The Wonders of Prayer

The incidents which are published in this Tolume, aio rouched for upon the strongest proofs of authenticity possible to obtain, and are either of circumstances known amid my own experience, or connected with the lives of my correspondents and their friends. They are the thankful record and tribute to the power of persevering faith.

Nothing has been published concerning which there is the least shadow of doubt. All have been carefully investigated.

Every case has been one of real prayer, and the results that have come, came only in answer to the prayer of faith, and were not possible to obtain without it.

They demonstrate to a wonderful degree, the immediate practical ways of the Lord with his children in this world, that He is far nearer and more intimate with their plans and pursuits than it is possible for them to realize.

Neither have we depended upon the relation of facts of a few, to convince the world of the real power of faith, but have added concurrent testimony of incidents actually known in the experience of such eminent clergymen as Charles Spurgeon, Newman Hall, Martin Luther, W. Huntington, Dr. Waterbury, George MuUer, Dr. Cullis, Dr. Patton, Dr. Adams, Dr. Prime, Bishop Simpson, and many others.

Also we have added some incidents known and investigated and found absolutely true, by the editors of the following journals, who add their unquestioning belief in the power of prayer: The Christiariy The Evangelist, The Observer, The Congregationalist, The Adinince, The Illustrated Christian Weekly, The American Messenger, The Witness, Likewise we have been greatly assisted by some of our Home Missionaries, who, from their daily experiences with the poor and sufeditor’s introduction.

fering, have been eye-witnesses to remarkable experiences and the wonderful help of the Lord in answering their prayers.

These testimonies here recorded must be accepted as true. They demonstrate that answers to prayer are not occasional, and therefore remarknble that they do occur, but are of constant occurrence.

There may be many minds who, having carried no trial to the Lord, have never been brought into intimate acquaintances of the ways in which the Loi*d tries the faith of his children, nor led to see and observe his wonderful control over human wills and circumstances. The power of the Lord is learned only by those who in deep trouble have faithfully souffht Him and seen His wavs of deliverance.

None can ever understand the full power of prayer until they have learned the lesson of trust. It is only when for the first time in the Christian’s own life of faith, it realizes the hand of God in his personal dealings with him, how near He is, or how clearly he feels the presence of that tremendous over-ruling Spirit which

“Turneth the heart whithersoever He will.^^

The actual existence of our God is therefore proved, not alone from History nor from the Bible alone, nor from current natural or religious feeling and beliefs, nor from the testimony of old witnesses several thousand years old, hut from the actual incidents of present prayer and the literal answer. Daily faith and trust and prayer have made the Christian deeply acquainted with Him and His ways, and humbly dependent upon His care and love and help, in the events of life. No one ever faithfully trusted the Lord in vain.

Circumstances so clouded that it has been impossible for men to control, have, through believing prayer, been so made to change, that through them have been revealed living evidences of the presence of

The Ever Living God.

To recognize God*s existence is to necessitate prayer to Him, by all intelligent creatures, or, a consciously living in sin and under condemnation of conscience, because they do not pray to Him. It would be horrible to admit the existence of a Supreme Being, with power and wisdom to create, and believe that the creatures he thought of consequence and importance enough to bring into existence, are not of enough consequence for him to pay any attention to in the troubles and trials consequent upon that existence.

Surely such a statement is an impeachment of both the wisdom and goodness of God.

It were far more sensible for those who deny the fitness and necessity of prayer to take the ground of the atheist and say plainly “We do not pray, for there is no God to pray to,” for to deny prayer, is practical atheism.

So in the very constitution of mans being there is the highest reasonableness in prayer. And, if the position of man in his relation to the earth he inhabits is recognized and understood, there is no unreasonableness in a God-fearing man looking to God for help and deliverance under any and all circumstances, in all the vicissitudes of life. The earth was made for man. One has said there is nothing great in the world but man; and there is nothing great in man but his soul.” With this in view, how absurd to talk about “fixed laws “and “unchangeable order,” in a way to keep man in his trouble from God. It is all the twaddle of the conceit of man setting himself up to judge and limit his maker. To

whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I he equal? saith the Holy One.” The Oreator is greater than his creation; the law giver is supreme over all law. He created the earth that it might he inhabited by man, and He governs the earth in subordination to the interests, the eternal and spiritual welfare of the race of immortal beings that are here being prepared for glory and immortality.

Laws, indeed, are fixed in their operation and results as subserving the highest good in the training and the disciplining of the race, giving them hope in their labor and sure expectation of fruit from their toil. But as set in operation for man’s go6dy so, in an exigency that may make necessary their suspension, to secure his deHverance from peril and bring man back to the recognition of the personal God, as above law, is it unreasonable to beHeve that God has power thus to suspend or over-rule his own arrangements? A wise father will govern his children by rules as securing their best good. But he will retain in his power the suspending of those rules when special occasions arise, when the object for which they exist can be better secured by their suspension. Shall not the Uving God have the same right?

So much as to the reflections suggested by the dogmas of natural religion. They sustain in reason our faith in prayer. The basis, however, of our faith rests upon the unchanging and unchangeable revelation of God, and not upon man’s philosophy. Jesus taught his disciples to pray, saying, “Our Father which art in Heaven.** As Christians, this is our authority for prayer. In the words, “Our Father,” our Blessed Lord has given us the substance of all that can be said, as to the privilege of prayer what to pray for and how to pray. There can be no loftier exercise of soul ever given to created intelligence than to come into conscious contact with the living God, and be able to say “My Father.”

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