Newspaper Page Text
V January 10, 19121
WHAT ABOUT THIS!
The Presbyterian church at Cotter.
Ark., has decidedly the best equipped
house of worship to be found in the
Ozark district between Batesvllle. Ark.,
and Carthage, Mo.
The building is constructed of BOlid
concrete with Interwoven re-enforcements
of iron and wire which renders
it almost indestructible. The heavy art
irlnfi<5 wlnHnwo o.w i -
..??-o uuu ucauiy as well as
substantiality to the structure. The interior
is finished with corrugated iron
ceiling and plastered walls. The woodwork
is hand polished and stained to
match the tinted walls and celling. The
seats are of beautiful dark oak with
hard wax finish which insures durability.
Altogether, the building and its
furnishings would do credit to a town
much larger than this mountain village
of fifteen hundred population.
Soon after the building was commenced.
several substantial members
were removed from Cotter as the result
of a strike in the car shops of the St.
t jOuIb. Iron Mountain and Southern
Railway. This left the few remaining
members with a greater task on their
'^andg than they had bargained for at
the outset. They didn't feel like they
were able to build as costly a house
as had been commenced, but they were
iTouvincea mat sucn a building was
needed If the town should continue to
grow, as they expected it would. So,
Instead of making the mistake, that is
so commonly made by small congregations.
of looking out for only the pres.
ent. they summoned up courage to go
ahead with the original plans and build
a house that would not have to bo torn
down in a few yearn to give place to
a larger one.
In completing this building as we
have indicated, a debt amounting to
*1.200.00 had to be incurred. We believe,
however, that they have acted
wisely in what they have done, but
we also believe that our church will
make a mistake if she does not make
I - A v ,'-1
Presbyterian Church. Cotter, Ark.
a greater effort to share such unequal
burdens as this. Such a debt ought to
be wiped out by the stronger churches;
for this little congregation will have
a heavy load during the next few years
in supporting a pastor and keeping up
the other contingent expenses. Our
home mission committees are doing
what they can to meet these needs but
there are so many such cases that they
cannot reach them all with the few
_I_11 . ~ -1 tny thin kind
uuuaia urn uoieu in mem ??,?
of work.
We do not expect the best paying
business enterprises to result from poorly
equipped plamts that have to struggle
along for years with only half enough
capital. Then, why not use business
judgment in establishing a new church?
Some Presbyteries have adopted the
plnn of individual pledges, whereby individuals
pledge themselves to give so
much during the year to erect new
churches within their own Presbytery.
This would be an excellent plan for
the General Assembly to adopt, rather
than the Presbytery; because this would
make each individual member of the
whole Southern Church responsible for
this extension work and the solicitation
of these pledges would remind each
member of that responsibility.
THE PRESBYTERI
Since, however, this plan hag not
been adopted by the General Assembly
and may never be. is there not some
individual or church or society .that
can spare a few dollars to assist this
worthy cause at Cotter? If so, send
what God prompts you to give to Mr.
W. J. Metcalf, Treas. of Bldg. Fund..
Cotter, Ark. A. C. McKinnon.
A VIEW OF PRATER.
By Lawrence Mendenhall.
This is a subject one can well take
time to consider, connected as it is so
inseparably with our spiritual life, and
our soul's uplift.
What medicine is to a sick body, is
prayer 10 zne sin-sicK. discouraged,
struggling spiritual nature of our being.
Take down your Bible; wipe ofT
the dust, and examine the concordance,
then a new view of the importance of
prayer will be had.
"And 1 saw a new heaven, and a new
earth" will become as realistic to you
as in the days of John, but the conditions
must be fulfilled by the drawing
nearer to God. Is there any surer
way than by prayer?
Eliminate prayer from a person's life
and you knock down one of the pillars
of strength of life's edifice, weakening
it so that when the evil days draw
nigh, it toppleth to the ground.
"We all know what prayer is. It Is
the placing of the heart's desireB before
your heavenly Father, leaving the fulfilling
to him. Let us be sure that our
desires are in accordance with his approval.
remembering that words do not
make prayer, or that you shall be
heard for your much speaking.
Just here ofttimes Satan tempts by
whispering. "Your Father knows what
things you have need of before you ask
him: why then do you bother him?
Will he yield to your Importuning what
he would not give to your needs?"
No! but asking is the necessary condition
ofttimes for our receiving, for let
us remember what he is. Christians in
their temptations should take comfort
in the thought that Satan never tempts
his own?he is sure of them. Let us
also bear in mind that it is useless for
the doctor to prescribe, if the patient
refuses to take the medicine. We must
pray and act.
But prayer is not merely asking; it
is a sweet communion, fellowship, an
intermingling of our life with God's, a
conversation with our heavenly Father.
As Henry Ward Beecher says: "Prayer
in il. ?
la in as luiiesL cuiicepuon. ine noDiest
attitude of communion, or converse
with God. Prayer is not the voice of a
beggar. It is the Uft'ng up of the soul
out of matter Into the presence of a
God of love."
The first element entering to prayer
is faith, bom of trust, of love, veneration,
and unselfishness, for we know we
cannot separate these when it comes to
following the Saviour. In the words of
an anonomous writer, viz.: "Often
when we pray for some object; control
ef self, conversion of a friend or ease
from some sorrow, we are tempted to
think. 'That n/ni ????. ~ --? '
r aiGv^i UUlllC LU p<lSS?
The thought is spontaneous, yet It, to
a greater or less degree, takes hold of
us and affects our praying. It Is due
to our human short-sight, and to our
letting the things of earth look too
large to us. We mock God when we
ask for something, and still think he
cannot give it."
Some people try to dodge this
phase of the question, but let me warn,
that when God begins to throw gtones
of truth, he is bound to hit somebody.
I^et us remember the words of Mon.
sleur De Mollnos: "The prayer of
faith Is the sincere, sweet and quiet
view of divine, eternal truth. The soul
rests quiet, perceiving and loving God;
sweetly rejecting all the Imaginations
4
AN OF THE SOUTH
that present themselves; calming the
mind in the Divine Presence, and fixing
it only on God."
We can never test the traces until we
begin to pull, so we can never find the
strength of the prayer until we use the
means of grace presented to us.
Can we afford to hold back, balk, and
rely upon our strength when we hear
the Saviour's voice telling us in tones
of love to call upon him?
In answer to this the Book says we
are to "come boldly to the throne of
grace." Here again comes in faith, for
faith drlveth away fear.
In answer to the question: "How is
prayer to be offered?" let me sav that
environment, disposition, and early
training enter largely into the question
and answer. From my standpoint,
I believe !n talking to God, for it
makes him more realistic and near.
You talk to your friend, why not talk
to your Lord, who ig truly the Friend
of sinners?
To use the words of Rev. F. W. Tompkins,
"If you walk by your friend's
side, and did not say a word to him, it
would become more difficult for you to
speak to him. On the other hand, the
more you speak the easier it becomes.
So with the dear Lord. Speak to him
about everything that comes to you;
say, 'Good morning, dear Master!'
when you awake; speak to him all the
time, and see how near he will seem.
You can never lose God, and he never
will lose you. If you do not realize his
near presence, speak and hear the answer.
At first it may seem formal, because
it is so long since you have
spoken, but it will soon become natural
and easy, and Kreat Deace will result.
Do It voluntarily, and It will soon become
involuntary."
Quoting again, let us read what that
wonderfully religious preacher. Phillips
Brooks, says: "Pray anxiously. Pray
passionately in the simplest of all
words, with the simplest of all thoughts.
Pray, the manliest thing that a man
can do, the fastening of his life to the
eternal, the drinking of a thirsty soul
out of the great fountain of life."
But these are only words of man and
by turning to Matt. 6:7, we learn what
the Lord says: "But when ye pray,
do not use vain repetit'ons as the
heathen do; for they think they shall
be heard for their much speaking."
Another point in prayer is, the hearing
following the asking, and in Proverbs
15:29 we find these words: "The
Lord is far from the wicked, but he
heareth the prayer of the righteous."
Be sure, however, when we pray that
the request is such that we can ask
God's bless'ng upon it, and that God in
his infinite wisdom may see fit to grant.
Humility here enters as an aspect of
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selves, and elevate him. and give credit
to him when we say. "Thy will be
done." Head Peter 5:5, and we will be
convinced that the wisdom of men is
foolishness with God.
In answer to the question, when,
where and what prayer is to be offered,
refer to Luke 18.1, "And he spake a
parable unto them to this end, that men
ought always to pray and to faint not."
Melancthon says: "Trouble and perplexity
drive us to prayer, and prayer
drlveth away perplexity."
Is there not in thiB an element of selfishness?
Should we only come to our
Saviour with our troubles, and not
thank him for blessings which are not
to be counted?
Right horn ?nto o HI YUa
come to man with our troubles, and he
says, "I've not time to listen. I have
my own." We go to God in our misery,
and he says, "Come unto me all ye
that labor and are heavy laden, and I
will give you rest." Can, and do we
doubt him?
Sometimes a person will gay. "I can.
?? I . I , =
(4i) 17
not pray to my Saviour unless I am la
my closet." We can each and every
one of us thank God that a Christian
can erect his altar in his office, or on
the street and that the Saviour's ear
will be ever open to his cry.
Sincerity, not man service, enters always
as a requisite for the answering
of prayer. I would rather be a Christian
on my feet, than a hypocrite on
my knees.
We now come to the absorbing topic
or question, "Does God answer prayer?"
Do we dare, as his professed follow
ers, say lie does not? Look 'round
about you; unto your own every-day
life; Into history; read the many answers
In the Old and New Testament,
and then dare to perjure your sincere
convictions with a denial.
The granting, and the withholding
reBts with him, and It Is for us to wait
patiently upon him. There Is not one
of us who has not had prayers answered
without number, both directly
and Indirectly, and seen as well the Infinite
wisdom displayed.
Family prayers, or at least a time
set apart for devotion and meditation,
are not only extremely helpful, hut
necessary, and I would say to parents
to start early with your children. The
simple, "Now I lay me," never grows
old. as we look back to the time when
a mother's lap was our altar, before
which we offered our childish devotions.
A short morning prayer, and a verse
or Scripture before going to business,
or the duties of the day, will be found
extremely helpful. Any business man
can certainly spare this much time. I
recommend to him, and to others, these
books found by me to be very uplifting,
viz.: "Daily Strength for Daily
Needs," ''Daily Food,*' and "Boacon
Lights on Life's Journey."
What exercise is to the muscles, is
prayer to your spiritual life. The more
prayer is indulged in, and child-like
trust shown, the more the transcendent
love and power lg shown, and help
comes with convincing force. The
reason why people doubt prayer is because
It is too seldom Indulged in.
Read 1 John 5:14, and be comforted.
With these statements and facts before
you, let me ask, "What does
prayer mean to you?" Does It mean an
uplift, a closer communion with your
heavenly Father? Or does it s'mply
mean a perfunctary recital of words,
because you feel you ought to pray?
If the last, rest assured that the bles?111
4- -
sniB mil iiul come zo you in its ruuest
and most sacred meaning; and until
faith removes all doubt, and Jesus
Christ becomes to you your dally Companion
and Guest.
God grant that we may pray ar'ght.
and thereby bask in the sunshine of
his love; and as the sunfluwer turns
towards the sun, so may we tarn
towards the Son of Righteousness for
help and comfort when we pray.
THE BENEFIT OF PARABLES.
Christ spake to them in parables:
he gave them the truth, not In abstract,
but in concrete form, as illustrated in
the common events and occupations of
life. This they could carry away; this
they would remember; this they could
relate to others; this would lodge In
their hearts and might grow and blossom
Torth at last into clear meaning.
Those present v/ho were susceptible.
would PTllnV its honnflt llinf In n.nnn.
-V, J-BV
tlon as they were susceptible; while
those who were not susceptible would
not be Injured, but would at least?
go the Master hoped?be in some measure
blesced. We see what splendid
wisdom and tact Christ employs in his
efforts to carry out his sublime purpose.
Like the apostle, "he is all things
to all men."?Rev. Dr. A. Vannema, in
The Christian Intelligencer.