclaimed -the boy, “how straight these stems hold up their heads! -They must be the best ones. Those that hang their -heads down, I am sure cannot be good for much.” The -farmer plucked a stalk of each kind and said: “See -here, foolish child! This stalk that stood so straight -is light-headed, and almost good for nothing; while -this that hung its head so modestly is full of the most -beautiful grain.”</p> - -<p>Outspokenness is needful and powerful, both with -God and man. We need to be honest and frank with -ourselves. A soldier said in a revival meeting: “My -fellow-soldiers, I am not excited; I am <i>convinced</i>—that -is all. I feel that I ought to be a Christian; that I -ought to say so, to tell you so, and to ask you to come -with me; and now if there is a call for sinners seeking -Christ to come forward, I for one shall go—not to make -a show, for I have nothing but sin to show. I do not -go because I want to—I would rather keep my seat; -but going will be telling the truth. I ought to be a -Christian, I want to be a Christian; and going forward -for prayers is just telling the truth about it.” More -than a score went with him.</p> - -<p>Speaking of Pharaoh’s words, “Entreat the Lord -that He may take away the frogs from me,” Mr. Spurgeon -says: “A fatal flaw is manifest in that prayer. -<i>It contains no confession of sin.</i> He says not, ‘I have -rebelled against the Lord; entreat that I may find forgiveness!’ -Nothing of the kind; he loves sin as much -as ever. A prayer without penitence is a prayer without -acceptance. If no tear has fallen upon it, it is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_30" id="Page_30">[30]</a></span> -withered. Thou must come to God as a sinner through -a Savior, but by no other way. He who comes to God -like the Pharisee, with, ‘God, I thank Thee that I am -not as other men are,’ never draws near to God at all; -but he who cries, ‘God be merciful to me a sinner,’ -has come to God by the way which God has Himself -appointed. There must be confession of sin before God, -or our prayer is faulty.”</p> - -<p>If this confession of sin is deep among believers, -it will be so among the ungodly also. I never knew -it to fail. I am now anxious that God should revive -His work in the hearts of His children, so that we may -see the exceeding sinfulness of sin. There are a great -many fathers and mothers who are anxious for the conversion -of their children. I have had as many as fifty -messages from parents come to me within a single -week, wondering why their children are not saved, and -asking prayer for them. I venture to say that, as a -rule, the fault lies at our own door. There may be -something in our life that stands in the way. It may -be there is some secret sin that keeps back the blessing. -David lived in the awful sin into which he fell -for many months before Nathan made his appearance. -Let us pray God to come into our hearts, and make -His power felt. If it is a right eye, let us pluck it out; -if it is a right hand, let us cut it off; that we may have -power with God and with man.</p> - -<p>Why is it that so many of our children are wandering -off into the drinking saloons, and drifting away -into infidelity—going down to a dishonored grave? -There seems to be very little power in the Christianity -of the present time. Many Godly parents find that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_31" id="Page_31">[31]</a></span> -their children are going astray. Does it arise from -some secret sin clinging around the heart? There is a -passage of God’s Word that is often quoted, but in -ninety-nine cases out of a hundred those who quote it -stop at the wrong place. In the fifty-ninth of Isaiah -we read: “Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened, -that it cannot save, neither His ear heavy, that it cannot -hear.” There they stop. Of course God’s hand is -not shortened, and His ear is not heavy; but we ought -to read the next verse: “Your iniquities have separated -between you and your God, and your sins have -hid His face from you, that He will not hear. For your -hands are defiled with blood, and your fingers with -iniquity; your lips have spoken lies, your tongue hath -muttered perverseness.” As Mathew Henry says, “It -was owing to themselves—they stood in their own light, -they shut their own door. God was coming toward -them in the way of mercy, and they hindered Him. -‘<i>Your iniquities have kept good things from you.</i>’”</p> - -<p>Bear in mind that if we are regarding iniquity in our -hearts, or living on a mere empty profession, we have -no claim to expect that our prayers will be answered. -There is not one solitary promise for us. I sometimes -tremble when I hear people quote promises, and say that -God is bound to fulfil those promises to them, when all -the time there is something in their own lives which -they are not willing to give up. It is well for us to -search our hearts, and find out why it is that our -prayers are not answered.</p> - -<p>That is a very solemn passage in Isaiah:</p> - -<p>“Hear the word of the Lord, ye rulers of Sodom; -give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_32" id="Page_32">[32]</a></span> -Gomorrah. To what purpose is the multitude of your -sacrifices unto me? saith the Lord. I am full of the -burnt-offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts, and -I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or -of he goats. When ye come to speak before Me, who -hath required this at your hand, to tread My courts? -Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination -unto Me; the new moons and Sabbaths, the calling -of assemblies, I cannot away with—it is iniquity, even -the solemn meeting.”</p> - -<p>“Even the solemn meeting!”—think of that. If -God does not get our heart-services, He will have none -of it; it is an abomination to Him.</p> - -<p>“Your new moons and your appointed feasts My soul -hateth; they are a trouble unto Me; I am weary to -bear them. And when ye spread forth your hands, I -will hide Mine eyes from you; yea, when ye make many -prayers, I will not hear; your hands are full of blood. -Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your -doings from before Mine eyes, cease to do evil, learn to -do well, seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the -fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us -reason together, saith the Lord; though your sins be as -scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be -red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”</p> - -<p>Again we read in Proverbs: “He that turneth -away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer -shall be abomination.” Think of that! It may shock -some of us to think that our prayers are an abomination -to God, yet if any are living in known sin, this is -what God’s Word says about them. If we are not willing -to turn from sin and obey God’s law, we have no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_33" id="Page_33">[33]</a></span> -right to expect that He will answer our prayers. -Unconfessed sin is unforgiven sin, and unforgiven sin -is the darkest, foulest thing on this sin-cursed earth. -You cannot find a case in the Bible where a man has -been honest in dealing with sin, but God has been -honest with him and blessed him. The prayer of the -humble and the contrite heart is a delight to God. -There is no sound that goes up from this sin-cursed -earth so sweet to His ear as the prayer of the man who -is walking uprightly.</p> - -<p>Let me call attention to that prayer of David, in -which he says: “Search me, O, God, and know my heart; -try me, and know my thoughts, and see if there be any -wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” -I wish all my readers would commit these verses to -memory. If we should all honestly make this prayer -once every day there would be a good deal of change -in our lives. “<i>Search</i> <small>ME</small>”—not my neighbor. It is -so easy to pray for other people, but so hard to get -home to ourselves. I am afraid that we who are busy -in the Lord’s work, are very often in danger of neglecting -our vineyard. In this Psalm, David got home to -himself. There is a difference between God searching -me and my searching myself. I may search my heart, -and pronounce it all right, but when God searches me -as with a lighted candle, a good many things will come -to light that perhaps I knew nothing about.</p> - -<p>“<i>Try me.</i>” David was tried when he fell by taking -his eye off from the God of his father Abraham. -“<i>Know my thoughts.</i>” God looks at the thoughts. -Are our thoughts pure? Have we in our hearts -thoughts against God or against His people—against<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_34" id="Page_34">[34]</a></span> -any one in the world? If we have, we are not right -in the sight of God. Oh, may God search us, every -one! I do not know any better prayer that we can -make than this prayer of David. One of the most -solemn things in the Scripture history is that when holy -men—better men than we are—were tested and tried, -they were found to be as weak as water away from God.</p> - -<p>Let us be sure that we are right. Isaac Ambrose, -in his work on “Self Trial,” has the following pithy -words: “Now and then propose we to our hearts these -two questions: 1. ‘Heart, how dost thou?’—a few -words, but a very serious question. You know this is -the first question and the first salute that we use to -one another—How do you do? I would to God we -sometimes thus spoke to our hearts: ‘Heart, how dost -thou? How is it with thee, for thy spiritual state?’ 2. -‘Heart, what wilt thou do?’ or, ‘Heart, what dost thou -think will become of thee and me?’—as that dying -Roman once said: ‘Poor, wretched, miserable -soul, whither art thou and I going—and what will -become of thee, when thou and I shall part?’</p> - -<p>“This very thing does Moses propose to Israel, -though in other terms, ‘Oh that they would consider their -latter end!’—and oh that we would put this question -constantly to our hearts, to consider and debate upon! -‘Commune with your own hearts,’ said David; that is, -debate the matter betwixt you and your hearts to the -very utmost. Let your hearts be so put to it in communing -with them, as that they may speak their very -bottom. Commune—or hold a serious communication -and clear intelligence and acquaintance—with your own -hearts.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_35" id="Page_35">[35]</a></span>It was the confession of a divine, sensible of his -neglect, and especially of the difficulty of this duty: -“I have lived,” said he, “forty years and somewhat -more, and carried my heart in my bosom all this while, -and yet my heart and I are as great strangers, and as -utterly unacquainted, as if we had never come near one -another. Nay, I know not my heart; I have forgotten -my heart. Alas! alas! that I could be grieved at the -very heart, that my poor heart and I have been so -unacquainted! We are fallen into an Athenian age, -spending our time in nothing more than in telling or -hearing news. How go things here? How there? -How in one place? How in another? But who is there -that is inquisitive? How are things with my poor heart? -Weigh but in the balance of a serious consideration, -what time we have spent in this duty, and what time -otherwise; and for many scores and hundreds of hours -or days that we owe to our hearts in this duty, can we -write fifty? Or where there should have been fifty -vessels full of this duty, can we find twenty, or ten? -Oh, the days, months, years, we bestow upon sin, vanity, -the affairs of this world, while we afford not a minute -in converse with our own hearts concerning their -case!”</p> - -<p>If there is anything in our lives that is wrong, let us -ask God to show it to us. Have we been selfish? Have -we been more jealous of our own reputation than of -the honor of God? Elijah thought he was very jealous -for the honor of God; but it turned out that it -was his own honor after all—self was really at the -bottom of it. One of the saddest things, I think, -that Christ had to meet with in His disciples<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_36" id="Page_36">[36]</a></span> -was this very thing; there was a constant struggle -between them as to who should be the greatest, -instead of each one taking the humblest place and -being least in his own estimation.</p> - -<p>We are told in proof of this, that “He came to Capernaum; -and being in the house He asked them, What -was it that ye disputed among yourselves by the way? -But they held their peace, for by the way they had -disputed among themselves, who should be the greatest. -And He sat down, and called the twelve, and saith unto -them, If any man desire to be first, the same shall be -the last of all, and servant of all. And He took a -child, and set him in the midst of them; and when He -had taken him in His arms, He said unto them, Whosoever -shall receive one of such children in My name, -receiveth Me; and whosoever shall receive Me, receiveth -not Me, but Him that sent Me.”</p> - -<p>Soon after “James and John, the sons of Zebedee, -come unto Him, saying, Master, we would that Thou -shouldest do for us whatsoever we shall desire. And -He said unto them, What would ye that I should do -for you? They said unto Him, Grant unto us that we -may sit, one on Thy right hand, and the other on Thy -left hand, in Thy glory. But Jesus said unto them, -Ye know not what ye ask; can ye drink of the cup that -I drink of, and be baptized with the baptism that I -am baptized with? And they said unto Him, We can. -And Jesus said unto them, Ye shall indeed drink of -the cup that I drink of; and with the baptism that I am -baptized withal shall ye be baptized; but to sit on My -right hand and on My left hand is not Mine to give; -but it shall be given to them for whom it is prepared.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_37" id="Page_37">[37]</a></span> -And when the ten heard it, they began to be much displeased -with James and John. But Jesus called them -to Him, and saith unto them: Ye know that they -which are accounted to rule over the Gentiles exercise -lordship over them; and their great ones exercise authority -upon them. But so shall it not be among you; -but whosoever will be great among you, shall be your -minister; and whosoever of you will be the chiefest, -shall be servant of all. For even the Son of Man -came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to -give His life a ransom for many.”</p> - -<p>The latter words were spoken in the third year of -His ministry. Three years the disciples had been with -Him; they had listened to the words that fell from His -lips; yet they had failed to learn this lesson of humility. -The most humiliating thing that happened among the -chosen twelve occurred on the night of our Lord’s -betrayal, when Judas sold Him, and Peter denied Him. -If there was any place where there should have been an -absence of these thoughts, it was at the Supper-table. -Yet we find that when Christ instituted that blessed -memorial there was a debate going on among His disciples -who should be the greatest. Think of that!—right -under the Cross, when the Master was “exceeding -sorrowful, even unto death;” was already tasting the -bitterness of Calvary, and the horrors of that dark hour -were gathering upon His soul.</p> - -<p>I think if God searches us, we will find a good many -things in our lives for us to confess. If we are tried -and tested by God’s law, there will be many, many -things that will have to be changed. I ask again: Are -we selfish or jealous? Are we willing to hear of others<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_38" id="Page_38">[38]</a></span> -being used of God more than we are? Are our Methodist -friends willing to hear of a great revival of God’s -work among the Baptists? Would it rejoice their -souls to hear of such efforts being blessed? Are Baptists -willing to hear of a reviving of God’s work in the -Methodist, Congregational, or other churches? If we -are full of narrow, party and sectarian feelings, there -will be many things to be laid aside. Let us pray to -God to search us, and try us, and see if there be any -evil way in us. If these holy and good men felt that they -were faulty, should we not tremble, and endeavor to -find out if there is anything in our lives that God would -have us get rid of?</p> - -<p>Once again, let me call your attention to the prayer -of David contained in the fifty-first Psalm. A friend -of mine told me some years ago that he repeated this -prayer as his own every week. I think it would be a -good thing if we offered up these petitions frequently; -let them go right up from our hearts. If we have been -proud, or irritable, or lacking in patience, shall we not -at once confess it? Is it not time that we began at -home, and got our lives straightened out? See how -quickly the ungodly will then begin to inquire the way -of life! Let those of us who are parents set our own -houses in order, and be filled with Christ’s Spirit; then -it will not be long before our children will be inquiring -what they must do to get the same Spirit. I believe -that to-day, by its lukewarmness and formality, the -Christian Church is making more infidels than all -the books that infidels ever wrote. I do not fear infidel -lectures half so much as the cold and dead formalism -in the professing church at the present time. One<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_39" id="Page_39">[39]</a></span> -prayer-meeting like that the disciples had on the day -of Pentecost, would shake the whole infidel fraternity.</p> - -<p>What we want is to get hold of God in prayer. You -are not going to reach the masses by great sermons. -We want to “move the Arm that moves the world.” -To do that, we must be clear and right before God. -“For if our heart condemn us, God is greater than our -heart, and knoweth all things, Beloved, if our heart -condemn us not, then have we confidence toward God; -and whatsoever we ask, we receive of Him, because we -keep His commandments, and do those things that are -pleasing in His sight.”</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_40" id="Page_40">[40]</a></span> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_040.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<h2 class="nobreak">Confession.</h2></div> - - -<hr class="tiny" /> -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“No, not despairingly</div> -<div class="indent">Come I to Thee;</div> -<div class="verse">No, not distrustingly</div> -<div class="indent">Bend I the knee;</div> -<div class="verse">Sin hath gone over me,</div> -<div class="verse">Yet is this still my plea,</div> -<div class="indent">Jesus hath died.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Ah, mine iniquity</div> -<div class="indent">Crimson has been;</div> -<div class="verse">Infinite, infinite,</div> -<div class="indent">Sin upon sin;</div> -<div class="verse">Sin of not loving Thee,</div> -<div class="verse">Sin of not trusting Thee.</div> -<div class="indent">Infinite sin.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Lord, I confess to Thee</div> -<div class="indent">Sadly my sin;</div> -<div class="verse">All I am, tell I Thee,</div> -<div class="indent">All I have been.</div> -<div class="verse">Purge Thou my sin away,</div> -<div class="verse">Wash Thou my soul this day;</div> -<div class="indent">Lord, make me clean!”</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verseright">—<i>Dr. H. Bonar.</i></div> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_41" id="Page_41">[41]</a></span> -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER IV.<br /> - -RESTITUTION.</h2></div> - - -<p>A third element of successful prayer is <span class="smcap">Restitution</span>. -If I have at any time taken what does not -belong to me, and am not willing to make restitution, -my prayers will not go very far toward heaven. It is -a singular thing, but I have never touched on this subject -in my addresses, without hearing of immediate -results. A man once told me that I would not need to -dwell on this point at a meeting I was about to address, -as probably there would be no one present that would -need to make restitution. But I think if the Spirit of God -searches our hearts, we shall most of us find a good many -things have to be done that we never thought of before.</p> - -<p>After Zaccheus met with Christ, things looked altogether -different. I venture to say that the idea of making -restitution never entered into his mind before. He -thought, probably, that morning that he was a perfectly -honest man. But when the Lord came and spoke to -him, he saw himself in an altogether different light. -Notice how short his speech was. The only thing put -on record that he said was this: “Behold, Lord, the -half of my goods I give to the poor; and if I have -taken anything from any man by false accusation, I -restore him fourfold.” A short speech; but how the -words have come ringing down through the ages!</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_42" id="Page_42">[42]</a></span>By making that remark he confessed his sin—that he -had been dishonest. Besides that, he showed that he -knew the requirements of the law of Moses. If a man -had taken what did not belong to him, he was not only -to return it, but to multiply it by four. I think that -men in this dispensation ought to be fully as honest as -men under the Law. I am getting so tired and sick of -your mere sentimentalism, that does not straighten out -a man’s life. We may sing our hymns and psalms, and -offer prayers, but they will be an abomination to God, -unless we are willing to be thoroughly straightforward -in our daily life. Nothing will give Christianity such -a hold upon the world as to have God’s believing people -begin to act in this way. Zaccheus had probably more -influence in Jericho after he made restitution than any -other man in it.</p> - -<p>Finney, in his lectures to professing Christians, says: -“One reason for the requirement, ‘Be not conformed -to this world,’ is the immense, salutary, and instantaneous -influence it would have, if everybody would do business -on the principles of the Gospel. Turn the tables -over, and let Christians do business one year on Gospel -principles. It would shake the world! It would ring -louder than thunder. Let the ungodly see professing -Christians in every bargain consulting the good of the -person they are trading with—seeking not their own -wealth, but every man another’s wealth—living above -the world—setting no value on the world any further -than it would be the means of glorifying God; what do -you think would be the effect? It would cover the -world with confusion of face, and overwhelm them with -conviction of sin.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_43" id="Page_43">[43]</a></span>Finney makes one grand mark of genuine repentance -to be restitution. “The thief has not repented who -keeps the money he stole. He may have conviction, but -no repentance. If he had repentance, he would go and -give back the money. If you have cheated any one, and -do not restore what you have taken unjustly; or if you -have injured any one, and do not set about to undo the -wrong you have done, as far as in you lies, you have -not truly repented.”</p> - -<p>In Exodus we read—“If a man steal an ox, or a -sheep, and kill it, or sell it, he shall restore five oxen -for an ox, and four sheep for a sheep.” And again: “If -a man shall cause a field or vineyard to be eaten, and -shall put in his beast, and shall feed in another man’s -field; of the best of his own field, and of the best of -his own vineyard shall he make restitution. If -fire break out, and catch in thorns, so that the stacks -of corn, or the standing corn, or the field, be consumed -therewith, he that kindled the fire shall surely make -restitution.”</p> - -<p>Or turn to Leviticus, where the law of the trespass-offering -is laid down—the same point is there insisted -on with equal clearness and force.</p> - -<p>“If a soul sin, and commit a trespass against the -Lord, and lie unto his neighbor in that which was -delivered him to keep, or in fellowship, or in a thing -taken away by violence, or hath deceived his neighbor; -or have found that which was lost, and lieth concerning -it, and sweareth falsely; in any of all these that a man -doeth, sinning therein; then it shall be, because he -hath sinned and is guilty, that he shall restore that -which he took violently away, or the thing which he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_44" id="Page_44">[44]</a></span> -hath deceitfully gotten, or that which was delivered him -to keep, or the lost thing which he found, or all that -about which he hath sworn falsely; he shall even -restore it in the principal, and shall add the fifth part -more thereto, and give it unto him to whom it appertaineth, -in the day of his trespass offering.”</p> - -<p>The same thing is repeated in Numbers, where we -read—“And the Lord spake unto Moses, saying, -Speak unto the children of Israel, When a man or -woman shall commit any sin that men commit, to do a -trespass against the Lord, and that person be guilty; -then they shall confess their sin which they have done; -and he shall recompense his trespass with the principal -thereof, and add unto it the fifth part thereof, and -give it unto him against whom he hath trespassed. -But if the man have no kinsman to recompense the -trespass unto, let the trespass be recompensed unto the -Lord, even to the priest, beside the ram of the atonement, -whereby an atonement shall be made of him.”</p> - -<p>These were the laws that God laid down for His -people, and I believe their principle is as binding to-day -as it was then. If we have taken anything from -any man, if we have in any way defrauded a man, let -us not only confess it, but do all we can to make restitution. -If we have misrepresented any one—if we have -started some slander, or some false report about him—let -us do all in our power to undo the wrong.</p> - -<p>It is in reference to a practical righteousness such -as this that God says in Isaiah—“Behold, ye fast for -strife and debate, and to smite with the fist of wickedness; -ye shall not fast as ye do this day, to make your -voice to be heard on high. Is it such a fast that I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_45" id="Page_45">[45]</a></span> -have chosen? A day for a man to afflict his soul? Is -it to bow down his head as a bulrush, and to spread -sackcloth and ashes under him? Wilt thou call this a -fast, and an acceptable day to the Lord? Is not this -the fast that I have chosen—to loose the bands of wickedness, -to undo the heavy burdens, and to let the -oppressed go free, and that ye break every yoke? Is -it not to deal thy bread to the hungry, and that thou -bring the poor that are cast out to thy house? When -thou seest the naked, that thou cover him, and that -thou hide not thyself from thine own flesh? Then -shall thy light break forth as the morning, and thine -health shall spring forth speedily; and thy righteousness -shall go before thee, the glory of the Lord shall be -thy reward. Then shalt thou call, and the Lord -shall answer; thou shalt cry, and He shall say, Here I -am.”</p> - -<p>Trapp in his comment on Zaccheus, says: “Sultan -Selymus could tell his councillor Pyrrhus, who persuaded -him to bestow the great wealth he had taken -from the Persian merchants upon some notable hospital -for relief of the poor, that God hates robbery for -burnt-offering. The dying Turk commanded it rather -to be restored to the right owners, which was done -accordingly, to the great shame of many Christians, -who mind nothing less than restitution. When Henry -III of England had sent the Friar Minors a load of -frieze to clothe them, they returned the same with this -message, ‘that he ought not to give alms of what he had -rent from the poor; neither would they accept of that -abominable gift.’ Master Latimer saith, ‘If ye make -no restitution of goods detained, ye shall cough in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_46" id="Page_46">[46]</a></span> -hell, and the devils shall laugh at you.’ Henry VII, -in his last will and testament, after the disposition of -his soul and body, devised and willed restitution should -be made of all such moneys as had unjustly been -levied by his officers. Queen Mary restored again all -ecclesiastical livings assumed to the crown, saying -that she set more by the salvation of her own soul, -than she did by ten kingdoms. A bull came also from -the Pope, at the same time, that others should do the -like, but none did. Latimer tells us that the first day -he preached about restitution, one came and gave him -£20 to restore; the next day another brought him £30; -another time another gave him £200.</p> - -<p>“Mr. Bradford, hearing Latimer on that subject, was -struck in the heart for one dash of the pen which he -had made without the knowledge of his master, and -could never be quiet till, by the advice of Mr. Latimer, -restitution was made, for which he did willingly forego -all the private and certain patrimony which he had on -earth. ‘I, myself,’ saith Mr. Barroughs, ‘knew one -man who had wronged another but of five shillings, -and fifty years after could not be quiet till he had -restored it.’”</p> - -<p>If there is true repentance it will bring forth fruit. -If we have done wrong to some one, we should never -ask God to forgive us until we are willing to make restitution. -If I have done any man a great injustice and -can make it good, I need not ask God to forgive me -until I am willing to do so. Suppose I have taken something -that does not belong to me. I cannot expect forgiveness -until I make restitution. I remember preaching -in an Eastern city, and a fine-looking man came up<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_47" id="Page_47">[47]</a></span> -to me at the close. He was in great distress of mind. -“The fact is,” he said, “I am a defaulter. I have -taken money that belonged to my employers. How can -I become a Christian without restoring it?” “Have -you got the money?” He told me he had not got it all. -He had taken about 1,500 dollars, and he still had about -900. He said, “Could I not take that money and go -into business, and make enough to pay them back?” I -told him that was a delusion of Satan, that he could -not expect to prosper on stolen money; that he -should restore all he had, and go and ask his -employers to have mercy upon him, and forgive him. -“But they will put me in prison,” he said. “Can you -not give me any help?” “No; you must restore the -money before you can expect to get any help from -God.” “It is pretty hard,” he said. “Yes, it is -hard; but the great mistake was in doing the wrong at -first.” His burden became so heavy that it was, in -fact, unbearable. He handed me the money—950 -dollars and some cents—and asked me to take it back -to his employers. I told them the story, and said that -he wanted mercy from them, not justice. The tears -trickled down the cheeks of these two men, and they -said, “Forgive him! Yes, we will be glad to forgive -him.” I went down stairs and brought him up. -After he had confessed his guilt and been forgiven, -we all fell down on our knees and had a blessed prayer-meeting. -God met us and blessed us there.</p> - -<p>There was another friend of mine who had come -to Christ and was trying to consecrate himself and his -wealth to God. He had formerly had transactions with -the Government, and had taken advantage of them.<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_48" id="Page_48">[48]</a></span> -This thing came to memory, and his conscience -troubled him. He had a terrible struggle; his conscience -kept rising up and smiting him. At last he drew a -check for 1500 dollars, and sent it to the Treasury of -the Government. He told me he received such a blessing -after he had done it. That is bringing forth fruits -meet for repentance. I believe a great many men are -crying to God for light; and they are not getting it -because they are not honest.</p> - -<p>A man came to one of our meetings, when this subject -was touched upon. The memory of a dishonest -transaction flashed into his mind. He saw at once -how it was that his prayers were not answered, but -“returned into his own bosom,” as the Scripture phrase -puts it. He left the meeting, took the train, and went -to a distant city, where he had defrauded his employer -years before. He went straight to this man, confessed -the wrong, and offered to make restitution. Then he -remembered another transaction, in which he had failed -to meet the just demands upon him; he at once made -arrangements to have a large amount repaid. He came -back to the place where we were holding the meetings, -and God blessed him wonderfully in his own soul. I -have not met a man for a long time who seemed to have -received such a blessing.</p> - -<p>Some years ago, in the north of England, a woman -came to one of the meetings, and appeared to be very -anxious about her soul. For some time she did not -seem to be able to get peace. The truth was, she was -covering up one thing that she was not willing to confess. -At last, the burden was too great; and she said to a -worker: “I never go down on my knees to pray, but a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_49" id="Page_49">[49]</a></span> -few bottles of wine keep coming up before my mind.” -It appeared that years before, when she was housekeeper, -she had taken some bottles of wine belonging -to her employer. The worker said: “Why do you -not make restitution?” The woman replied that the -man was dead; and besides, she did not know how much -it was worth. “Are there any heirs living to whom -you can make restitution?” She said there was a son -living at some distance; but she thought it would be a -very humiliating thing, so she kept back for some time. -At last she felt as if she must have a clear conscience -at any cost, so she took the train, and went to the place -where the son of her employer resided. She took five -pounds with her, she did not exactly know what the -wine was worth, but that would cover it at any rate. -The man said he did not want the money, but she -replied, “I do not want it; it has burnt my pocket -long enough.” So he agreed to take the half of it, -and give it to some charitable object. Then she came -back; and I think she was one of the happiest mortals I -have ever met with. She said she could not tell whether -she was in the body or out of it—such a blessing had -come to her soul.</p> - -<p>It may be that there is something in our lives that -needs straightening out; something that happened perhaps -twenty years ago, and that has been forgotten till -the Spirit of God brought it to our remembrance. If -we are not willing to make restitution, we cannot expect -God to give us great blessing. Perhaps that is the -reason so many of our prayers are not answered.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_50" id="Page_50">[50]</a></span> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_050.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">Perfect Cleansing.</h2></div> - - -<hr class="tiny" /> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Who would be cleansed from every sin,</div> -<div class="verse">Must to God’s holy altar bring</div> -<div class="indent2">The whole of life—its joys, its tears,</div> -<div class="indent2">Its hopes, its loves, its powers, its years,</div> -<div class="verse">The will, and every cherished thing!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Must make this sweeping sacrifice—</div> -<div class="indent2">Choose God, and dare reproach and shame,</div> -<div class="indent2">And boldly stand in storm or flame</div> -<div class="verse">For Him who paid redemption’s price;</div> -<div class="verse">Then trust (not struggle to believe),</div> -<div class="indent">And trusting wait, nor doubt, but pray</div> -<div class="indent2">That in His own good time He’ll say,</div> -<div class="first">‘Thy faith hath saved thee; now receive.’</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“His time is when the soul brings all,</div> -<div class="indent2">Is all upon His altar lain;</div> -<div class="indent2">When pride and self-conceit are slain,</div> -<div class="verse">And crucified with Christ, we fall</div> -<div class="verse">Helpless upon His word, and lie;</div> -<div class="indent2">When, faithful to His word, we feel</div> -<div class="indent2">The cleansing touch, the Spirit’s seal,</div> -<div class="verse">And know that He does sanctify.”</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verseright"><i>A. T. Allis.</i></div> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_51" id="Page_51">[51]</a></span> -<h2 class="nobreak"> -CHAPTER V.<br /> - -THANKSGIVING.</h2></div> - - -<p>The next thing I would mention as an element of -prayer is <span class="smcap">Thanksgiving</span>. We ought to be more thankful -for what we get from God. Perhaps some of you -mothers have a child in your family who is constantly -complaining—never thankful. You know that there -is not much pleasure in doing anything for a child -like that. If you meet with a beggar who is always -grumbling, and never seems to be thankful for what -you give, you very soon shut the door in his face altogether. -Ingratitude is about the hardest thing we -have to meet with. The great English poet says:</p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="first">“Blow, blow, thou winter wind—</div> -<div class="verse">Thou art not so unkind</div> -<div class="indent">As man’s ingratitude;</div> -<div class="verse">Thy tooth is not so keen,</div> -<div class="verse">Because thou art not seen,</div> -<div class="indent">Although thy breath be rude.”</div> -</div></div> - -<p>We cannot speak too plainly of this evil, which so -demeans those who are guilty of it. Even in Christians -there is but too much of it to be seen. Here we are, -getting blessings from God day after day; yet how -little praise and thanksgiving there is in the Church of -God!</p> - -<p>Gurnall, in his <i>Christian Armor</i>, referring to the -words, “In everything give thanks,” says: “‘Praise is<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_52" id="Page_52">[52]</a></span> -comely for the upright.’ ‘An unthankful saint’ carries -a contradiction with it. Evil and Unthankful are twins -that live and die together; as any one ceaseth to be -evil, he begins to be thankful. It is that which God -expects at your hands; He made you for this end. -When the vote passed in heaven for your being—yea, -happy being in Christ!—it was upon this account, that -you should be a name and a praise to Him on earth in -time, and in heaven to eternity. Should God miss -this, He would fail of one main part of His design. -What prompts Him to bestow every mercy, but to afford -you matter to compose a song for His praise? ‘They -are My people, children that will not lie; so He was -their Savior.’</p> - -<p>“He looks for fair dealing at your hands. Whom -may a father trust with his reputation, if not his child? -Where can a prince expect honor, if not among his -favorites? Your state is such that the least mercy you -have is more than all the world besides. Thou, Christian, -and thy few brethren, divide heaven and earth -among you! What hath God that He withholds from -you? Sun, moon and stars are set up to give you -light; sea and land have their treasures for your use; -others are encroachers upon them; you are the rightful -heirs to them; they groan that any others should -be served by them. The angels, bad and good, minister -unto you; the evil, against their will, are forced -like scullions when they tempt you, to scour and -brighten your graces, and make way for your greater -comforts; the good angels are servants to your heavenly -Father, and disdain not to carry you in their arms. -Your God withholds not Himself from you; He is your<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_53" id="Page_53">[53]</a></span> -portion—Father, Husband, Friend. God is His own -happiness, and admits you to enjoy Him. Oh, what -honor is this, for the subject to drink in his prince’s -cup! ‘Thou shalt make them drink of the river of -Thy pleasures.’ And all this is not the purchase of -your sweat and blood; the feast is paid for by Another, -only He expects your thanks to the Founder. No sin-offering -is imposed under the Gospel; thank-offerings -are all He looks for.”</p> - -<p>Charnock, in discoursing on Spiritual Worship, says: -“The praise of God is the choicest sacrifice and worship, -under a dispensation of redeeming grace. This -is the prime and eternal part of worship under the -Gospel. The Psalmist, speaking of the Gospel times, -spurs on to this kind of worship: ‘Sing unto the Lord -a new song; let the children of Zion be joyful in their -King; let the saints be joyful in glory; let them sing -aloud upon their beds; let the high praises of God be -in their mouth.’ He begins and ends both Psalms -with <i>Praise ye the Lord!</i> That cannot be a spiritual -and evangelical worship that hath nothing of the praise -of God in the heart. The consideration of God’s -adorable perfections discovered in the Gospel will -make us come to Him with more seriousness, beg blessings -of Him with more confidence, fly to Him with a -winged faith and love, and more spiritually glorify Him -in our attendances upon Him.”</p> - -<p>There is a great deal more said in the Bible about -praise than prayer; yet how few praise-meetings there -are! David, in his Psalms, always mixes praise with -prayer. Solomon prevailed much with God in prayer -at the dedication of the temple; but it was the voice of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_54" id="Page_54">[54]</a></span> -<i>praise</i> which brought down the glory that filled the -house; for we read: “And it came to pass, when the -priests were come out of the holy place (for all the -priests that were present were sanctified, and did not -then wait by course; also the Levites, which were the -singers, all of them of Asaph, of Heman, of Jeduthun, -with their sons and their brethren, being arrayed in -white linen, having cymbals, and psalteries, and harps, -stood at the east end of the altar, and with them a -hundred and twenty priests, sounding with trumpets); -it came even to pass, as the trumpeters and singers -were as one, to make one sound to be heard in praising -and thanking the Lord; and when they lifted up their -voice with the trumpets, and cymbals, and instruments -of music, and praised the Lord, saying, ‘For He is -good; for His mercy endureth forever;’ that then the -house was filled with a cloud, even the house of the -Lord; so that the priests could not stand to minister -by reason of the cloud, for the glory of the Lord had -filled the house of God.”</p> - -<p>We read, too, of Jehoshaphat, that he gained the -victory over the hosts of Ammon and Moab through -praise, which was excited by faith and thankfulness to -God.</p> - -<p>“And they rose early in the morning, and went forth -into the wilderness of Tekoa; and as they went forth, -Jehoshaphat stood and said, ‘Hear me, O Judah, and -ye inhabitants of Jerusalem; believe in the Lord your -God, so shall ye be established; believe His prophets, -so shall ye prosper;’ and when he had consulted with -the people, he appointed singers unto the Lord, and -that should praise the beauty of holiness, as they went<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_55" id="Page_55">[55]</a></span> -out before the army, and to say, ‘Praise the Lord; for -His mercy endureth for ever,’ And when they began to -sing and to praise, the Lord set ambushments against -the children of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir, which -were come against Judah; and they were -smitten.”</p> - -<p>It is said that in a time of great despondency among -the first settlers in New England, it was proposed in -one of their public assemblies to proclaim a fast. An -old farmer arose; spoke of their provoking heaven -with their complaints, reviewed their measures, showed -that they had much to be thankful for, and moved that -instead of appointing a day of fasting, they should -appoint a day of thanksgiving. This was done; and -the custom has been continued ever since.</p> - -<p>However great our difficulties, or deep even our sorrows, -there is room for thankfulness. Thomas Adams -has said: “Lay up in the ark of thy memory not only -the pot of manna, the bread of life; but even Aaron’s -rod, the very scourge of correction, wherewith thou -hast been bettered. Blessed be the Lord, not only -giving, but taking away, saith Job. God who sees -there is no walking upon roses to heaven, puts His -children into the way of discipline; and by the fire of -correction eats out the rust of corruption. God sends -trouble, then bids us call upon Him; promiseth our -deliverance; and lastly, the all He requires of us is to -glorify Him. Call upon Me in the day of trouble; I -will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify Me.” Like the -nightingale, we can sing in the night, and say with -John Newton—</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_56" id="Page_56">[56]</a></span></p> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> - -<div class="first">“Since all that I meet shall work for my good,</div> -<div class="verse">The bitter is sweet, the medicine food;</div> -<div class="verse">Though painful at present, ’twill cease before long,</div> -<div class="verse">And then—oh, how pleasant!—the conqueror’s song.”</div> -</div></div> - -<p>Among all the apostles none suffered so much as Paul; -but none of them do we find so often giving thanks as -he. Take his letter to the Philippians. Remember -what he suffered at Philippi; how they laid many stripes -upon him, and cast him into prison. Yet every chapter -in that Epistle speaks of rejoicing and giving thanks. -There is that well-known passage: “Be careful for nothing, -but in everything, by prayer and supplication, -with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known -unto God.” As some one has said, there are here three -precious ideas: “Careful for nothing; prayerful for -everything; and thankful for anything.” We always -get more by being thankful for what God has done for -us. Paul says again: “We give thanks to God, the -Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, praying always for -you.” So he was constantly giving thanks. Take up -any one of his Epistles, and you will find them full of -praise to God.</p> - -<p>Even if nothing else called for thankfulness, it -would always be an ample cause for it that Jesus Christ -loved us, and gave Himself for us. A farmer was once -found kneeling at a soldier’s grave near Nashville. -Some one came to him and said: “Why do you pay so -much attention to this grave? Was your son buried -here?” “No,” he said. “During the war my family -were all sick, I knew not how to leave them. I was -drafted. One of my neighbors came over and said: ‘I -will go for you; I have no family.’ He went off. He<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_57" id="Page_57">[57]</a></span> -was wounded at Chickamauga. He was carried to the -hospital, and there died. And, sir, I have come a great -many miles, that I might write over his grave these -words, ‘<i>He died for me.</i>’”</p> - -<p>This the believer can always say of his blessed Savior, -and in the fact may well rejoice. “By Him therefore, -let us offer the sacrifice of praise continually, that is, -the fruit of our lips, giving thanks to His name.”</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_58" id="Page_58">[58]</a></span> -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_058.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<h2 class="nobreak">The Praise of God.</h2></div> - -<hr class="tiny" /> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Speak, lips of mine!</div> -<div class="indent2">And tell abroad</div> -<div class="indent2">The praises of my God.</div> -<div class="verse">Speak, stammering tongue!</div> -<div class="indent2">In gladdest tone,</div> -<div class="indent2">Make His high praises known.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Speak, sea and earth!</div> -<div class="indent2">Heaven’s utmost star,</div> -<div class="indent2">Speak from your realms afar!</div> -<div class="verse">Take up the note,</div> -<div class="indent2">And send it round</div> -<div class="indent2">Creation’s farthest bound.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Speak, heaven of heavens!</div> -<div class="indent2">Wherein our God</div> -<div class="indent2">Has made His bright abode.</div> -<div class="verse">Speak, angels, speak!</div> -<div class="indent2">In songs proclaim</div> -<div class="indent2">His everlasting name.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Speak, son of dust!</div> -<div class="indent2">Thy flesh He took</div> -<div class="indent2">And heaven for thee forsook.</div> -<div class="verse">Speak, child of death!</div> -<div class="indent2">Thy death He died,</div> -<div class="indent2">Bless thou the Crucified.”</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verseright">—<i>Dr. Bonar.</i></div> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_59" id="Page_59">[59]</a></span> -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VI.<br /> - -FORGIVENESS.</h2></div> - - -<p>The next thing is perhaps the most difficult of all to -deal with—<span class="smcap">Forgiveness</span>. I believe this is keeping -more people from having power with God than any -other thing—they are not willing to cultivate the spirit -of forgiveness. If we allow the root of bitterness to -spring up in our hearts against some one, our prayer -will not be answered. It may not be an easy thing to -live in sweet fellowship with all those with whom we -come in contact; but that is what the grace of God is -given to us for.</p> - -<p>The disciples’ prayer is a test of sonship; if we can -pray it all from the heart we have good reason to think -that we have been born of God. No man can call God -Father but by the Spirit. Though this prayer has been -such a blessing to the world, I believe it has been a -great snare; many stumble over it into perdition. They -do not weigh its meaning, nor take its facts right into -their hearts. I have no sympathy with the idea of -universal sonship—that all men are the sons of God. -The Bible teaches very plainly that we are adopted into -the family of God. If all were sons God would not -need to adopt any. We are all God’s by creation; but -when people teach that any man can say, “Our Father -which art in heaven,” whether he is born of God or not,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_60" id="Page_60">[60]</a></span> -I think that is contrary to Scripture. “As many as -are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.” -Sonship in the family is the privilege of the believer. -“In this the children of God are manifest, and the -children of the devil,” says the Apostle. If we are -doing the will of God, that is a very good sign that we -are born of God. If we have no desire to do that will, -how can we call God “Our Father?”</p> - -<p>Another thing. We cannot really pray for God’s -kingdom to come until we are in it. If we should -pray for the coming of God’s kingdom while we are -rebelling against Him, we are only seeking for our own -condemnation. No unrenewed man really wants God’s -will to be done on the earth. You might write over -the door of every unsaved man’s house, and over his -place of business, “God’s will is not done here.”</p> - -<p>If the nations were really to put up this prayer, all -their armies could be discharged. They tell us there -are some twelve millions of men in the standing armies -of Europe alone. But men do not want God’s will -done on earth as it is in heaven; that is the trouble.</p> - -<p>Now let us come to the part I want to dwell upon: -“Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive them that -trespass against us.” This is the only part of the -prayer that Christ explained.</p> - -<p>“For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly -Father will also forgive you; but if ye forgive not -men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive -your trespasses.”</p> - -<p>Notice that when you go into the door of God’s kingdom, -you go in through the door of forgiveness. I -never knew of a man getting a blessing in his own soul,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_61" id="Page_61">[61]</a></span> -if he was not willing to forgive others. If we are -unwilling to forgive others, God cannot forgive us. -I do not know how language could be more plain than -it is in these words of our Lord. I firmly believe a -great many prayers are not answered because we are -not willing to forgive some one. Let your mind go -back over the past, and through the circle of your -acquaintance; are there any against whom you are -cherishing hard feelings? Is there any root of bitterness -springing up against some one who has perhaps -injured you? It may be that for months or years you -have been nursing this unforgiving spirit; how can <i>you</i> -ask God to forgive you? If I am not willing to forgive -those who may have committed some single offence -against me, what a mean, contemptible thing it would -be for me to ask God to forgive the ten thousand sins -of which I have been guilty!</p> - -<p>But Christ goes still further. He says: “If thou -bring thy gift to the altar, and there rememberest that -thy brother hath aught against thee; leave there thy -gift before the altar, and go thy way; first be reconciled -to thy brother, and then come and offer thy gift.” -It may be that you are saying: “I do not know that I -have anything against any one.” Has any one anything -against you? Is there some one who thinks you -have done them wrong? Perhaps you have not; but it -may be they think you have. I will tell you what I -would do before I go to sleep to-night; I would go and -see them, and have the question settled. You will -find that you will be greatly blessed in the very -act.</p> - -<p>Supposing you are in the right and they are in<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_62" id="Page_62">[62]</a></span> -the wrong; you may win your brother or sister. May -God root out of all our hearts this unforgiving spirit.</p> - -<p>A gentleman came to me some time ago, and wanted -me to talk to his wife about her soul. That woman -seemed as anxious as any person I ever met, and I -thought it would not take long to lead her into the -light; but it seemed that the longer I talked with her, the -more her darkness increased. I went to see her again -the next day, and found her in still greater darkness of -soul. I thought there must be something in the way -that I had not discovered, and I asked her to repeat -with me this disciples’ prayer. I thought if she could -say this prayer from the heart, the Lord would meet -her in peace. I began to repeat it sentence after sentence, -and she repeated it after me until I came to this -petition: “Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive -them that trespass against us.” There she stopped. -I repeated it the second time, and waited for her to say -it after me; she said she could not do it. “What is -the trouble?” She replied, “There is one woman I -never will forgive.” “Oh,” I said, “I have got at -your difficulty; it is no use my going on to pray, for -your prayers will not go higher than my head. God -says He will not forgive you unless you forgive others. -If you do not forgive this woman, God will never forgive -you. That is the decree of heaven.” She said, -“Do you mean to say that I cannot be forgiven until I -have forgiven her?” “No, I do not say it; the Lord -says it, and that is far better authority.” Said she, -“Then I will never be forgiven.” I left the house -without having made any impression on her. A few -years after, I heard that this woman was in an asylum<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_63" id="Page_63">[63]</a></span> -for the insane. I believe this spirit of unforgiveness -drove her mad.</p> - -<p>If there is some one who has aught against you, go -at once, and be reconciled. If you have aught against -any one, write to them a letter, telling them that you -forgive them, and so have this thing off your conscience. -I remember being in the inquiry-room some -years ago; I was in one corner of the room, talking to -a young lady. There seemed to be something in the -way, but I could not find out what it was. At last I -said, “Is there not some one you do not forgive?” -She looked up at me, and said, “What made you ask -that? Has anyone told you about me?” “No,” I -said; “but I thought perhaps that might be the case, -as you have not received forgiveness yourself.” “Well,” -she said, pointing to another corner of the room, -where there was a young lady sitting, “I have had -trouble with that young lady; we have not spoken to -each other for a long time.” “Oh,” I said, “it is all -plain to me now; you cannot be forgiven until you are -willing to forgive her.” It was a great struggle. -But then you know, the greater the cross the greater -the blessing. It is human to err, but it is Christ-like to -forgive and be forgiven. At last this young lady said: -“I will go and forgive her.” Strange to say, the same -conflict was going on in the mind of the lady in the -other part of the room. They both came to their -right mind about the same time. They met each other -in the middle of the floor. The one tried to say that she -forgave the other, but they could not finish; so they -rushed into each other’s arms. Then the four of us—the -two seekers and the two workers—got down on our<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_64" id="Page_64">[64]</a></span> -knees together, and we had a grand meeting. These -two went away rejoicing.</p> - -<p>Dear friend, is this the reason why your prayers are -not answered? Is there some friend, some member of -your family, some one in the church, you have not forgiven? -We sometimes hear of members of the same -church who have not spoken to each other for years. -How can we expect God to forgive when this is the -case?</p> - -<p>I remember one town that Mr. Sankey and myself -visited. For a week it seemed as if we were beating -the air; there was no power in the meetings. At last I -said one day that perhaps there was some one cultivating -this unforgiving spirit. The Chairman of our -committee, who was sitting next to me, got up and left -the meeting right in view of the audience. The arrow -had hit the mark, and gone home to the heart of the -Chairman of the committee. He had had trouble with -some one for about six months. He at once hunted up -this man and asked him to forgive him. He came to -me with tears in his eyes, and said: “I thank God you -ever came here.” That night the inquiry-room was -thronged. The Chairman became one of the best -workers I have ever known, and he has been active in -Christian service ever since.</p> - -<p>Several years ago the Church of England sent a -devoted missionary to New Zealand. After a few years -of toil and success, he was one Sabbath holding a communion -service in a district where the converts had not -long since been savages. As the missionary was conducting -the service, he observed one of the men, just -as he was about to kneel at the rail, suddenly start to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_65" id="Page_65">[65]</a></span> -his feet and hastily go the opposite end of the church. -By and by he returned, and calmly took his place. -After service the clergyman took him on one side, and -asked the reason for his strange behavior. He replied: -“As I was about to kneel I recognized in the man next -to me the chief of a neighboring tribe, who had murdered -my father, and drunk his blood; and I had sworn -by all the gods that I would slay that man at the first -opportunity. The impulse to have my revenge, at the -first almost overpowered me, and I rushed away, as -you saw me, to escape the power of it. As I stood at -the other end of the room and considered the object of -our meeting, I thought of Him who prayed for His -own murderers: ‘Father, forgive them, for they know -not what they do.’ And I felt that I could forgive the -murderer of my father, and came and knelt down at -his side.”</p> - -<p>As one has said: “There is an ugly kind of forgiveness -in the world—a kind of hedgehog forgiveness, -shot out like quills. Men take one who has offended, -and set him down before the blow-pipe of their indignation, -and scorch him, and burn his fault into him; -and when they have kneaded him sufficiently with their -fists, then they forgive him.”</p> - -<p>The father of Frederick the Great, on his death-bed, -was warned by M. Roloff, his spiritual adviser, that he -was bound to forgive his enemies. He was quite -troubled, and after a moment’s pause said to the -Queen: “You, Feekin, may write to your brother (the -King of England) <i>after I am dead</i>, and tell him that -I forgave him, and died at peace with him.” “It -would be better,” M. Roloff mildly suggested, “that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_66" id="Page_66">[66]</a></span> -your majesty should write at once.” “No,” was the -stern reply. “Write after I am dead. That will be -safer.”</p> - -<p>Another story tells of a man who, supposing he was -about to die, expressed his forgiveness to one who had -injured him, but added: “Now you mind, if I get well, -the old grudge holds good.”</p> - -<p>My friends, that is not forgiveness at all. I believe -true forgiveness includes forgetting the offence—putting -it entirely away out of our hearts and -memories.</p> - -<p>As Matthew Henry says: “We do not forgive our -offending brother aright nor acceptably, if we do not -forgive him from the heart, for it is that God looks at. -No malice must be harbored there, nor ill-will to any; -no projects of revenge must be hatched there, nor -desires of it, as there are in many who outwardly -appear peaceful and reconciled. We must from the -heart desire and seek the welfare of those who have -offended us.”</p> - -<p>If God’s forgiveness were like that often shown by -us, it would not be worth much. Supposing God said: -“I will forgive you, but I will never forget it; all -through eternity I will keep reminding you of it;” we -should not feel that to be forgiveness at all. Notice -what God says: “I will remember their sin no more.” -In a passage in Ezekiel it is said that not one of our -sins shall be mentioned; is not that like God? I do like -to preach this forgiveness—the sweet truth that sin is -blotted out for time and eternity, and shall never once -be mentioned against us. In another Scripture we read: -“Their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.”<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_67" id="Page_67">[67]</a></span> -Then when you turn to the eleventh chapter of the -Hebrews, and read God’s roll of honor, you find that -not one of the sins of any of those men of faith is -mentioned. Abraham is spoken of as the man of faith; -but it is not told how he denied his wife down in Egypt; -all that had been forgiven. Moses was kept out of the -Promised Land because he lost patience; but this is not -mentioned in the New Testament, though his name -appears in the Apostle’s roll of honor. Samson, too, -is named, but his sins are not brought up again. Why, -we even read of “righteous Lot;” he did not look much -like a righteous man in the Old Testament story, but he -has been forgiven, and God has made him “righteous.” -If we are once forgiven by God, our sins will be -remembered against us no more. This is God’s eternal -decree.</p> - -<p>Brooks says of God’s pardon granted to His people: -“When God pardons sin, He takes it sheer away; that -if it should be sought for, yet it could not be found; as -the prophet Jeremiah speaks: ‘In those days, and in -that time, saith the Lord, the iniquity of Israel shall -be sought for, and there shall be none; and the sins of -Judah, and they shall not be found; for I will pardon -them whom I reserve.’ As David, when he saw in -Mephibosheth the features of his friend Jonathan, took -no notice of his lameness, or any other defect or -deformity; so God, beholding in His people the glorious -image of His Son, winks at all their faults and deformities, -which made Luther say, ‘Do with me what thou -wilt, since Thou hast pardoned my sin.’ And what is -it to pardon sin, but not to mention sin?”</p> - -<p>We read in the Gospel of Matthew: “Moreover, if<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_68" id="Page_68">[68]</a></span> -thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him -his fault between thee and him alone; if he shall hear -thee, thou hast gained thy brother.” Then a little -further on we read that Peter comes to Christ and says: -“How oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive -him? Till seven times?” Jesus replied, “I say not -unto thee, until seven times; but until seventy times -seven.” Peter did not seem to think that <i>he</i> was in danger -of falling into sin; his question was, How often should -I forgive my brother? But very soon we hear that -Peter has fallen. I can imagine that when he did fall, -the sweet thought came to him of what the Master had -said about forgiving until seventy times seven. The -voice of sin may be loud, but the voice of forgiveness -is louder.</p> - -<p>Let us enter into David’s experience, when he said: -“Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose -sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the -Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there -is no guile. When I kept silence, my bones waxed old -through my roaring all the day long. For day and -night Thy hand was heavy upon me; my moisture is -turned into the drought of summer. I acknowledged -my sin unto Thee, and mine iniquity have I not hid. I -said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord; -and Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin.”</p> - -<p>David could look below, above, behind and before; -to the past, present, and future; and know that all was -well. Let us make up our mind, that we will not rest -until this question of sin is for ever settled, so that we -can look up and claim God as our forgiving Father. -Let us be willing to forgive others, that we may be<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_69" id="Page_69">[69]</a></span> -able to claim forgiveness from God, remembering the -words of the Lord Jesus, how He said: “If ye forgive -men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also -forgive you; but if ye forgive not men their trespasses, -neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.”</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_70" id="Page_70">[70]</a></span> - - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_070.jpg" alt="" /></div> -<h2 class="nobreak">Pardon.</h2></div> - -<hr class="tiny" /> -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Now, oh joy! my sins are pardoned!</div> -<div class="indent">Now I can and do believe!</div> -<div class="verse">All I have, and am, and shall be,</div> -<div class="indent">To my precious Lord I give;</div> -<div class="verse">He roused my deathly slumbers,</div> -<div class="indent">He dispersed my soul’s dark night;</div> -<div class="verse">Whispered peace, and drew me to Him</div> -<div class="indent">Made Himself my chief delight.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Let the babe forget its mother,</div> -<div class="indent">Let the bridegroom slight his bride;</div> -<div class="verse">True to him, I’ll love none other,</div> -<div class="indent">Cleaving closely to His side.</div> -<div class="verse">Jesus, hear my soul’s confession;</div> -<div class="indent">Weak am I, but strength is Thine;</div> -<div class="verse">On Thine arms for strength and succor,</div> -<div class="indent">Calmly may my soul recline!”</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verseright"><i>Albert Midlane.</i></div> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_71" id="Page_71">[71]</a></span> -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VII.<br /> - -UNITY.</h2></div> - - -<p>The next thing we need to have, if we would get our -prayers answered, is—<span class="smcap">Unity</span>. If we do not love one -another we certainly shall not have much power with -God in Prayer. One of the saddest things in the present -day is the division in God’s Church. You notice that -when the power of God came upon the early church, -it was when they were all of one accord. I believe the -blessing of Pentecost never would have been given but -for that spirit of unity. If they had been divided -and quarreling among themselves, do you think the -Holy Ghost would have come, and those thousands -been converted? I have noticed in our work, that if -we have gone to a town where three churches were -united in it, we have had greater blessing than if only -one church was in sympathy. And if there have been -twelve churches united, the blessing has multiplied -fourfold; it has always been in proportion to the spirit -of unity that has been manifested. Where there are -bickerings and divisions, and where the spirit of -unity is absent, there is very little blessing and praise.</p> - -<p>Dr. Guthrie thus illustrates this fact; he says: -“Separate the atoms which make the hammer, and -each would fall on the stone as a snowflake; but welded -into one, and wielded by the firm arm of the quarry<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_72" id="Page_72">[72]</a></span> -man, it will break the massive rocks asunder. Divide -the waters of Niagara into distinct and individual drops, -and they would be no more than the falling rain, but in -their united body they would quench the fires of -Vesuvius, and have some to spare for the volcanoes of -other mountains.”</p> - -<p>History tells us that it was agreed upon by both -armies of the Romans and the Albans to put the trial -of all to the issue of a battle betwixt six brethren—three -on the one side, the sons of Curatius, and three -on the other, the sons of Horatius. While the Curatii -were united, though all three sorely wounded, they -killed two of the Heratii. The third began to take to -his heels, though not hurt at all; and when he saw them -follow slowly, one after another, because of wounds and -heavy armor, he fell upon them singly, and slew all -three. It is the cunning sleight of the devil to divide -us that he may destroy us.</p> - -<p>We ought to endure much and sacrifice much, rather -than permit discord and division to prevail in our -hearts. Martin Luther says: “When two goats meet -upon a narrow bridge over deep water, how do they -behave? Neither of them can turn back again, neither -can pass the other, because the bridge is too narrow; if -they should thrust one another they might both fall -into the water and be drowned. Nature, then, has -taught them that if the one lays himself down and -permits the other to go over him, both remain unhurt. -Even so people should rather endure to be trod upon -than to fall into debate and discord one with another.”</p> - -<p>Cawdray says: “As in music, if the harmony of -tones be not complete they are offensive to the cultivated<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_73" id="Page_73">[73]</a></span> -ear; so if Christians disagree among themselves they -are unacceptable to God.”</p> - -<p>There are diversities of gifts—that is clearly taught—but -there is one Spirit. If we have all been redeemed -with the same blood, we ought to see eye to eye in -spiritual things. Paul writes: “Now there are diversities -of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences -of administrations, but the same Lord.”</p> - -<p>Where there is union I do not believe any power, -earthly or infernal, can stand before the work. When -the church, the pulpit, and the pew, get united, and -God’s people are all of one mind, Christianity is like a -red-hot ball rolling over the earth, and all the hosts of -death and hell cannot stand before it. I believe that -men will then come flocking into the Kingdom by -hundreds and thousands. “By this,” says Christ, -“shall all men know that ye are My disciples, if ye have -love one to another.” If only we love one another, and -pray for one another, there will be success. God will -not disappoint us.</p> - -<p>There can be no real separation or division in the -true Church of Christ; they are redeemed by one price, -and indwelt by one Spirit. If I belong to the family -of God, I have been bought with the same blood, though -I may not belong to the same sect or party as another. -What we want to do is to get these miserable sectarian -walls taken away. Our weakness has been in our division; -and what we need is that there should be no -schism or division among those who love the Lord Jesus -Christ. In the First Epistle to the Corinthians we read -of the first symptoms of sectarianism coming into the -early church—</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_74" id="Page_74">[74]</a></span>“Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our -Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, -and that there be no division among you; but that ye be -perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the -same judgment. For it hath been declared unto me of -you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of -Chloe, that there are contentions among you. Now -this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; -and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas, and I of Christ. Is -Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? Or were ye -baptized in the name of Paul?”</p> - -<p>Notice how one said, “I am of Paul;” and another, -“I am of Apollos;” and another, “I am of Cephas.” -Apollos was a young orator, and the people had been -carried away by his eloquence. Some said Cephas, or -Peter, was of the regular Apostolic line, because he had -been with the Lord, and Paul had not. So they were -divided, and Paul wrote this letter in order to settle -the question.</p> - -<p>Jenkyn, in his commentary on the Epistle of Jude, -says: “The partakers of a ‘common salvation,’ who -here agree in one way to heaven, and who expect to be -hereafter in one heaven, should be of one heart. It is -the Apostle’s inference in Ephesians. What an amazing -misery is it, that they who agree in common faith -should disagree like common foes! That Christians -should live as if faith had banished love! This common -faith should allay and temper our spirits in all our -differences. This should moderate our minds, though -there is inequality in earthly relations. What a powerful -motive was that of Joseph’s brethren to him to forgive -their sin, they being both his brethren, and the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_75" id="Page_75">[75]</a></span> -servants of the God of his fathers! Though our own -breath cannot blow out the taper of contention, oh, yet -let the blood of Christ extinguish it!”</p> - -<p>What a strange state of things Paul, Cephas, and -Apollos would find if they would come to the world -to-day! The little tree that sprang up at Corinth has -grown up into a tree like Nebuchadnezzar’s, with many -of the fowls of heaven gathered into it. Suppose Paul -and Cephas were to come down to us now, they would -hear at once about our Churchmen and Dissenters. -“A Dissenter!” says Paul, “what is that?” “We have -a Church of England, and there are those who dissent -from the Church.” “Oh, indeed! Are there two -classes of Christians here, then?” “I am sorry to say -there are a good many more divisions. The Dissenters -themselves are split up. There are Wesleyans, -Baptists, Presbyterians, Independents, and so on; even -these are all divided up.” “Is it possible,” says Paul, -“that there are so many divisions?” “Yes; the Church -of England is pretty well divided itself. There is the -Broad Church, the High Church, the Low Church, and -the High-Lows. Then there is the Lutheran Church; -and away in Russia they have the Greek Church, and -so on.” I declare I do not know what Paul and Cephas -would think if they came back to the world; they would -find a strange state of things. It is one of the most -humiliating things in the present day to see how God’s -family is divided up. If we love the Lord Jesus Christ -the burden of our hearts will be that God may bring -us closer together, so that we may love one another and -rise above all party feeling.</p> - -<p>In repairing a church in one of the Boston wards,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_76" id="Page_76">[76]</a></span> -the inscription upon the wall behind the pulpit was -covered up. Upon the first Sabbath after repairs, -“little five-year-old” whispered to her mother: “I -know why God told the paint men to cover that pretty -verse up. It was because the people did not love -one another.” The inscription was; “A new -commandment I give unto you, that ye love one -another.”</p> - -<p>A Boston minister says he once preached on “The -Recognition of Friends in the Future,” and was told -after service by a hearer, that it would be more to the -point to preach about the recognition of friends here, -as he had been in the church twenty years, and did not -know any of its members.</p> - -<p>I was in a little town some time ago, when one night -as I came out of the meeting, I saw another building -where the people were coming out. I said to a friend, -“Have you got two churches here?” “Oh yes.” -“How do you get on?” “Oh, we get on very well.” -“I am glad to hear that. Was your brother minister -at the meeting?” “Oh no, we don’t have anything to -do with each other. We find that is the best way.” -And they called that “getting on very well.” Oh, may -God make us of one heart and of one mind! Let our -hearts be like drops of water flowing together. Unity -among the people of God is a sort of foretaste of heaven. -There we shall not find any Baptists, or Methodists, or -Congregationalists, or Episcopalians; we shall all be -one in Christ. We leave all our party names behind -us when we leave this earth. Oh that the Spirit of God -may speedily sweep away all these miserable walls that -we have been building up!</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_77" id="Page_77">[77]</a></span>Did you ever notice that the last prayer Jesus Christ -made on earth, before they led Him away to Calvary, -was that His disciples might all be one? He could -look down the stream of time, and see that divisions -would come—how Satan would try to divide the flock -of God. Nothing will silence infidels so quickly as -Christians everywhere being united. Then our testimony -will have weight with the ungodly and the -careless. But when they see how Christians are divided, -they will not believe their testimony. The Holy Spirit -is grieved; and there is little power where there is -no unity.</p> - -<p>If I thought I had one drop of sectarian blood in my -veins, I would let it out before I went to bed; if I had -one sectarian hair in my head, I would pull it out. Let -us get right to the heart of Jesus Christ; then our -prayers will be acceptable to God, and showers of blessings -will descend.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_78" id="Page_78">[78]</a></span> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_078.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">Union.</h2></div> - -<hr class="tiny" /> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Let party names no more be known</div> -<div class="indent">Among the ransomed throng;</div> -<div class="verse">For Jesus claims them for His own;</div> -<div class="indent">To Him they all belong.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“One in their covenant Head and King,</div> -<div class="indent">They should be one in heart;</div> -<div class="verse">Of one salvation all should sing,</div> -<div class="indent">Each claiming his own part.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“One bread, one family, one rock,</div> -<div class="indent">One building, formed by love,</div> -<div class="verse">One fold, one Shepherd, yea, one flock,</div> -<div class="indent">They shall be one above.”</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verseright"><i>Joseph Irons.</i></div> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_79" id="Page_79">[79]</a></span> -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER VIII.<br /> - -FAITH.</h2></div> - - -<p>Another element is <span class="smcap">Faith</span>. It is as important for -us to know how to pray as it is to know how to work. -We are not told that Jesus ever taught His disciples -how to preach, but He taught them how to pray. He -wanted them to have power with God; then He knew -they would have power with man. In James we read: -“If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God ... -and it shall be given him; but let him ask in faith, -nothing wavering.” So faith is the golden key that -unlocks the treasures of heaven. It was the shield -that David took when he met Goliath on the field; he -believed that God was going to deliver the Philistine -into his hands. Some one has said that faith could -lead Christ about anywhere; wherever He found it He -honored it. Unbelief sees something in God’s hand, -and says, “I cannot get it.” Faith sees it, and says, -“I will have it.”</p> - -<p>The new life begins with faith; then we have only to -go on building on that foundation. “I say unto you, -what things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe -that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” But -bear in mind, we must be in earnest when we go to -God.</p> - -<p>I do not know of a more vivid illustration of the cry<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_80" id="Page_80">[80]</a></span> -of distress for help going up to God, in all the earnestness -of deeply realized need, than the following story -supplies:</p> - -<p>Carl Steinman, who visited Mount Hecla, Iceland, -just before the great eruption, in 1845, after a repose -of eighty years, narrowly escaped death by venturing -into the smoking crater against the earnest entreaty of -his guide. On the brink of the yawning gulf he was -prostrated by a convulsion of the summit, and held -there by blocks of lava upon his feet. He graphically -writes:</p> - -<p>“Oh, the horrors of that awful realization! There, -over the mouth of a black and heated abyss, I was held -suspended, a helpless and conscious prisoner, to be -hurled downward by the next great throe of trembling -Nature!</p> - -<p>“‘Help! help! help!—for the love of God, help!’ I -shrieked, in the very agony of my despair.</p> - -<p>“I had nothing to rely upon but the mercy of heaven; -and I prayed to God as I had never prayed before, for -the forgiveness of my sins, that they might not follow -me to judgment.</p> - -<p>“All at once I heard a shout, and, looking around, -I beheld, with feelings that cannot be described, my -faithful guide hastening down the sides of the crater to -my relief.</p> - -<p>“‘I warned you!’ said he.</p> - -<p>“‘You did!’ cried I, ‘but forgive me, and save me, -for I am perishing!’</p> - -<p>“‘I will save you, or perish with you!’</p> - -<p>“The earth trembled, and the rocks parted—one of -them rolling down the chasm with a dull, booming<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_81" id="Page_81">[81]</a></span> -sound. I sprang forward; I seized a hand of the guide, -and the next moment we had both fallen, locked in each -other’s arms, upon the solid earth above. I was free, -but still upon the verge of the pit.”</p> - -<p>Bishop Hall, in a well-known extract, thus puts the -point of earnestness in its relation to the prayer of -faith.</p> - -<p>“An arrow, if it be drawn up but a little way, goes -not far; but, if it be pulled up to the head, flies swiftly -and pierces deep. Thus prayer, if it be only dribbled -forth from careless lips, falls at our feet. It is the -strength of ejaculation and strong desire which sends -it to heaven, and makes it pierce the clouds. It is not -the arithmetic of our prayers, how many they are; nor -the rhetoric of our prayers, how eloquent they be; nor -the geometry of our prayers, how long they be; nor -the music of our prayers, how sweet our voice may be; -nor the logic of our prayers, how argumentative they -may be; nor the method of our prayers, how orderly -they may be; nor even the divinity of our prayers, how -good the doctrine may be;—which God cares for. He -looks not for the horny knees which James is said to -have had through the assiduity of prayer. We might -be like Bartholomew, who is said to have had a hundred -prayers for the morning, and as many for the evening, -and all might be of no avail. Fervency of spirit is -that which availeth much.”</p> - -<p>Archbishop Leighton says: “It is not the gilded -paper and good writing of a petition that prevails with -a king, but the moving sense of it. And to that King -who discerns the heart, heart-sense is the sense of all, -and that which He only regards. He listens to hear<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_82" id="Page_82">[82]</a></span> -what that speaks, and takes all as nothing where that is -silent. All other excellence in prayer is but the outside -and fashion of it. This is the life of it.”</p> - -<p>Brooks says: “As a painted fire is no fire, a dead -man no man, so a cold prayer is no prayer. In a -painted fire there is no heat, in a dead man there is no -life; so in a cold prayer there is no omnipotency, no -devotion, no blessing. Cold prayers are as arrows -without heads, as swords without edges, as birds without -wings; they pierce not, they cut not, they fly not up to -heaven. Cold prayers do always freeze before they -get to heaven. Oh that Christians would chide themselves -out of their cold prayers, and chide themselves -into a better and warmer frame of spirit, when they -make their supplications to the Lord!”</p> - -<p>Take the case of the Syrophenician woman. When -she called to the Master, it seemed for a time as if He -were deaf to her request. The disciples wanted her to -be sent away. Although they were with Christ for -three years, and sat at His feet, yet they did not know -how full of grace His heart was. Think of Christ -sending away a poor sinner who had come to Him for -mercy! Can you conceive such a thing? Never once -did it occur. This poor woman put herself in the place -of her child. “Lord, help me!” she said. I think -when we get so far as that in the earnest desire to have -our friends blessed—when we put ourselves in their -place—God will soon hear our prayer.</p> - -<p>I remember, a number of years ago at a meeting, I -asked all those who wished to be prayed for to come -forward and kneel or take seats in front. Among those -who came was a woman. I thought by her looks that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_83" id="Page_83">[83]</a></span> -she must be a Christian, but she knelt down with the -others. I said: “You are a Christian, are you not?” -She said she had been one for so many years. “Did -you understand the invitation? I asked those only -who wanted to become Christians.” I shall never forget -the look on her face as she replied, “I have a -son who has gone far away; I thought I would take his -place to-day, and see if God would not bless him.” -Thank God for such a mother as that!</p> - -<p>The Syrophenician woman did the same thing—“Lord -help <i>me</i>!” It was a short prayer, but it went -right to the heart of the Son of God. He tried her -faith, however. He said: “It is not meet to take the -children’s bread and cast it to dogs.” She replied: -“Truth, Lord; yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which -fall from their masters’ table.” “O woman, great is -thy faith!” What a eulogy He paid to her! Her story -will never be forgotten as long as the church is on the -earth. He honored her faith, and gave her all she asked -for. Every one can say, “Lord, help me!” We all need -help. As Christians, we need more grace, more love, -more purity of life, more righteousness? Then let us -make this prayer to-day. I want God to help me to -preach better and to live better, to be more like the Son -of God. The golden chains of faith link us right to -the throne of God, and the grace of heaven flows down -into our souls.</p> - -<p>I do not know but that woman was a great sinner; -still, the Lord heard her cry. It may be that up to -this hour you have been living in sin; but if you will -cry, “Lord help me!” He will answer your prayer, if it -is an honest one. Very often when we cry to God we<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_84" id="Page_84">[84]</a></span> -do not really mean anything. You mothers understand -that. Your children have two voices. When they ask -you for anything, you can soon tell if the cry is a make-believe -one or not. If it is, you do not give any heed -to it; but if it is a real cry for help, how quickly you -respond! The cry of distress always brings relief. -Your child is playing around, and it says, “Mamma, I -want some bread;” but it goes on playing. You know -that it is not very hungry; so you let it alone. But, by -and by, the child drops the toys, and comes tugging at -your dress. “Mamma, I am so hungry!” Then you -know that the cry is a real one; you soon go to the -pantry, and get some bread. When we are in earnest -for the bread of heaven, we will get it. This woman -was terribly in earnest; therefore her petition was -answered.</p> - -<p>I remember hearing of a boy brought up in an -English almshouse. He had never learned to read or -write, except that he could read the letters of the alphabet. -One day a man of God came there, and told the -children that if they prayed to God in their trouble, -He would send them help. After a time, this boy was -apprenticed to a farmer. One day he was sent out -into the fields to look after some sheep. He was having -rather a hard time; so he remembered what the -preacher had said, and he thought he would pray to -God about it. Some one going by the field heard a -voice behind the hedge. They looked to see whose it -was, and saw the little fellow on his knees, saying, “A, -B, C, D,” and so on. The man said, “My boy, what -are you doing?” He looked up, and said he was praying. -“Why, that is not praying; it is only saying<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_85" id="Page_85">[85]</a></span> -the alphabet.” He said he did not know just how to -pray, but a man once came to the poor-house, who told -them that if they called upon God, He would help -them. So he thought that if he named over the letters -of the alphabet, God would take them and put -together into a prayer, and give him what he wanted. -The little fellow was really praying. Sometimes, when -your child talks, your friends cannot understand what -he says; but the mother understands very well. So if -our prayer comes right from the heart, God understands -our language. It is a delusion of the devil to -think we cannot pray; we can, if we really want anything. -It is not the most beautiful or the most eloquent -language that brings down the answer; it is the -cry that goes up from a burdened heart. When this -poor Gentile woman cried out, “Lord, help me!” the cry -flashed over the divine wires and the blessing came. -So you can pray if you will; it is the desire, the wish -of the heart, that God delights to hear and to answer.</p> - -<p>Then we must <i>expect</i> to receive a blessing. When -the centurion wanted Christ to heal his servant, he -thought he was not worthy to go and ask the Lord -himself, so he sent his friends to make the petition. He -sent out messengers to meet the Master, and say, “Do -not trouble yourself to come; all you have to do is to -speak the word, and the disease will go.” Jesus said -to the Jews, “I have not found so great faith, no, not -in Israel.” He marvelled at the faith of this centurion; -it pleased Him, so that he healed the servant then and -there. Faith brought the answer.</p> - -<p>In John we read of a nobleman whose child was -sick. The father fell on his knees before the Master,<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_86" id="Page_86">[86]</a></span> -and said, “Come down, ere my child die.” Here you -have both earnestness and faith; and the Lord answered -the prayer at once. The nobleman’s son began to -amend that very hour. Christ honored the man’s faith.</p> - -<p>In his case there was nothing to rest upon but the -bare word of Christ, but this was enough. It is well to -bear always in mind, that the object of faith is not the -creature, but the Creator; not the instrument, but the -Hand that wields it.</p> - -<p>Richard Sibbes puts it for us thus: “The object in -believing is God, and Christ as Mediator. We must -have both to found our faith upon. We cannot believe -in God, except we believe in Christ. For God must be -satisfied by God; and by Him that is God must that -satisfaction be applied—the Spirit of God—by working -faith in the heart, and for raising it up when it is -dejected. All is supernatural in faith. The things we -believe are above nature; the promises are above nature; -the worker of it, the Holy Ghost, is above nature; -and everything in faith is above nature. There must -be a God in whom we believe, and a God through whom -we may know that Christ is God—not only by that -which Christ hath done, the miracles, which none could -do but God, but also by what is done to Him. And two -things are done to Him, which show that He is God—that -is, faith and prayer. We must believe only in God, -and pray only to God; but Christ is the object of both -these. Here He is set forth as the object of faith, and -of prayer in that of Saint Stephen, ‘Lord Jesus, -receive my spirit.’ And, therefore, He is God; for -that is done unto Him which is proper and peculiar -only to God. Oh, what a strong foundation, what bottom<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_87" id="Page_87">[87]</a></span> -and basis our faith hath! There is God the Father, Son -and Holy Ghost, and Christ the Mediator. That our -faith may be supported, we have Him to believe on -who supports heaven and earth.</p> - -<p>“There is nothing that can lie in the way of the -accomplishment of any of God’s promises, but it is -conquerable by faith.”</p> - -<p>As Samuel Rutherford says, commenting on the case -of the Syrophenician woman: “See the sweet use of -faith under a sad temptation; faith trafficketh with -Christ and heaven in the dark, upon plain trust and -credit, without seeing any surety of dawn: Blessed -are they that have not seen, and yet have believed. -And the reason is because faith is sinewed and boned -with spiritual courage; so as to keep a barred city -against hell, yea, and to stand under impossibilities; -and here is a weak woman, though not as a woman, yet -as a believer, standing out against Him who is ‘the -Mighty God, the Father of Ages, the Prince of Peace.’ -Faith only standeth out, and overcometh the sword, the -world, and all afflictions. This is our victory, whereby -one man overcometh the great and vast world.”</p> - -<p>Bishop Ryle has said of Christ’s intercession as the -ground and sureness of our faith: “The bank-note -without a signature at the bottom is nothing but a -worthless piece of paper. The stroke of a pen confers -on it all its value. The prayer of a poor child of Adam -is a feeble thing in itself, but once indorsed by the -hand of the Lord Jesus, it availeth much. There was -an officer in the city of Rome who was appointed to -have his doors always open, in order to receive any -Roman citizen who applied to him for help. Just so<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_88" id="Page_88">[88]</a></span> -the ear of the Lord Jesus is ever open to the cry of all -who want mercy and grace. It is His office to help -them. Their prayer is His delight.” Reader, think of -this. Is not this encouragement?</p> - -<p>Let us close this chapter by referring to some of our -Lord’s own words concerning faith in its relation to -prayer:</p> - -<p>“And when He saw a fig-tree in the way, He came -to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and -said unto it: Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward -for ever. And presently the fig-tree withered away. -And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, -How soon is the fig-tree withered away! Jesus answered -and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, if ye have -faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is -done to the fig-tree, but also if ye shall say unto this -mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the -sea, it shall be done. And all things whatsoever ye -shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.”</p> - -<p>So again our Lord says: “Verily, verily, I say -unto you, he that believeth on Me, the works that I do -shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he -do; because I go unto My Father. And whatsoever ye -shall ask in My name, that will I do, that the Father -may be glorified in the Son. If ye shall ask anything -in My name, I will do it.” And further: “If ye abide -in Me, and my words abide in you, ye shall ask what -ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” “Verily, verily, -I say unto you, whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in -My name, He will give it you. Hitherto have ye asked -nothing in My name; ask, and ye shall receive, that -your joy may be full.”</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_89" id="Page_89">[89]</a></span> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_089.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<h2 class="nobreak">“Have Faith in God.”</h2></div> - -<hr class="tiny" /> -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Have faith in God, for He who reigns on high</div> -<div class="verse">Hath borne thy grief, and hears the suppliant’s sigh;</div> -<div class="verse">Still to His arms, thine only refuge, fly,</div> -<div class="indent3">Have faith in God!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Fear not to call on Him, O soul distressed!</div> -<div class="verse">Thy sorrow’s whisper woos thee to His breast;</div> -<div class="verse">He who is oftenest there is oftenest blest.</div> -<div class="indent3">Have faith in God!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Lean not on Egypt’s reeds; slake not thy thirst</div> -<div class="verse">At earthly cisterns. Seek the Kingdom first.</div> -<div class="verse">Though man and Satan fright thee with their worst,</div> -<div class="indent3">Have faith in God!</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Go, tell Him all! The sigh thy bosom heaves</div> -<div class="verse">Is heard in heaven. Strength and peace He gives,</div> -<div class="verse">Who gave Himself for thee. Our Jesus lives;</div> -<div class="indent3">Have faith in God!”</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verseright"><i>Anna Shipton.</i></div> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_90" id="Page_90">[90]</a></span> -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER IX.<br /> - -PETITION.</h2></div> - - -<p>The next element in prayer that I notice is <span class="smcap">Petition</span>. -How often we go to prayer-meetings without really -asking for anything! Our prayers go all round the -world, without anything definite being asked for. We -do not expect anything. Many people would be greatly -surprised if God did answer their prayers. I remember -hearing of a very eloquent man who was leading a -meeting in prayer. There was not a single definite -petition in the whole. A poor, earnest woman shouted -out: “Ask Him summat, man.” How often you hear -what is called prayer without any asking! “Ask, and -ye shall receive.”</p> - -<p>I believe if we put all the stumbling-blocks out of -the way, God will answer our petitions. If we put -away sin and come into His presence with pure hands, -as He has commanded us to come, our prayers will -have power with Him. In Luke’s Gospel we have as -a grand supplement to the “Disciples’ Prayer,” “Ask -and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; -knock, and it shall be opened unto you.” Some people -think God does not like to be troubled with our constant -coming and asking. The only way to trouble God -is not to come at all. He encourages us to come to -Him repeatedly, and press our claims.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_91" id="Page_91">[91]</a></span>I believe you will find three kinds of Christians in -the church to-day. The first are those who <i>ask</i>; -the second those who <i>seek</i>; and the third those who -<i>knock</i>.</p> - -<p>“Teacher,” said a bright, earnest-faced boy, “why -is it that so many prayers are unanswered? I do not -understand. The Bible says, ‘Ask, and ye shall receive; -seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened -unto you;’ but it seems to me a great many knock and -are not admitted.”</p> - -<p>“Did you never sit by your cheerful parlor fire,” said -the teacher, “on some dark evening, and hear a loud -knocking at the door? Going to answer the summons, -have you not sometimes looked out into the darkness, -seeing nothing, but hearing the pattering feet of some -mischievous boy, who knocked but did not wish to enter, -and therefore ran away? Thus is it often with us. We -ask for blessings, but do not really expect them; we -knock, but do not mean to enter; we fear that Jesus will -not hear us, will not fulfil His promises, will not admit -us; and so we go away.”</p> - -<p>“Ah, I see,” said the earnest-faced boy, his eyes -shining with the new light dawning in his soul: -“Jesus cannot be expected answer <i>runaway</i> knocks. -He has never promised it. I mean to keep knocking, -knocking, until He <i>cannot help opening the door</i>.”</p> - -<p>Too often we knock at mercy’s door, and then run -away, instead of waiting for an entrance and an answer. -Thus we act as if we were afraid of having our prayers -answered.</p> - -<p>A great many people pray in that way; they do not -wait for the answer. Our Lord teaches us here that<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_92" id="Page_92">[92]</a></span> -we are not only to ask, but we are to wait for the -answer; if it does not come, we must seek to find out -the reason. I believe that we get a good many blessings -just by asking; others we do not get, because there may -be something in our life that needs to be brought to -light. When Daniel began to pray in Babylon for the -deliverance of his people, he sought to find out what -the trouble was, and why God had turned away His -face from them. So there may be something in our -life that is keeping back the blessing; if there is, we -want to find it out. Some one, speaking on this subject, -has said: “We are to ask with a beggar’s humility, to -seek with a servant’s carefulness, and to knock with the -confidence of a friend.”</p> - -<p>How often people become discouraged, and say they -do not know whether or not God does answer prayer! -In the parable of the importunate widow, Christ teaches -us how we are not only to pray and seek, but to find. -If the unjust judge heard the petition of the poor -woman who pushed her claims, how much more will -our Heavenly Father hear our cry! A good many -years ago an Irishman in the State of New Jersey was -condemned to be hung. Every possible influence was -brought to bear upon the Governor to have the man -reprieved; but he stood firm, and refused to alter the -sentence. One morning the wife of the condemned -man, with her ten children, went to see the Governor. -When he came to his office, they all fell on their -faces before him, and besought him to have mercy on -the husband—the father. The Governor’s heart was -moved; and he at once wrote out a reprieve. The -importunity of the wife and children saved the life of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_93" id="Page_93">[93]</a></span> -the man, just as the woman in the parable, who, pressing -her claims, induced the unjust judge to grant her -request.</p> - -<p>It was this that brought the answer to the prayer of -blind Bartimeus. The people, and even the disciples, -tried to hush him into silence; but he only cried out -the louder, “Thou Son of David, have mercy on me!”</p> - -<p>Prayer is hardly ever mentioned in the Bible alone; -it is prayer and earnestness; prayer and watchfulness; -prayer and thanksgiving. It is an instructive fact that -throughout Scripture prayer is always linked with -something else. Bartimeus was in earnest, and the -Lord heard his cry.</p> - -<p>Then the highest type of Christian is the one who -has got clear beyond asking and seeking, and keeps -knocking till the answer comes. If we knock, God has -promised to open the door and grant our request. It -may be years before the answer comes; He may keep -us knocking; but He has promised that the answer will -come.</p> - -<p>I will tell you what I think it means to knock. A -number of years ago, when we were having meetings -in a certain city, it came to a point where there seemed -to be very little power. We called together all the -mothers, and asked them to meet and pray for their -children. About fifteen hundred mothers came together, -and poured out their hearts to God in prayer. One -mother said: “I wish you would pray for my two boys. -They have gone off on a drunken spree; and it seems -as if my heart would break.” She was a widowed -mother. A few mothers gathered together, and said: -“Let us have a prayer-meeting for these boys.” They<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_94" id="Page_94">[94]</a></span> -cried to God for these two wandering boys; and now -see how God answered their prayer.</p> - -<p>That day these two brothers had planned to meet at -the corner of the street where our meetings were being -held. They were going to spend the night in debauchery -and sin. About seven o’clock the first one came to -the appointed place; he saw the people going into the -meeting. As it was a stormy night, he thought he -would go in for a little while. The word of God -reached him, and he went into the inquiry-room, where -he gave his heart to the Savior.</p> - -<p>The other brother waited at the corner until the meeting -broke up, expecting his brother to come; he did not -know that he had been in the meeting. There was a -young men’s meeting in the church near by, and this -brother thought he would like to see what was going -on; so he followed the crowd into the meeting. He -also was impressed with what he heard, and was the -first one to go into the inquiry-room, where he found -peace. While this was happening, the first one had -gone home to cheer his mother’s heart with the good -news. He found her on her knees. She had been -knocking at the mercy-seat. While she was doing so, -her boy came in and told her that her prayers had -been answered; his soul was saved. It was not long -before the other brother came in and told his story—how -he, too, had been blessed.</p> - -<p>On the following Monday night, the first to get up -at the young converts’ meeting was one of these brothers, -who told the story of their conversion. No sooner had -he taken his seat, than the other jumped up and said: -“All that my brother has told you is true, for I am<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_95" id="Page_95">[95]</a></span> -his brother. The Lord has indeed met us and blessed -us.”</p> - -<p>I heard of a wife in England who had an unconverted -husband. She resolved that she would pray every day -for twelve months for his conversion. Every day at -twelve o’clock she went to her room alone and cried to -God. Her husband would not allow her to speak to -him on the subject; but she could speak to God on his -behalf. It may be that you have a friend who does -not wish to be spoken with about his salvation; you can -do as this woman did—go and pray to God about it. -The twelve months passed away, and there was no sign -of his yielding. She resolved to pray for six months -longer; so every day she went alone and prayed for the -conversion of her husband. The six months passed, -and still there was no sign, no answer. The question -arose in her mind, could she give him up? “No,” she -said; “I will pray for him as long as God gives me -breath.” That very day, when he came home to dinner, -instead of going into the dining-room he went -upstairs. She waited, and waited, and waited; but he -did not come down to dinner. Finally she went to his -room, and found him on his knees crying to God to -have mercy upon him. God convicted him of sin; he -not only became a Christian, but the Word of God had -free course, and was glorified in him. God used him -mightily. That was God answering the prayers of this -Christian wife; she knocked, and knocked, till the answer -came.</p> - -<p>I heard something the other day that cheered me -greatly. Prayer had been made for a man for about -forty years, but there was no sign of any answer. It<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_96" id="Page_96">[96]</a></span> -seemed as though he was going down to his grave one -of the most self-righteous men on the face of the earth. -Conviction came in one night. In the morning he sent -for the members of his family, and said to his daughter: -“I want you to pray for me. Pray that God would forgive -my sins; my whole life has been nothing but sin—sin.” -And all this conviction came in one night. What -we want is to press our case right up to the throne of -God. I have often known cases of men who came to -our meetings, and although they could not hear a word -that was said, it seemed as though some unseen power -laid hold of them, so that they were convicted and converted -then and there.</p> - -<p>I remember at one place where we were holding -meetings, a wife came to the first meeting and asked -me to talk with her husband. “He is not interested,” -she said, “but I am in hopes he will become so.” I -talked with him, and I think I hardly ever spoke to a -man who seemed to be so self-righteous. It looked as -though I might as well have talked to an iron post, he -seemed to be so encased in self-righteousness. I said -to his wife that he was not at all interested. She said, -“I told you that, but I am interested for him.” All -the thirty days we were there that wife never gave him -up. I must confess she had ten times more faith for -him than I had. I had spoken to him several times, -but I could see no ray of hope. The last night but -two the man came to me and said: “Would you see me -in another room?” I went, aside with him, and asked -him what was the trouble. He said, “I am the greatest -sinner in the State of Vermont.” “How is that?” I -said, “Is there any particular sin you have been guilty<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_97" id="Page_97">[97]</a></span> -of?” I must confess I thought he had committed -some awful crime, which he was covering up, and that -he now wanted to make confession. “My whole life,” -he said, “has been nothing but sin. God has shown it -to me to-day.” He asked the Lord to have mercy on -him, and he went home rejoicing in the assurance of -sins forgiven. There was a man convicted and converted -in answer to prayer. So if you are anxious -about the conversion of some relative, or some friend, -make up your mind that you will give God no rest, day -or night, till He grants your petition. He can reach -them, wherever they are—at their places of business, -in their homes, or anywhere—and bring them to His -feet.</p> - -<p>Dr. Austin Phelps, in his “Still Hour,” says: “The -prospect of gaining an object will always affect thus the -expression of intense desire. The feeling which will -become spontaneous with a Christian under the -influence of such a trust is this: ‘I come to my devotions -this morning on an errand of real life. This is -no romance, and no farce. I do not come here to go -through a form of words; I have no hopeless desires to -express. I have an object to gain; I have an end to -accomplish. This is a business in which I am about to -engage. An astronomer does not turn his telescope to -the skies with a more reasonable hope of penetrating -those distant heavens, than I have of reaching the mind -of God by lifting up my heart at the throne of grace. -This is the privilege of my calling of God in Christ -Jesus. Even my faltering voice is now to be heard in -heaven; and it is to put forth a new power there, the -results of which only God can know, and only eternity<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_98" id="Page_98">[98]</a></span> -can develop. Therefore, O Lord, Thy servant findeth -it in his heart to pray this prayer unto Thee!’”</p> - -<p>Jeremy Taylor says: “Easiness of desire is a great -enemy to the success of a good man’s prayer. It must -be an intent, zealous, busy, operative prayer; for consider -what a huge indecency it is that a man should -speak to God for a thing that he values not! Our -prayers upbraid our spirits when we beg tamely for -those things for which we ought to die, which are more -precious than imperial sceptres, richer than the spoils -of the sea, or the treasures of Indian hills.”</p> - -<p>Dr. Patton, in his work on “Remarkable Answers to -Prayer,” says: “Jesus bids us seek. Imagine a mother -seeking a lost child. She looks through the house, and -along the streets, then searches the fields and woods, -and examines the river-banks. A wise neighbor meets -her and says: ‘Seek on, look everywhere; search every -accessible place. You will not find, indeed; but then -seeking is a good thing. It puts the mind on the -stretch; it fixes the attention; it aids observation; it -makes the idea of the child very real. And then, after -a while, you will cease to want your child.’ The -words of Christ are, ‘Knock, and it shall be opened -unto you.’ Imagine a man knocking at the door of a -house, long and loud. After he has done this for an -hour, a window opens, and the occupant of the house -puts out his head and says: ‘That is right, my friend; -I shall not open the door, but keep on knocking—it is -excellent exercise, and you will be the healthier for -it. Knock away till sundown; and then come again, -and knock all to-morrow. After some days thus spent -you will attain to a state of mind in which you will no<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_99" id="Page_99">[99]</a></span> -longer care to come in.’ Is this what Jesus intended -us to understand, when He said—‘Ask, and ye shall -receive; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be -opened unto you?’ No doubt one would thus soon cease -to ask, to seek, and to knock; but would it not be from -disgust?”</p> - -<p>Nothing is more pleasing to our Father in heaven -than direct, importunate, and persevering prayer. Two -Christian ladies, whose husbands were unconverted, -feeling their great danger, agreed to spend one hour -each day in united prayer for their salvation. This was -continued for seven years, when they debated whether -they should pray longer, so useless did their prayers -appear. They decided to persevere till death, and, if their -husbands went to destruction, it should be laden with -prayers. In renewed strength, they prayed three years -longer, when one of them was awakened in the night -by her husband, who was in great distress for sin. As -soon as the day dawned, she hastened, with joy, to tell -her praying companion that God was about to answer -their prayers. What was her surprise to meet her -friend coming to her on the same errand! Thus ten -years of united and persevering prayer was crowned -with the conversion of both husbands on the same day.</p> - -<p>We cannot be too frequent in our requests; God -will not weary of His children’s prayers. Sir Walter -Raleigh asked a favor of Queen Elizabeth, to which she -replied, “Raleigh, when will you leave off begging?” -“When your Majesty leaves off giving,” he replied. So -long must we continue praying.</p> - -<p>Mr. George Muller, in a recent address given by him -in Calcutta, said that in 1844 five individuals were laid<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_100" id="Page_100">[100]</a></span> -on his heart, and he began to pray for them. Eighteen -months passed away before one of them was converted. -He prayed on for five years more, and another was converted. -At the end of twelve years and a half, a third -was converted. And now for forty years he had been -praying for the other two, without missing one single -day on any account whatever; but they were not yet -converted. He felt encouraged, however, to continue in -prayer; and he was sure of receiving an answer in -relation to the two who were still resisting the Spirit.</p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_101" id="Page_101">[101]</a></span> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_101.jpg" alt="" /></div> - - -<h2 class="nobreak">“To See His Face.”</h2></div> -<hr class="tiny" /> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Sweet is the precious gift of prayer,</div> -<div class="indent">To bow before a throne of grace;</div> -<div class="verse">To leave our every burden there,</div> -<div class="indent">And gain new strength to run our race;</div> -<div class="verse">To gird our heavenly armor on,</div> -<div class="verse">Depending on the Lord alone.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“And sweet the whisper of His love,</div> -<div class="indent">When conscience sinks beneath its load,</div> -<div class="verse">That bids our guilty fears remove,</div> -<div class="indent">And points to Christ’s atoning blood;</div> -<div class="verse">Oh, then ’tis sweet indeed to know</div> -<div class="verse">God can be just and gracious too.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“But oh, to see our Savior’s face!</div> -<div class="indent">From sin and sorrow to be freed!</div> -<div class="verse">To dwell in His divine embrace—</div> -<div class="indent">This will be sweeter far indeed!</div> -<div class="verse">The fairest form of earthly bliss</div> -<div class="verse">Is less than nought, compared with this.”</div> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_102" id="Page_102">[102]</a></span> -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER X.<br /> - -SUBMISSION.</h2></div> - - -<p>Another essential element in prayer is <span class="smcap">Submission</span>. -All true prayer must be offered in full submission to -God. After we have made our requests known to Him, -our language should be, “Thy will be done.” I would -a thousand times rather that God’s will should be done -than my own. I cannot see into the future as God can; -therefore, it is a good deal better to let Him choose for -me than to choose for myself. I know His mind about -spiritual things. His will is that I should be sanctified; -so I can with confidence pray to God for that, and -expect an answer to my prayers. But when it comes -to temporal matters, it is different; what I ask for may -not be God’s purpose concerning me.</p> - -<p>As one has well put it: “Depend upon it, prayer -does not mean that I am to bring God down to my -thoughts and my purposes, and bend His government -according to my foolish, silly, and sometimes sinful -notions. Prayer means that I am to be raised up into -feeling, into union and design with Him; that I am to -enter into His counsel, and carry out His purpose -fully. I am afraid sometimes we think of prayer as -altogether of an opposite character, as if thereby we -persuaded or influenced our Father in heaven to do -whatever comes into our own minds, and whatever<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_103" id="Page_103">[103]</a></span> -would accomplish our foolish, weak-sighted purposes. -I am quite convinced of this, that God knows better -what is best for me and for the world than I can possibly -know; and even though it were in my power to say, -‘<i>My</i> will be done,’ I would rather say to Him, ‘<i>Thy</i> -will be done.’”</p> - -<p>It is reported of a woman, who, being sick, was asked -whether she was willing to live or die, that she answered, -“Which God pleases.” “But,” said one, “if God should -refer it to you, which would you choose?” “Truly,” -replied she, “I would refer it to Him again.” Thus -that man obtains his will of God, whose will is subjected -to God.</p> - -<p>Mr. Spurgeon remarks on this subject, “The believing -man resorts to God at all times, that he may keep -up his fellowship with the Divine mind. Prayer is not -a soliloquy, but a dialogue; not an introspection, but a -looking toward the hills, whence cometh our help. -There is a relief in unburdening the mind to a sympathetic -friend, and faith feels this abundantly; but -there is more than this in prayer. When an obedient -activity has gone to the full length of its line, and yet -the needful thing is not reached, then the hand of God -is trusted in to go beyond us, just as before it was relied -upon to go with us. Faith has no desire to have its own -will, when that will is not in accordance with the mind -of God; for such a desire would at bottom be the -impulse of an unbelief which did not rely upon God’s -judgment as our best guide. Faith knows that God’s -will is the highest good, and that anything which is -beneficial to us will be granted to our petitions.”</p> - -<p>History informs us that the Tusculani, a people of<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_104" id="Page_104">[104]</a></span> -Italy, having offended the Romans, whose power was -infinitely superior to theirs, Camillus, at the head of a -considerable army, was on his march to subdue them. -Conscious of their inability to cope with such an enemy, -they took the following method to appease him: They -declined all thoughts of resistance, set open their gates, -and every man applied himself to his proper business, -resolving to submit where they knew it was in vain to -contend. Camillus, entering their city, was struck with -the wisdom and candor of their conduct, and addressed -himself to them in these words: “You only, of all -people, have found out the true method of abating the -Roman fury; and your submission has proved your best -defense. Upon these terms, we can no more find in our -heart to injure you than upon other terms you could -have found power to oppose us.” The chief magistrate -replied: “We have so sincerely repented of our former -folly, that in confidence of that satisfaction to a generous -enemy, we are not afraid to acknowledge our fault.”</p> - -<p>In view of the difficulty of bringing our hearts to this -complete submission to the Divine will, we may well -adopt Fenelon’s prayer: “O God, take my heart, for I -cannot give it; and when Thou hast it, keep it; for I -cannot keep it for Thee; and save me in spite of myself.”</p> - -<p>Some of the best men the world has ever seen have -made great mistakes on this point. Moses could pray -for Israel, and could prevail with God; but God did -not answer his petition for himself. He asked that -God would take him over Jordan, that he might see -Lebanon; and after the forty years’ wandering in the -wilderness, he desired to go into the Promised Land; -but the Lord did not grant his desire. Was that a<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_105" id="Page_105">[105]</a></span> -sign that God did not love him? By no means. He -was a man greatly beloved of God, like Daniel; and yet -God did not answer this prayer of his. Your child says, -“I want this or that,” but you do not grant the request, -because you know that it will be the ruin of the child -to give him everything he wants. Moses wished to -enter the Promised Land; but the Lord had something -else in store for him. As some one has said, God kissed -away his soul, and took him home to Himself. “God -buried him”—the greatest honor ever paid to mortal man.</p> - -<p>Fifteen hundred years afterward God answered the -prayer of Moses; He allowed him to go into the Promised -Land, and to get a glimpse of the coming glory. -On the Mount of Transfiguration, with Elijah, the -great prophet, and with Peter, James, and John, he -heard the voice come from the throne of God, “This -is My beloved Son; hear ye Him.” That was better -than to have gone over Jordan, as Joshua did, and to -sojourn for thirty years in the land of Canaan. So -when our prayers for earthly things are not answered, -let us submit to the will of God, and know that it is -all right.</p> - -<p>When one inquired of a deaf and dumb boy why he -thought he was born deaf and dumb, taking the chalk -he wrote upon the board, “Even so, Father; for so it -seemed good in Thy sight.”</p> - -<p>John Brown, of Haddington, once said. “No doubt -I have met with trials like others; but yet so kind has -God been to me, that I think if He were to give me as -many years as I have lived in the world, I would not -desire one single circumstance in my lot changed, -except that I wish there had been less sin. It might<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_106" id="Page_106">[106]</a></span> -be written on my coffin, ‘Here lies one of the cares of -Providence, who early lost both father and mother, -and yet never wanted for the care of either.’”</p> - -<p>Elijah was mighty in prayer; he brought fire down -from heaven on his sacrifice, and his petitions brought -rain on the thirsty land. He stood fearlessly before -King Ahab in the power of prayer. Yet we find him -sitting under a juniper-tree like a coward, asking God -that He would let him die. The Lord loved him too -well for that; He was going to take him up to heaven -in a chariot of fire. So we must not allow the devil to -take advantage of us, and make us believe that God -does not love us because He does not grant all our -petitions in the time and way we would have Him do.</p> - -<p>As Moses takes up more room in the Old Testament -than any other character, so it is with Paul in the New -Testament, except, perhaps, the Lord Himself. Yet -Paul did not know how to pray for himself. He -besought the Lord to take away “the thorn in the -flesh.” His request was not granted; but the Lord -bestowed upon him a greater blessing. He gave him -more grace. It may be we have some trial—some -thorn in the flesh. If it is not God’s will to take it -away, let us ask Him to give us more grace, in order to -bear it. We find that Paul gloried in his reverses -and his infirmities, because all the more the power of -God rested upon him. It may be there are some of us -who feel as if everything is against us. May God give -us grace to take Paul’s platform and say: “All things -work together for good to them that love God.” So -when we pray to God we must be submissive, and say, -“Thy will be done.”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_107" id="Page_107">[107]</a></span>In the Gospel of John we read: “If ye” (that “if” -is a mountain to begin with), “If ye abide in Me, and -My words abide in you, ye shall ask what ye will, and -it shall be done unto you.” The latter part is often -quoted, but not the first. Why, there is very little abiding -in Christ now-a-days! You go and visit Him once -in a while; but that is all. If Christ is in my heart, of -course I will not ask anything that is against His will. -And how many of us have God’s Word abiding in us? -We must have a warrant for our prayers. If we have -some great desire, we must search the Scriptures to -find if it be right to ask it. There are many things -we want that are not good for us; and many other -things we desire to avoid are really our best blessings. -A friend of mine was shaving one morning, and his -little boy, not four years old, asked him for his razor, -and said he wanted to whittle with it. When he found -he could not get it, he began to cry as if his heart -would break. I am afraid that there are a great many -of us who are praying for razors. John Bunyan blessed -God for that Bedford jail more than for anything else -that happened to him in this life. We never pray for -affliction; and yet it is often the best thing we could ask.</p> - -<p>Dyer says: “Afflictions are blessings to us when we -can bless God for afflictions. Suffering has kept many -from sinning. God had one Son without sin; but He -never had any without sorrow. Fiery trials make -golden Christians; sanctified afflictions are spiritual -promotions.”</p> - -<p>Rutherford beautifully writes, in reference to the -value of sanctified trial, and the wisdom of submitting -in it to God’s will: “Oh, what owe I to the file, to the<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_108" id="Page_108">[108]</a></span> -hammer, to the furnace of my Lord Jesus, who hath -now let me see how good the wheat of Christ is that -goeth through His mill and His oven, to be made bread -for His own table! Grace tried is better than grace; -and it is more than grace; it is glory in its infancy. I -now see that Godliness is more than the outside, and -this world’s passments and their bushings. Who knoweth -the truth of grace without a trial? Oh, how little -getteth Christ of us, but that which He winneth (to -speak so) with much toil and pains! And how soon -would faith freeze without a cross! How many dumb -crosses have been laid upon my back, that had never a -tongue to speak the sweetness of Christ, as this hath! -When Christ blesseth His own crosses with a tongue, -they breathe out Christ’s love, wisdom, kindness, and -care for us. Why should I start at the plough of my -Lord, that maketh deep furrows on my soul? I know -that He is no idle husbandman; He purposeth a crop. -Oh that this white, withered lea-ground were made fertile -to bear a crop for Him, by whom it is so painfully -drest, and that this fallow ground were broken up! -Why was I (a fool!) grieved that He put His garland -and His rose upon my head—the glory and honor of -His faithful witnesses? I desire now to make no more -pleas with Christ. Verily He hath not put me to a loss -by what I suffer; He oweth me nothing; for in my -bonds how sweet and comfortable have the thoughts of -Him been to me, wherein I find a sufficient recompense -of reward! How blind are my adversaries who sent me -to a banqueting house, to a house of wine, to the lovely -feasts of my lovely Lord Jesus, and not to a prison, or -place of exile!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_109" id="Page_109">[109]</a></span>We may close our remarks on this subject by a reference -to the words of the Prophet Jeremiah, in Lamentations, -where he says: “The Lord is good unto them -that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him. It is -good that a man should both hope and quietly wait for -the salvation of the Lord. It is good for a man that -he bear the yoke in his youth. He sitteth alone and -keepeth silence; because he hath borne it upon him. -He putteth his mouth in the dust; if so be there may be -hope. He giveth his cheek to him that smiteth him; -he is filled full with reproach. For the Lord will not -cast off forever; but though He cause grief, yet will -He have compassion according to the multitude of -His mercies. For He doth not afflict willingly, nor -grieve the children of men.... Who is he that -saith, and it cometh to pass, when the Lord commandeth -it not? Out of the mouth of the most High proceedeth -not evil and good? Wherefore doth a living -man complain, a man for the punishment of his sins? -Let us search and try our ways, and turn again to the -Lord. Let us lift up our heart with our hands unto -God in the heavens.”</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_110" id="Page_110">[110]</a></span> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_110.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">Submission.</h2></div> -<hr class="tiny" /> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“Hear me, my God, and if my lip hath dared</div> -<div class="indent">To murmur ’neath Thy Hand, oh, teach me now</div> -<div class="verse">To feel each inmost thought before Thee bared,</div> -<div class="indent">And this rebellious will in faith to bow.</div> -<div class="verse">Though I wept wildly o’er the ruined shrine,</div> -<div class="indent">Where earthly idols held Thy place alone,</div> -<div class="verse">Now purify and make this temple Thine,</div> -<div class="indent">And teach me, Lord, to say, ‘Thy will be done!’</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“What can I bring to offer that is mine?</div> -<div class="indent">A youth of sorrow, and a life of sin.</div> -<div class="verse">What can I lay upon Thy hallowed shrine,</div> -<div class="indent">One hope of pardon for the past to win?</div> -<div class="verse">While thus a suppliant at Thy feet I bow,</div> -<div class="indent">Still dare I lift to Thee my tearful eyes,</div> -<div class="verse">I plead the promise of Thy word, that Thou</div> -<div class="indent">A broken, contrite heart will not despise.</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“What shall I bring? A bruised spirit, Lord,</div> -<div class="indent">Worn with the contest, pining now for rest,</div> -<div class="verse">And yearning for Thy peace, as some poor bird,</div> -<div class="indent">’Mid the wild tempest, seeks its mother’s breast,</div> -<div class="verse">My sacrifice, the Lamb who died for me;</div> -<div class="indent">I plead the merits of Thy sinless Son;</div> -<div class="verse">I bring Thy promises; I trust in Thee;</div> -<div class="indent">In love Thou smitest; Lord, ‘Thy will be done!’”</div> -</div></div></div> - -<hr class="chap" /> - - - - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_111" id="Page_111">[111]</a></span> -<h2 class="nobreak">CHAPTER XI.<br /> - -ANSWERED PRAYERS.</h2></div> - - -<p>In the fifteenth chapter of John and the seventh verse, -we find who have their prayers answered—“If ye abide -in Me, and My words abide in you, ye shall ask what -ye will, and it shall be done unto you.” Now in the -fourth chapter of James, in the third verse, we find -some spoken of whose prayers were not answered: -“Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss.” There -are a great many prayers not answered because there -is not the right motive; we have not complied with the -Word of God; we ask amiss. It is a good thing that -our prayers are not answered when we ask amiss.</p> - -<p>If our prayers are not answered, it may be that we -have prayed without the right motive; or that we have -not prayed according to the Scriptures. So let us not -be discouraged, or give up praying, although our -prayers are not answered in the way we want them.</p> - -<p>A man once went to George Muller and said he -wanted him to pray for a certain thing. The man stated -that he had asked God a great many times to grant him -his request, but He had not seen fit to do it. Mr. -Muller took out his note-book, and showed the man the -name of a person for whom, he said, he had prayed for -twenty-four years. The prayer, Mr. Muller added, was -not answered yet; but the Lord had given him assurance<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_112" id="Page_112">[112]</a></span> -that that person was going to be converted, and his -faith rested there.</p> - -<p>We sometimes find that our prayers are answered -right away while we are praying; at other times the -answer is delayed. But especially when men pray for -mercy, how quickly the answer comes! Look at Paul, -when he cried, “O Lord, what wilt Thou have me to -do?” The answer came at once. Then the publican -who went up to the temple to pray—he got an immediate -answer. The thief on the cross prayed, “Lord, -remember me when Thou comest into Thy Kingdom!” -and the answer came immediately—then and there. -There are many cases of a similar kind in the Bible, -but there are also others who prayed long and often. -The Lord delights in hearing His children make their -requests known unto Him—telling their troubles all -out to Him; and then we should wait for His time. We -do not know when that is.</p> - -<p>There was a mother in Connecticut who had a son -in the army, and it almost broke her heart when he -left, because he was not a Christian. Day after day -she lifted up her voice in prayer for her boy. She -afterward learned that he had been taken to the -hospital, and there died, but she could not find out anything -about how he had died. Years passed, and one -day a friend came to see some member of the family -on business. There was a picture of the soldier boy -upon the wall. He looked at it, and said, “Did you -know that young man?” The mother said, “That young -man was my son. He died in the late war.” The man -replied, “I knew him very well; he was in my company.” -The mother then asked, “Do you know anything<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_113" id="Page_113">[113]</a></span> -about his end?” The man said, “I was in the -hospital, and he died a most peaceful death, triumphant -in the faith.” The mother had given up hope of -ever hearing of her boy; but before she went hence -she had the satisfaction of knowing that her prayers -had prevailed with God.</p> - -<p>I think we shall find a great many of our prayers -that we thought unanswered answered when we get to -heaven. If it is the true prayer of faith, God will not -disappoint us. Let us not doubt God. On one occasion, -at a meeting I attended, a gentleman pointed out -an individual and said, “Do you see that man over -there? That is one of the leaders of an infidel club.” -I sat down beside him, when the infidel said, “I am -not a Christian. You have been humbugging these -people long enough, and making some of these old -women believe that you get answers to prayer. Try -it on me.” I prayed, and when I got up, the infidel -said with a good deal of sarcasm, “I am not converted; -God has not answered your prayer!” I said, “But you -may be converted yet.” Some time afterwards I -received a letter from a friend, stating that he had -been converted and was at work in the meetings.</p> - -<p>Jeremiah prayed, and said: “Ah, Lord God! Behold -Thou hast made the heaven and the earth by Thy great -power and stretched-out Arm, and there is nothing too -hard for Thee.” Nothing is too hard for God; that is -a good thing to take for a motto. I believe this is a -time of great blessing in the world, and we may expect -great things. While the blessing is falling all around, -let us arise and share in it. God has said, “Call unto -Me, and I will answer thee, and show thee great and<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_114" id="Page_114">[114]</a></span> -mighty things which thou knowest not.” Now let us -call on the Lord; and let us pray that it may be done -for Christ’s sake—not our own.</p> - -<p>At a Christian convention a number of years ago, a -leading man got up and spoke—his subject being “For -Christ’s Sake”—and he threw new light upon that -passage. I had never seen it in that way before. -When the war broke out the gentleman’s only son had -enlisted, and he never saw a company of soldiers but -his heart went right out after them. They started a -Soldiers’ Home in the city where that gentleman lived, -and he gladly went on the committee, and acted as -President. Some time afterward he said to his wife, -“I have given so much time to these soldiers that I -have neglected my business,” and he went down to his -office with the fixed determination that he would not be -disturbed by any soldiers that day. The door opened -soon after, and he saw a soldier entering. He never -minded him, but kept on writing; and the poor fellow -stood for some time. At last the soldier put down an -old soiled piece of paper on which there was writing. -The gentleman observed that it was the handwriting of -his son, and he seized the letter at once and read it. It -was something to this effect: “Dear father, this young -man belongs to my company. He has lost his health -in defense of his country, and he is on his way home -to his mother to die. Treat him kindly for Charlie’s -sake.” The gentleman at once dropped his work and -took the soldier to his house, where he was kindly cared -for until he was able to be sent home to his mother; -then he took him to the station, and sent him home -with a “God bless you, for Charlie’s sake!”</p> - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_115" id="Page_115">[115]</a></span>Let our prayers, then, be for Christ’s sake. If we -want our sons and daughters converted, let us pray that -it be done for Christ’s sake. If that is the motive, our -prayers will be answered. If God gave up Christ for -the world, what will He not give us? If He gave -Christ to the murderers and blasphemers, and the -rebels of a world lying in wickedness and sin, what -would He not give to those who go to Him for Christ’s -sake? Let our prayer be that God may advance His -work, not for our glory—not for our sake—but for the -sake of His beloved Son whom He hath sent.</p> - -<p>So let us remember that when we pray we ought to -expect an answer. Let us be looking for it. I remember -at the close of a meeting in one of our Southern -cities near the close of the war, a man came up to me -weeping and trembling. I thought something I had -said had aroused him, and I began to question him as to -what it was. I found, however, that he could not tell a -word of what I had said. “My friend,” said I, “what is -the trouble?” He put his hand into his pocket, and -brought out a letter, all soiled, as if his tears had fallen -on it. “I got that letter,” he said, “from my sister last -night. She tells me that every night she goes on her -knees and prays to God for me. I think I am the worst -man in all the Army of the Cumberland. I have been -perfectly wretched to-day.” That sister was six hundred -miles away, but she had brought her brother to his -knees in answer to her earnest, believing prayer. It -was a hard case, but God heard and answered the prayer -of this Godly sister, so that the man was as clay in the -hands of the potter. He was soon brought into the -Kingdom of God—all through his sister’s prayers.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_116" id="Page_116">[116]</a></span>I went off some thirty miles to another place, where -I told this story. A young man, a lieutenant in the -army, sprang to his feet and said, “That reminds me of -the last letter I got from my mother. She told me -that every night as the sun went down she prayed for -me. She begged of me, when I got her letter, to go -away alone, and yield myself to God. I put the letter -in my pocket, thinking there would be plenty of time.” -He went on to say that the next news that came from -home was that that mother was gone. He went out -into the woods alone, and cried to his mother’s God to -have mercy upon him. As he stood in the meeting with -his face shining, that lieutenant said: “My mother’s -prayers are answered; and my only regret is that she -did not live to know it; but I will meet her by-and-by.” -So, though we may not live to see the answer to our -prayers, if we cry mightily to God, the answer will -come.</p> - -<p>In Scotland, a good many years ago, there lived a -man with his wife and three children—two girls and a -boy. He was in the habit of getting drunk, and thus -losing his situation. At last, he said he would take -Johnnie, and go off to America, where he would be away -from his old associates, and where he could commence -life over again. He took the little fellow, seven years -old, and went away. Soon after he arrived in America, -he went into a saloon and got drunk. He got -separated from his boy in the streets, and he has never -been seen by his friends since. The little fellow was -placed in an institution, and afterward apprenticed in -Massachusetts. After he had been there some time, -he became discontented, and went off to sea; finally, he<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_117" id="Page_117">[117]</a></span> -came to Chicago to work on the lakes. He had been -a roving spirit, had gone over sea and land, and now he -was in Chicago. When the vessel came into port, one -time, he was invited to a Gospel meeting. The joyful -sound of the Gospel reached him, and he became a -Christian.</p> - -<p>After he had been a Christian a little while, he -became very anxious to find his mother. He wrote to -different places in Scotland, but could not find out -where she was. One day he read in the Psalms—“No -good thing will He withhold from them that walk -uprightly.” He closed his Bible, got down on his -knees, and said: “O God, I have been trying to walk -uprightly for months past; help me to find my mother.” -It came into his mind to write back to the place in -Massachusetts from which he had run away years -before. It turned out that a letter from Scotland had -been waiting for him there for seven years. He wrote -at once to the place in Scotland, and found that his -mother was still living; the answer came back immediately. -I would like you to have seen him when he -got that letter. He brought it to me; and the tears -flowed so that he could scarcely read it. His sister -had written on behalf of the mother; she had been -so overcome by the tidings of her long-lost boy that -she could not write.</p> - -<p>The sister said that all the nineteen years he had -been away, his mother had prayed to God day and night -that he might be saved, and that she might live to know -what had become of him, and see him once more. Now, -said the sister, she was so overjoyed, not only that he -was alive, but that he had become a Christian. It was<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_118" id="Page_118">[118]</a></span> -not long before the mother and sisters came out to -Chicago to meet him.</p> - -<p>I mention this incident to show how God answers -prayer. This mother cried to God for nineteen long -years. It must have seemed to her sometimes as -though God did not mean to give her the desire of her -heart; but she kept praying, and at last the answer -came.</p> - -<p>The following personal testimony was publicly given -at one of our meetings lately held in London, and may -serve to help and encourage readers of these pages.</p> - - -<p class="center">A PRAYER-MEETING TESTIMONY.</p> - -<p>“I want you to understand, my friends, that what I -state is not what I did, but what God did. <i>God only -could have done it!</i> I had given it up as a bad job, -long before. But it is of God’s great mercy that I am -standing here to-night, to tell you that Christ is able -to save <i>to the uttermost</i> all that come to God through -Him.</p> - -<p>“The reading of those ‘requests’ [for the salvation of -inebriates] touched me very deeply indeed. They -seemed to be an echo of many a request for prayer -which has been made for me. And, from my knowledge -of society generally, and of human nature, I -know that in a very great number of families there is -need of some such request.</p> - -<p>“Therefore if what I may tell you will cheer any -Christian heart, encourage any Godly father and mother -to go on praying for their sons, or assist any man or -woman who has felt himself or herself beyond the -reach of hope, I shall thank God for it.</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_119" id="Page_119">[119]</a></span>“I had very good opportunities. My parents loved -the Lord Jesus, and did their best to train me up in the -right path; and for some time I thought myself that I -should be a Christian. But I got away from Christ, -and turned further and further away from God and all -good influences.</p> - -<p>“It was at a public school where I first learned to -drink. Many a time at seventeen I drank to excess, -but I had an amount of self-respect that kept me from -going thoroughly to the bad till I was about twenty-three; -but from then till I was twenty-six, I went -steadily down hill. At Cambridge I went on further -and further in drinking, until I lost all self-respect, and -voluntarily chose the worst of companions.</p> - -<p>“I strayed further and further from God, until my -friends, those who were Christians and those who were -not, considered, and told me that there was very little -hope for me. I had been pleaded with by all sorts of -people, but I ‘hated reproof.’ I hated everything that -savored of religion, and I sneered at every bit of good -advice, or any kind word offered me in that way.</p> - -<p>“My father and mother both died without seeing me -brought to the Lord. They prayed for me all the time -they lived, and at the very last my mother asked me -if I would not follow her to be with her in heaven. To -quiet and soothe her, I said I would. But I did not -mean it; and I thought, when she had passed away, that -she knew now my real feelings. After her death I went -from bad to worse, and plunged deeper and deeper into -vice. Drink got a stronger hold of me, and I went -lower and lower down. I was never ‘in the gutter,’ -in the acceptation in which that term is generally<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_120" id="Page_120">[120]</a></span> -understood; but I was as low in my soul as any man -who lives in one of the common lodging-houses.</p> - -<p>“I went from Cambridge first to a town in the north, -where I was articled to a solicitor; and then to London. -While I was in the north, Messrs. Moody and Sankey -came to the town I lived in; and an aunt of mine, who -was still praying for me after my mother’s death, came -and said to me, ‘I have a favor to ask of you.’ She -had been very kind to me, and I knew what she wanted. -She said, ‘It is to go and hear Messrs. Moody and -Sankey.’ ‘Very good,’ I said; ‘it is a bargain. I -will go and hear the men; but you are never to ask me -again. You will promise that?’ ‘Yes,’ she said, ‘I -do.’ I went, and kept, as I thought, most religiously -my share of the bargain.</p> - -<p>“I waited until the sermon was over, and I saw Mr. -Moody coming down from the pulpit. Earnest prayer -had been offered for me, and there had been an understanding -between my aunt and him that the sermon -should apply to me, and that he would come and speak -to me immediately afterward. We met Mr. Moody in -the aisle, and I thought that I had done a very clever -thing when I walked round my aunt, before Mr. Moody -could address me, and out of the building.</p> - -<p>“I wandered further from God after that; and I do -not think that I bent my knees in prayer for between -two and three years. I went to London, and things -grew worse and worse. At times I tried to pull up. I -made any number of resolutions. I promised myself -and my friends not to touch the drink. I kept my -resolutions for some days, and, on one occasion, for six -months; but the temptation came with stronger force<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_121" id="Page_121">[121]</a></span> -than ever, and swept me further and further from the -pathway of virtue. When in London I neglected my -business and everything I ought to have done, and -sank deeper into sin.</p> - -<p>“One of my boon companions said to me, ‘If you -don’t pull up, you will kill yourself.’ ‘How is that?’ I -asked. ‘You are killing yourself, for you can’t drink -so much as you used to.’ ‘Well,’ I replied, ‘I can’t -help it, then.’ I got to such a state that I did not -think there was any possible help for me.</p> - -<p>“The recital of these things pains me; and as I -relate them, God forbid that I should feel anything but -shame. I am telling you these things because we have -a Savior; and if the Lord Jesus Christ saved even me, -He is able also to save you.</p> - -<p>“Affairs went on in this manner until, at last, I lost -all control over myself.</p> - -<p>“I had been drinking and playing billiards one day, -and in the evening I returned to my lodgings. I -thought that I would sit there awhile, and then go out -again, as usual. Before going out, I began to think, -and the thought struck me, ‘How will all this end?’ -‘Oh,’ I thought to myself, ‘what is the use of that? I -know how it will end—in my eternal destruction, body -and soul!’ I felt I was killing myself—my body; -and I knew too well what would be the result -to my soul. I thought it impossible for me to be -saved. But the thought came to me very strongly, ‘Is -there any way of escape?’ ‘No,’ I said; ‘I have -made any number of resolutions. I have done all I -could to keep clear of drink, but I can’t. It is impossible.’</p> - - - -<p><span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_122" id="Page_122">[122]</a></span>“Just at that moment the words came into my mind, -from God’s own Word—words that I had not remembered -since I was a boy: ‘With men this is impossible; -but with God all things are possible.’ And then I saw, -in a flash, that what I had just admitted, as I had done -hundreds of times before, to be an impossibility, was -the one thing that God had pledged Himself to do, if -I would go to Him. All the difficulties came up in my -way—my companions, my surroundings of all sorts, -and my temptations; but I just looked up and thought, -‘It is possible with God.’</p> - -<p>“I went down on my knees there and then, in my -room, and began to ask God to do the impossible. As -soon as I prayed to Him, with very stammering utterance—I -had not prayed for nearly three years—I -thought, ‘Now, then, God will help me.’ I took hold -of His truth, I don’t know how. It was nine days -before I knew how, and before I had any assurance, or -peace and rest, to my soul. I got up, there and then, -with the hope that God would save me. I took it to be -the truth, and I ultimately proved it; for which I -praise God.</p> - -<p>“I thought the best thing I could do would be to go -and get somebody to talk to me about my soul, and -tell me how to be saved; for I was a perfect heathen, -though I had been brought up so well. I went out -and hunted about London; and it shows how little I -knew of religious people and places of worship, that I -could not find a Wesleyan chapel. My mother and -father were Wesleyans, and I thought I would find a -place belonging to their denomination; but I could -not. I searched an hour and a half; and that night I<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_123" id="Page_123">[123]</a></span> -was in the most utter, abject misery of body and soul -any man can think of or conceive.</p> - -<p>“I came home to my lodgings and went upstairs, and -thought to myself, ‘I will not go to bed till I am -saved.’ But I was so ill from drinking—I had not had -my usual amount of food in the evening; and the reaction -was so tremendous, that I felt I must go to bed -(although I dared not), or I should be in a very serious -condition in the morning.</p> - -<p>“I knew how I should be in the morning, thinking, -‘what a fool I was last night!’ when I would wake up -moderately fresh, and go off to drink again, as I had -often done. But again I thought, ‘God can do the -impossible. He will do that which I cannot do myself.’ -And I prayed to the Lord to let me wake up in much -the same condition as that in which I went to bed, feeling -the weight of my sins and my misery. Then I went -to sleep. The first thing in the morning, as soon as I -remembered where I was, I thought, ‘Has the conviction -left me?’ No; I was more miserable than before, -and—it seemed strange, though it was natural—I got -up, and thanked the Lord because He had kept me -anxious about my soul.</p> - -<p>“Have you ever felt like that? Perhaps after some -meeting or conversation with some Christian, or reading -the Word of God, you have gone to your room -miserable and ‘almost persuaded.’</p> - -<p>“I went on for eight or nine days seeking the Lord. -On the Saturday morning I had to go and tell the -clerks. That was hard. I did it with the tears running -down my cheeks. A man does not like to cry -before other men. Anyway, I told them I wanted to<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_124" id="Page_124">[124]</a></span> -become, and meant to become, a Christian. The Lord -helped me with that promise, ‘With God all things -are possible.’</p> - -<p>“A sceptic dropped his head, and said nothing. -Another fellow, with whom I played billiards, said, ‘I -wish I had the pluck to say so myself!’ My words -were received in a different way from what I thought -they would be. But the very man who had told me -that I was killing myself with drink, spent an hour and -a half trying to get me to drink, saying, that I ‘had the -blues, and was out of sorts; and that a glass of brandy -or whisky would do me good.’ He tried to get me to -drink; and I turned upon him at last, and said, ‘You -remember what you said to me; I am trying to get -away from drink, and not to touch it again.’ When I -think of that I am reminded of the words of God Himself: -‘The tender mercies of the wicked are cruel.’</p> - -<p>“And now the Lord drew me on until the little thread -became a cable, by which my soul could swing. He -drew me nearer; until I found that He was my Savior. -Truly He is ‘able to save to the uttermost all that -come unto God by Him.’</p> - -<p>“I must not forget to tell you that I went down -before God in my misery, my helplessness, and my sin, -and owned to Him that it was impossible that I should -be saved; that it was impossible for me to keep clear of -drink; but from that night to this moment, I have -never had the slightest desire for drink.</p> - -<p>“It was a hard struggle indeed to give up smoking. -But God in His great wisdom, knew that I must have -come to grief if I had to fight single-handed against -the overwhelming desire I had for drink; and He took<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_125" id="Page_125">[125]</a></span> -that desire, too, clean away. From that day to this the -Lord has kept me away from drink, and made me hate -it most bitterly. I simply said that I had not any -strength; nor have I now; but it is the Lord Jesus who -‘is able also to save them to the uttermost that come -unto God by Him.’</p> - -<p>“If there is any one hearing me who has given up -all hope, come to the Savior! That is His name, for -‘He shall save His people from their sins.’ Wherever -I have gone, since then, I have found Him to be -my Savior. God forbid that I should glory! It would -be glorying in my shame. It is to my shame that I -speak thus of myself; but oh, the Savior is able to save, -and He will save!</p> - -<p>“Christian friends, continue to pray. You may go -to heaven before your sons are brought home. My -parents did; and my sisters prayed for me for years -and years. But now I can help others on their way to -Zion. Praise the Lord for all His mercy to me!</p> - - - - -<p>“Remember, ‘with God all things are possible.’ -And then you may say like St. Paul, ‘I can do all -things through Christ which strengtheneth me.’”</p> - - - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="chapter"> -<span class="pagenum"><a name="Page_126" id="Page_126">[126]</a></span> - -<div class="figcenter"><img src="images/i_126.jpg" alt="" /></div> - -<h2 class="nobreak">“Look Up.”</h2></div> - -<hr class="tiny" /> - -<div class="poetry-container"> -<div class="poetry"> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="first">“O soul most desolate, look up! For thee</div> -<div class="verse">One faithful voice doth promise sure relief.</div> -<div class="verse">Whate’er thy sin, whate’er thy sorrow be,</div> -<div class="verse">Tell all to Jesus. He looketh where</div> -<div class="verse">The weary-hearted weep, and draweth near</div> -<div class="verse">To listen fondly to the half-formed prayer,</div> -<div class="verse">Or read the silent pleading of a tear.</div> -<div class="verse">Lose not thy privilege, O silent soul;</div> -<div class="verse">Pour out thy sorrow at thy Savior’s feet.</div> -<div class="verse">What outcast spurns the hand that gives the dole?</div> -<div class="verse">Oh, let Him hear thy voice; to Him thy voice is sweet.”</div> -</div> -<div class="stanza"> -<div class="verseright"><i>A. S.</i></div> -</div></div></div> - - -<hr class="chap" /> - - -<p class="center"> -<b>NOTICE.</b>—All former books (before this series), issued in<br /> -Mr. Moody’s name, have been mere compilations<br /> -from newspaper reports of his sermons,<br /> -issued without his consent and<br /> -notwithstanding his protest.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<p class="center"> -<span class="large">WORKS BY</span><br /> -<br /> -<span class="xxlarge">MR. D. L. MOODY,</span><br /> -<br /> -PUBLISHED BY<br /> -<br /> -<span class="large">F. H. REVELL, 148 & 150 MADISON ST.,</span><br /> -<span class="large">CHICAGO.</span></p> - -<p class="center"><img src="images/i_127.jpg" alt="" height="15" width="25" /><i>The following Books sent postpaid on receipt of price.</i><img src="images/i_127a.jpg" alt="" height="15" width="25" /></p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p class="center">Over 350,000 copies of these works have already been sold,<br /> -the greater portion within the last three years.</p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - - - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>To the Work! To the Work!</b> By <span class="smcap">D. L. Moody</span>. Exhortations to -Christians.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Tinted covers, 30c.; cloth boards, gilt dies, 60c.<br /> -Just published.</p></blockquote> - -<blockquote> -<p>This new work by Mr. Moody is in the line of his most successful -efforts, that of stirring Christians to active, personal, aggressive work -for the Master. Mr. Moody has frequently been heard to say that -it was much better to set 100 men to work than to do the work -of 100 men. This little volume will we confidently believe be a -means of inspiring not hundreds, but <i>thousands</i> to more efficient -effort in Christian life.</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Secret Power</b>, or The Secret of Success in Christian Life and Christian -Work. By <span class="smcap">D. L. Moody</span>. Fifty-fifth Thousand.</p></div> - -<blockquote> -<p>This work, so full of inspiration and suggestion, has been reprinted -in England, and has also been translated into French and -Italian. Through the kindness of a consecrated lady, a copy of the -book has been presented to every Protestant minister in Italy, -while another friend sends the English edition to every Presbyterian -minister in Ireland.</p> - -<p>Every page is full of stimulating thought for Christian workers.—<i>Christian -Commonwealth.</i></p> - -<p>It is a good statement of the secret of success in Christian Life, -by one who has some claim to speak on such a theme.—<i>The Outlook.</i></p> - -<p>This series of earnest and solemn Addresses bear throughout that -stamp of honest, eager earnestness, which is so striking a characteristic -of the writer’s labors as a preacher.—<i>Clerical World.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Prevailing Prayer, What Hinders it?</b> By <span class="smcap">D. L. Moody</span>.<br /> - -Cloth, uniform with “To the Work,” “Heaven,” &c., 60c.<br /> - -Paper covers, 30c.</p></div> - -<blockquote> -<p>An earnest and solemn work, full of helpful hints on the aids and -hindrances to prevailing prayer.</p> - -<p>“This great subject has been the theme of apostles and prophets, -and of all good men in all ages of the world; and my desire in sending -forth this little volume is to encourage God’s children to seek -by prayer ‘to move the arm that moves the world.’”—<i>Extract from -Preface.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Heaven</b>; Where It Is; Its Inhabitants, and How to Get There. By <span class="smcap">D. -L. Moody</span>. 88th Thousand.</p></div> - -<blockquote> -<p>While adapted to the humble capacity, it will command the attention -of the mature and thoughtful.—<i>National Presbyterian.</i></p> - -<p>Mr. Moody is sure of an audience, and well deserves a large one -for this book.—<i>Presbyterian Witness.</i></p> - -<p>Mr. Moody’s unfaltering faith and rugged enthusiasm are manifested -on every page.—<i>Christian Advocate.</i></p> - -<p>Eminently scriptural, earnest and impressive, will be welcomed -by thousands.—<i>Zion’s Herald.</i></p> - -<p>Characterized by his apt, homely illustrations and not a few pithy -anecdotes, such as few can equal.—<i>The Advance.</i></p> - -<p>A most acceptable monogram in its author’s own short, pointed, -monosyllabic, Anglo-saxon style.—<i>Herald of Truth, California.</i></p> - -<p>Abounds in apt and telling illustrations.—<i>The Standard, Chicago.</i></p> - -<p>Anything from the pen of this renowned evangelist will be read -with interest.—<i>Index, Atlanta, Ga.</i></p> - -<p>The clear, Scriptural, common sense treatment of this subject by -Mr. Moody has been commended in the highest terms by leading -theologians in Europe and America, while the common people have -heard them everywhere with gladness.—<i>Central Baptist.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Twelve Select Sermons.</b> By <span class="smcap">D. L. Moody</span>. 110th Thousand.</p></div> - -<blockquote> -<p>This volume contains those special sermons, which have appeared -to be most useful, and under which there have been the greatest -results.</p> - -<p>Carefully revised by Mr. Moody, they present a volume of choice -and striking addresses, sure to command a large sale.</p> - -<p>With the effect of these addresses when <i>spoken</i>, the whole land is -acquainted, and now that they are <i>written</i>, they will tend to keep -in force the impressions they have already made.—<i>Methodist.</i></p> - -<p>Mr. Moody’s happy style, abounding in striking anecdote and -illustration, make it a most readable and convincing volume.—<i>The -Watchman.</i></p> - -<p>Full of earnest enthusiasm which characterizes everything Mr. -Moody does, and will be read with interest.—<i>Detroit Free Press.</i></p> - -<p>There are few who heard any one of these sermons who will fail -to be delighted with this opportunity of making a calm acquaintance -with it again.—<i>Daily Review.</i></p> - -<p>This book is one of pre-eminent interest, as containing an authorized -record of the teaching under which, along with other means, -such great and extensive religious impressions have been recently -produced in this country.—<i>The Messenger.</i></p> - -<p>Will be read by thousands with memorable interest.—<i>Record.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Way to God, and How to Find it.</b> Fifty-fifth Thousand.</p></div> - -<blockquote> -<p>It consists of nine chapters of the kind only D. L. Moody can -write. The little volume contains the most convincing argument -ever framed for the use of common people. It is a good book to -drop into the sachel of your boy or girl; good to send to some friend -at a distance in whom you have an interest, and good upon your own -study table.—<i>Inter Ocean.</i></p> - -<p>“The Way to God” is a theme upon which the Evangelist has -been wont to dwell. Here in nine chapters he grasps together words -of advice regarding that path which it is the happy privilege of the -minister to continually make plain.—<i>Chicago Standard.</i></p> - -<p>They are characterized by his usual simplicity, directness, fervor -and exceptional power of vivid illustration.—<i>Christian Herald.</i></p> - -<p>They are sharply to the point, plainly practical, and orthodox in a -good, simple and true sense.—<i>Christian Advocate.</i></p> - -<p>It will lead sinners to trust in God, and fire the hearts of layman -and minister to noble works for the Master.—<i>Baptist Reflector.</i></p> - -<p>It puts the way so plain that he who runs may read.—<i>Religious -Telescope.</i></p> - -<p>It is an excellent manual for the soul winners, and for the awakened -seeker, and we trust will be the means of leading thousands to -Christian hope and heaven.—<i>Zion’s Herald.</i></p> - -<p>Very earnest and powerful, abounding in apt illustrations, striking -thoughts, and helpful, encouraging words. This book is written in -the same plain, simple and pointed style that lends such force to his -spoken words. The volume should find many readers. Those that -buy it will not be disappointed.—<i>National Baptist.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Daniel, the Prophet.</b> An Amplification and Extension of Mr. Moody’s -various Lectures on the Life of Daniel.<br /> - -Tinted covers, 20c.; cloth, 40c.</p></div> - -<blockquote> -<p>A small book; but big as regards the truth it contains. Every -worker in the Lord’s vineyard would be helped by reading it.—<i>Railway -Signal.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Way and The Word.</b> By <span class="smcap">D. L. Moody</span>. Forty-fifth Thousand.<br /> - -Paper, 15c.; cloth, 25c.</p></div> - -<blockquote> -<p>This little work contains a very clear statement on the important -subject, <i>Regeneration</i>, to which is added Mr. Moody’s valuable hints -on Bible Reading.</p> - -<p>Mr. Moody has used this book by the thousand, placing them in -the hands of young converts at the close of his meetings.</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Second Coming of Christ.</b> By <span class="smcap">D. L. Moody</span>. Fortieth Thousand. -Tinted covers, 10c.</p></div> - -<blockquote> -<p>“The moment a man takes hold of the truth that Jesus is coming -back again to receive His followers to Himself, this world loses its -hold upon him. Gas stocks and water stocks, and stocks in banks -and railroads, are of very much less consequence to him then. His -heart is free, and he looks for the blessed appearing of the Lord, -who at His coming, will take him into His blessed Kingdom.”—<i>Extract.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>How to Conduct Inquiry Meetings.</b> By <span class="smcap">D. L. Moody</span>, and <b>The -Use of the Bible in Inquiry Meetings</b>. By <span class="smcap">D. W. Whittle</span>.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>40 pages and cover. Price 15c.</p></blockquote> - - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<p class="center"><span class="large">A SELECTION FROM THE CATALOGUE</span><br /> - -OF<br /> - -<span class="xxlarge">FLEMING H. REVELL,</span><br /> -<br /> -<i>Publisher of Evangelical Literature</i><br /> -<br /> -<span class="large">148 & 150 MADISON STREET, CHICAGO.</span><br /> -<br /> -<i>The Following Books sent Post-paid on Receipt of Price.</i></p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - -<p class="center"><b>HELPS IN BIBLE STUDY.</b></p> - -<hr class="tb" /> - - - -<div class="hangingindent"> - -<p><b>Notes and Suggestions for Bible Readings.</b> <i>Seventeenth thousand.</i> -Compiled by <span class="smcap">S. R. Briggs</span> and <span class="smcap">J. H. Elliott.</span> Acknowledged to -be the very best help for Bible readings in print. Containing, in -addition to twelve introductory chapters on plans and methods of -Bible study and Bible readings, over six hundred outlines of Bible -readings by many of the most eminent Bible students of the day.</p></div> - -<blockquote> -<p>Large 12mo, 262 pages, with complete index, cloth, fine library -style, $1.00; Flexible cloth, travelers’ edition, 75c; Cheap edition, -paper covers, 50c.</p> - -<p>This is a book which every Bible student should possess. Those -who conduct Bible readings will find it most suggestive.—<i>Christian -Progress.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Symbols and Systems in Bible Readings.</b> By Rev. <span class="smcap">W. F. Crafts</span>.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Giving a plan of Bible reading, with fifty verses definitely assigned -for each day, the Bible being arranged with much labor in the order -of its events. The entire symbolism of the Bible also explained -concisely and clearly. 100 hints upon Bible markings and Bible -readings are added.</p> - -<p>A year of work upon such a system would yield rich harvests of -Bible knowledge and spiritual experience.—<i>S. S. World.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The True Tabernacle.</b> A series of lectures on the Jewish Tabernacle -and its typical signification. By <span class="smcap">George C. Needham</span>. Illustrated, -cloth, neat, 75c.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>“C. H. M.’s” Notes.</b> By <span class="smcap">C. H. McIntosh</span>. Genesis, 75c; Exodus, 75c; -Leviticus, 75c; Numbers, 75c; Deuteronomy, 2 vols., each, 75c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>The notes breathe a very sweet and reverential spirit, and the -author shows wonderful insight into the heart of truths.—<i>Evangelist.</i></p> - -<p>Mr. D. L. Moody says of these books: “They have been to me -a very key to the Scriptures.”</p> - -<p>Major D. W. Whittle says: “Under God they have blessed me -more than any books, outside of the Bible itself, that I have ever -read, and have led me to a love of the Bible that is proving an -unfailing source of profit.”</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Life and Times of David, King of Israel</b>; or, The Life of Faith -Exemplified. By “C. H. M.” Third edition, revised. 12mo, 200 -pp. Cloth, 60c.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Gospel According to Moses</b>, as seen in the Tabernacle and its -Various Services. By <span class="smcap">George Rogers</span>. New edition, enlarged -16mo, 124 pp. Paper, 50c; Cloth, 75c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>No preacher or teacher should be ignorant of the truth which -this small volume very simply but forcibly enunciates.—<i>The Record.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Outline of the Books of the Bible.</b> By Rev. <span class="smcap">J. H. Brookes</span>, D. D. -Invaluable to the young student of the Bible as a “First Lessons” -in the study of the Bible. 180 pp., cloth, 50c; Paper covers, 25c.</p> - - -<p><b>Ruth, the Moabitess</b>; or, Gleanings in the Book of Ruth. By <span class="smcap">Henry -Moorehouse</span>. A characteristic series of Bible readings, full of -suggestions and instruction.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Neat 16mo, paper covers, 20c; cloth, gilt stamped, 40c.</p> - -<p>Contains many fresh and original remarks, all tending to practical -usefulness; a capital bit of commenting on a favorite book.—<i>Spurgeon’s -Sword and Trowel.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Bible Readings.</b> By <span class="smcap">Henry Moorehouse</span>. A series of eleven sermons -of comment and exposition, by one pre-eminently the man of -one book—an incessant, intense, prayerful student of the Bible.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Neat, 16mo, paper covers, 30c; cloth, gilt stamped, 60c.</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Current Discussions in Theology.</b> By the Professors of Chicago -Theological Seminary. Vol. I, cloth, 12mo, 248 pp., $1.00; paper -covers, 50c. Vol. II, 328 pp., cloth, $1.50.</p></div> - -<blockquote> -<p>There is nothing in our language of this kind. The American -student has had to choose between the exhaustive and unremitting -labors which are the price of first-hand knowledge, and reviews -which rarely fail of being colored with partiality or prejudice. The -volume before us is a helpful, fair and trustworthy statement of the -present position and recent movements of theology.—<i>The Independent.</i></p> - -<p>It may be safely said that from no one book in the English -language can ministers gather so much recent information concerning -the topics treated.—<i>Presbyterian Witness.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Date of Our Gospels.</b> A critical argument and examination of -evidences, particularly regarding their authenticity and authorship. -By <span class="smcap">Samuel Ives Curtiss</span>, D. D., Union Park Theological Seminary, -Chicago.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Sq. 16mo, neat, flexible cloth, 50c; paper edition, 25c.</p> - -<p>The argument is winnowed of superfluous words, and presents a -luminous and brief case.—<i>New York Independent.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>A New Catechism.</b> By Rev. <span class="smcap">J. T Hyde</span>. A manual of instruction -for students and other thoughtful inquirers.<br /> - -Cloth, 12mo, $1.00.</p></div> - -<hr class="tb" /> -<p class="center"><b>AIDS IN CHRISTIAN WORK.</b></p> -<hr class="tb" /> - -<div class="hangingindent"> - -<p><b>Children’s Meetings and How to Conduct Them.</b> By <span class="smcap">Lucy J. Rider</span> -and <span class="smcap">Nellie M. Carman</span>. Introduction by Rev. <span class="smcap">J. H. Vincent</span>, -D. D. Contains contributions from over forty well-known workers -among children, and gives the cream of their experience. The outline -lessons (over sixty in number), diagrams, and music will -especially commend it to the thoughtful teacher. Pp. 208, cloth, -net $1.00.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>It is a good book, that suggests something in addition to that -which it conveys.—<i>Journal and Messenger.</i></p> - -<p>The volume will be heartily welcomed by many having this most -important part of the religious instruction of the young in hand.—<i>Zion’s -Herald.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Secret Power</b>; or, the Secret of Success in Christian Life and Christian -Work. By <span class="smcap">D. L. Moody</span>. <i>Fifty-fifth thousand.</i> 12mo volume, -116 pp., rich gilt and black stamp, cloth, 60c; cheap edition, paper -cover, 30c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Every page is full of stimulating thought for Christian workers.—<i>Christian -Commonwealth.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Work of Preaching Christ.</b> By Bishop <span class="smcap">Charles Pettitt McIlvaine</span>. -A revised edition of an important little work. Paper -covers, 15c.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Prayer Meeting and Its Improvement.</b> By Rev. <span class="smcap">Lewis O. -Thompson</span>, with introduction by Rev. <span class="smcap">A. E. Kittredge</span>, D. D. -Sixth edition. Revised. An attractive volume. 12mo, pp. 256, $1.25.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>A valuable, because a very suggestive book.—<i>S. S. Times.</i></p> - -<p>* * * “This is so good a book that we wish we could afford to -give a copy of it to every young minister. Revive your prayer meetings -and the churches will be revived. Mr. Thompson says some -capital things in a telling manner, and, as his pages are full of fire -and gunpowder, we hope certain old, worn-out things among us -will be exploded, and good things set on fire. A brother who has -this book handy will be helped to lead lively meetings, conducting -them in varied ways, and expatiating on different topics, so as to -keep up freshness, and avoid monotony and dullness.”—<i>C. H. Spurgeon.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Revivals</b>; Their Place and Power. By Rev. <span class="smcap">Herrick Johnson</span>, D. -D. Cloth, flexible, 25c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>An admirable discussion of the subject.—<i>Interior.</i></p> - -<p>We know of no publication that covers the ground so briefly and -satisfactorily.—<i>Baltimore Presbyterian.</i></p> - -<p>Dr. Johnson’s experience has qualified him to speak upon this -subject.—<i>Independent.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>To the Work! To the Work!</b> By <span class="smcap">D. L. Moody</span>. Exhortations to -Christians. Paper covers, 30c; Cloth boards, gilt dies, 60c. Just -published.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>This new work by Mr. Moody, is in the line of his most successful -efforts, that of stirring Christians to active, personal, aggressive -work for the Master. Mr. Moody has frequently been heard to say -that it was much better to set 100 men to work than to do the work -of 100 men. This little volume will, we confidently believe, be a -means of inspiring not hundreds but <i>thousands</i> to more efficient -effort in Christian life.</p></blockquote> - -<hr class="tb" /> -<p class="center"><b>PRE-MILLENNIAL LITERATURE.</b></p> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Pre-Millennial Essays.</b> A series of papers on prophetical subjects by -eminent writers. Edited by <span class="smcap">Nathaniel West</span>, D. D. Issued in -one large 12mo volume of 500 pages, $1.50.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Those who desire to have, within the compass of a single volume, -all that is necessary to an intelligent consideration of the subject, -will find it here in a very readable form. It is certainly the ablest -work that has appeared on the pre-millennial side.—<i>Canada Presbyterian.</i></p> - -<p>The best treatment of this subject from the pre-millennial side that -has ever been published.—<i>The Standard.</i></p> - -<p>It is pious, elaborate and fraternal. We are pleased with the -forcible, yet candid style of argumentation.—<i>Zion’s Herald.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Maranatha</b>; or, the Lord Cometh. By Rev. <span class="smcap">J. H. Brookes</span>, D. D. -Pp. 445, cloth, $1.25; paper, 50c.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Present Truth</b>; being the Testimony of the Holy Ghost on the Second -Coming of the Lord, the Divinity of Christ, and the Personality of -the Holy Ghost. By Rev. <span class="smcap">J. H. Brookes</span>, D. D. 250 pp., fine -cloth, 75c. Cheap edition, paper cover, 25c.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Second Coming of Christ.</b> By Rev. <span class="smcap">J. H. Brookes</span>, D. D. Price, 15c.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Blessed Hope</b>; or, The Glorious Coming of the Lord. By -<span class="smcap">Willis Lord</span>, D. D. New and cheaper edition. A practical treatise; -a volume well adapted to lead to a more joyous Christian life. -250 pp., cloth, $1.00. Cheap edition, for circulation, paper covers -only, 25c.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Second Coming of Christ.</b> By <span class="smcap">George Muller</span>, of Bristol, Eng. -A neat little tract of 32 pages, suitable for circulation. Per dozen, -40c; 100 copies, $2.50.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Jesus Is Coming.</b> By W. E. B. A most popular hand book. <i>Sixteenth -thousand.</i> Giving seven arguments in favor of the pre-millennial -coming—stating the distinction between the Rapture and -the Revelation, and between the Church and the Kingdom—and -containing a diagram, with explanations. New, enlarged edition, -160 pp., cloth, 50c; paper covers, 15c.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Twenty Reasons for Believing</b> that the Second Coming of the Lord -is Near. 34 pages and cover, neat, 15c. Per dozen, $1.00.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Epiphainia.</b> A study in Prophecy. By <span class="smcap">E. J. Edgren</span>, Professor of -Biblical Interpretation in the Morgan Park Theological Seminary. -16mo, 112 pp., cloth, neat, 75c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Dr. Edgren writes as one who both loves and reveres the Sacred -Word. He has altogether made a book creditable in a literary not -less than in an evangelical point of view.—<i>Chicago Standard.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Waiting for the Morning</b>, and Other Poems. By the author of -“Twenty Reasons for Believing the Coming of the Lord is Near.” -Sq. 16mo, pp. 54, red line, cloth, elegant, 50c. Cheap edition, paper -covers, neat, 25c.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Second Coming of Christ.</b> By <span class="smcap">D. L. Moody.</span> Revised. -<i>Forty-second thousand.</i> 32 pp. and cover, 10c. Per dozen, $1.00.</p></div> - -<hr class="tb" /> -<p class="center"><b>HELPS FOR INQUIRERS.</b></p> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Grace and Truth</b> Under Twelve Different Aspects. By <span class="smcap">W. P. Mackay</span>, -M. A. <i>Forty-eighth thousand</i> of American edition. The English -edition has reached a sale of over two hundred thousand, besides -being translated into German, Spanish, Swedish, Arabic, Italian, -Dutch, Gaelic and Welsh. 12mo, pp. 282, paper, 35c; cloth, fine, 75c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Mr. Moody says of this work: “I know of no book in print better -adapted to aid in the work of him who would be a winner of souls, -or to place in the hands of the unconverted.”</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>My Inquiry Meeting</b>; or Plain Truths for Anxious Souls. By <span class="smcap">Robert -Boyd</span>, D. D. Being the experience of a pastor during many years -of personal dealing with anxious and careless souls. Pp. 64, 15c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>For simplicity, clearness, and force of statement we have met with -nothing that equals this little volume. We can think of no better -service a pastor could render to Sunday-school teachers, and other -guides of souls, than to secure their reading of these pages. Nor -could inquirers have any better help in their search for truth.—<i>The -Interior.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Glad Tidings.</b> By <span class="smcap">Robert Boyd</span>, D. D. A book for inquirers. -12mo, pp. 100, cloth, neat, 50c. Cheap edition, for circulation, 25c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>This book has been used largely in connection with the great revival -meetings both in Great Britain and this land.</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Soul and Its Difficulties.</b> By <span class="smcap">H. W. Soltau</span>. Paper, pp. -108, 8c.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>How to Be Saved</b>; or, the Sinner Directed to the Saviour. By <span class="smcap">J. H. -Brookes</span>, D. D. Pp. 120, paper cover, 25c; cloth, 50c.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Way to God and How to Find It.</b> By <span class="smcap">D. L. Moody</span>. -<i>Fifty-fifth thousand.</i> A book for the inquirer and Christian -worker. Cloth, rich black and gold stamp, 60c; paper, tinted -covers, 30c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>The way of salvation is made as clear as simple language and forcible, -pertinent illustration can make it. In two features it is equal to -anything that Mr. Moody has produced—in close adherence to the -Word of God, and in profound earnestness—while in simplicity, -directness of appeal and originality it is superior. It is a great -matter to send such a work, so full of Christ, all over the churches, -where it may, by the work of the Spirit, arrest the careless and -move the ungodly.—<i>Lutheran Observer.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>God’s Way of Salvation.</b> By <span class="smcap">Alexander Marshall</span>. A brief -statement of the Way of Life, with answers to popular objections. -Each brief page complete in itself, and containing a sermon -in a nutshell. 48 pages and covers, 5c. Per hundred. $2.50.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Doubts Removed.</b> By <span class="smcap">Cæsar Malan</span>, D. D. Paper covers, 5c; per -dozen, 50c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>“It contains the clearest statements and illustrations on the subject -treated we have ever read.”</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Welcome to Jesus.</b> By Rev. <span class="smcap">C. H. Spurgeon</span>. A series of 4 page -tracts, with first page in attractive, illuminated designs, etc. Four -different series, each containing 32 assortments. Price, per package, -25c.</p></div> - -<hr class="tb" /> -<p class="center"><b>POPULAR DEVOTIONAL BOOKS.</b></p> -<hr class="tb" /> - - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Prevailing Prayer: What Hinders It?</b> By <span class="smcap">D. L. Moody</span>. Cloth, -uniform with To the Work! Heaven, etc., 60c; paper covers, 30c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>An earnest and solemn work, full of helpful hints on the aids and -hindrances to prevailing prayer.</p> - -<p>“This great subject has been the theme of apostles and prophets, -and of all good men in all ages of the world; and my desire in sending -forth this little volume is to encourage God’s children to seek -by prayer ‘to move the arm that moves the world.’”—<i>Extract from -Preface.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Christian’s Secret of a Happy Life.</b> By <span class="smcap">Hannah Whitall -Smith</span>; author of “A Happy Life.” Revised edition, from entirely -new plates. 12mo, 240 pp., cloth, black and gold stamp, $1.00; -paper cover, 50c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>A book we unhesitatingly recommend. We have not for years -read a book with more delight and profit.—<i>Southwestern Christian -Advocate.</i></p> - -<p>We are delighted with the book. It reaches the very core of -Christian experience.—<i>Baptist Weekly.</i></p> - -<p>Worthy of universal circulation.—<i>Christian Union.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Life Warfare and Victory.</b> By Maj. <span class="smcap">D. W. Whittle</span>. Cloth, neat, -124 pp., 60c; paper, 30c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>This book has been prepared in the midst of evangelistic work, -to meet the wish often expressed to the writer—that instruction -given in Bible readings to young converts might be made available -for their more careful study and permanent use.—<i>Extract from -Preface.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Christ and the Scriptures.</b> By Rev. <span class="smcap">Adolph Saphir.</span> Cloth, 16mo, -neat, 75c.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>To all disciples of Jesus this work commends itself at once by its -grasp of truth, its insight, the life in it, and its spiritual force.—<i>Christian -Work.</i></p> - -<p>“In these days of doubt and hypercriticism such a volume, breathing -a spirit of earnest devotion, lifting the mind to a better conception -of the immeasureable worth of the Person and the Word, and -written, too, by a son of Israel, cannot but be welcome and helpful.”</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Holy Life.</b> A book for Christians seeking the “Rest of Faith.” -By Rev. <span class="smcap">Evan H. Hopkins</span>. <i>Fifth thousand</i>, 18mo, 115 pages, -cloth, beveled edge, 60c.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Walking Worthy of God.</b> A reprint from the works of Rev. <span class="smcap">John -Flavell</span>, with an introduction by (and published at the request -of) Maj. D. W. Whittle. A valuable book for circulation—an -incentive to Christian living.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Sq. 16mo, pp. 43, 15c.</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Gems from Northfield.</b> A Record of the Best Thoughts exchanged -at the Conference for Bible Study, convened at Northfield, by <span class="smcap">D. -L. Moody</span>.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>12mo, pp. 116. Price $1.00.</p> - -<p>The thoughts and expositions of Scripture which are presented in -this volume are of rare practical value.—<i>Herald and Presbyter.</i></p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>My Morning Word.</b> A book of texts for every day in the year.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Cloth, plain, 75c; Cloth, gilt edges, $1.00; Calf, flexible, gilt, $1.75.</p> - -<p>The several texts for every day each contain the “Morning Word,” -this single word being the key-word by means of which the texts -are called to mind.</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Birth-Day Memorial Text-Book.</b></p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>A handsome little volume with a short text for every day in the -year, with blank space opposite for autographs. Especially -attractive for children.</p> - -<p>32mo, cloth, black and gold stamp, 25c; per dozen, $2.50.</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Practice of the Presence of God.</b> By “Brother <span class="smcap">Lawrence</span>.”</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Being a small collection of remarkable letters and “conversations” -of a monk.</p> - -<p>Pp. 64, 24mo, paper cover, 10c; per dozen, 75c.</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Grace Sufficient.</b> By Rev. <span class="smcap">Henry Roissy</span>. An extremely helpful work -for the closet, with counsel and comfort for the Way of Life. Pp. -265, cloth, $1.25.</p></div> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Clifton Springs Bible Readings.</b> Containing the Bible Readings and -Addresses given at the Conference of Believers at Clifton Springs, -N. Y., by Messrs. Brookes, Erdman, Whittle, Needham, Parsons, -Clark, Marvin and others.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>Sq. 16mo, 144 pp., cloth, fine, 50c; paper covers, 25c.</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>The Scarlet Line.</b> A most suggestive tract upon Joshua II and VI, -showing the close connection between the type of the Old Testament -and the Antitype of the New.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>36 pages and cover, 5c; per hundred, $3.00.</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Envelope Series of Tracts.</b> By H. W. S., from “The Christian’s -Secret of a Happy Life,” comprising the following:</p></div> - -<blockquote><blockquote> -<p> -How to Enter into the Life.<br /> -Difficulties Concerning Consecration.<br /> -Difficulties Concerning Guidance.<br /> -Difficulties Concerning Faith.<br /> -Faith: What it is.<br /> -Is God in Everything?<br /> -The Joy of Obedience.<br /> -Practical Results.</p></blockquote> - -<p>Sold only in packets of one dozen copies. May be had either -assorted or all of the same kind. Price, per packet, 20c.</p> - -<p>“They will form an excellent collection of tracts for distribution -by those who wish their friends to share the ‘Life that is hid with -Christ.’”</p></blockquote> - -<div class="hangingindent"> -<p><b>Words of Worth</b>, from the Chicago Christian Convention. A verbatim -report of the addresses before the Convention of October, 1882.</p></div> -<blockquote> -<p>12mo, pp. 134, paper, 25c.</p> - -<p>The addresses by such men as Rev. Marcus Rainsford, Rev. Chas. -Spurgeon, Dr. W. P. Mackay, Rev. A. T. Pierson, D. D., and -others, will be welcomed by many.</p></blockquote> - -<p class="center"><i>CHICAGO: F. H. REVELL, 148 & 150 MADISON ST.</i></p> - -<hr class="chap" /> - -<div class="transnote"> - -<p class="ph2">TRANSCRIBER’S NOTE:</p> - - -<p>Obvious typographical errors have been corrected.</p></div> - - - - - - - - -<pre> - - - - - -End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of Prevailing Prayer: What Hinders It?, by -Dwight Lyman Moody - -*** END OF THIS PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK PREVAILING PRAYER *** - -***** This file should be named 61883-h.htm or 61883-h.zip ***** -This and all associated files of various formats will be found in: - http://www.gutenberg.org/6/1/8/8/61883/ - -Produced by Brian Wilson, MWS, David E. 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