11 THE PROBLEM OF UNANSWERED PRAYER 11

DESPITE THE BEAUTIFUL, HAUNTING LINES BY ETHEL ROMIG FULLER, SOME MORTALS DO WONDER. AND THE QUESTION "DOES GOD ANSWER PRAYER?" IS ASKED BY MANY. MANY HAVE PRAYED AND NOTHING HAS HAP-PENED. NO REPLY BUT EMPTY ECHOES. THEN HAVE THEY WONDERED IF GOD WERE DEAF OR INDIFFERENT.

SOMEONE GLIBLY SAYS THAT THERE IS NO SUCH THING AS UNANSWERED PRAYER. HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT THE TESTIMONY OF THE ORDINARY PERSON. THE TESTIMONY OF MANY SINCERE FOLKS IS THAT PRAYERS HAVE BEEN UNANSWERED. SO LET US FACE THE FACTS AS HONESTLY AS WE CAN. HAVE THERE NOT BEEN SOME TIMES IN YOUR EXPERIENCE WHEN YOUR PRAYERS WERE NOT ANSWERED - WHEN GOD SAID "NO! 11 TO YOU; WHEN YOUR PRAYERS SEEMED TO GET NO FARTHER THAN THE CEILING?

FAU:f.TY CONCEPTS BEFORE WE GO ANY FARTHER IT MAY BE THAT WE NEED TO CONSIDER THE CONCEPT OF PRAYER THAT WE HOLD.

MANY CONCEPTS. NOT ALL GOOD CONCEPTS. NEED TO BE CHECKED AGAINST THE BIBLE AS WELL AS AGAINST HUMAN EXPERIENCE. LET'S LOOK AT SOME OF THEM.

HERE 1 S THE PERSON WHO LOOKS ON PRAYER AS A KIND OF NECESSARY INSURANCE. FIRE INSURANCE PER-HAPS IF HE HAS A CERTAIN KIND OF THEOLOGY. SO HE SEES TO IT THAT POLICY DOESN'T LAPSE BECAUSE HE WANTS TO GET TO HEAVEN EVENTUALLY. SO ONE REMEM­BERS THE CARTOON OF THE GANGSTER KNEELING SIDE OF BED AND SAYING "NOW I LAY ME DOWN TO SLEEP •• 11 IT WAS BOTH HABIT AND INSURANCE WITH HIM . AND THEN SOME OF US REMEMBER FORGETTING TO SAY PRAYERS AND THEN SUDDENLY REMEMBERING; SO WE JUMPED OUT OF BED SAYING 11 GOD NEARLY GOT ME THAT TIME". AND MANY PEOPLE LOOK ON PRAYER AS INSURANCE AND AS A DEVICE FOR THE ASSURANCE OF PROTECTION.

THEN MANY OF US REGARD PRAYER AS A KIND OF EMERGENCY CALL. THERE IS A CRISIS AND THEN IN OUR DESPERATION WE CALL ON GOD IN PRAYER. PRAYER IS A KIND OF LAST DESPERATE HOPE. PSALMIST KNEW 0 F THIS KIND OF CONCEPT; IN PSALM 107 HE SAYS "AT THEIR WIT'S END THEY CRY UNTO THE LORD". SHAKES­PERE KNEW HOW MEN TURN TO GOD IN DESPERATION; IN

-2-HIS "TEMPEST" HE MAKES THE SHIPWRECKED SAILORS CRY OUT, 11 ALL IS LOST ! TO PRAYERS! TO PRAYERS! 11

THEN THERE IS THE EVENT DESCRIBED BY IBSEN IN "PEER GYNT". PEER, SHIPWRECKED, PUSHES A MAN FROM FLOATING SPAR,·AND BEFORE HE LETS HIM SINK IN THE SEA, COMMANDS HIM, ''SAY THE LORD'S PRAYER QUICKLY". I AM NOT SAYING GOD DOES NOT HEAR THIS KIND OF PRAYER. CHURCH FATHERS USED TO SAY THAT GOD WOULD HEAR A MAN'S PRAYERS AND SAVE HIS SOUL 11 'TWIXT THE STIRRUP AND THE GROUND". TROUBLE WITH THIS EMERGENCY KIND OF PRAYER IS THIS, IT IS USUALLY SUPERFICIAL. WHEN THE EMERGENCY IS OVER, WHEN THEY HAVE ESCAPED, THEY FORGET THEIR VOWS, AND RETURN TO THEIR OLD WAYS. "IF ONLY GOD WILL SPARE ME THIS ONCE ••• " "IF GOD WILL ONLY SAVE ME OR MY LOVED ONE THIS ONCE ••• 11

THEN SOME REGARD PRAYER AS BEING SOMETHING LIKE MAGIC. GOD IS THE GREAT MAGICIAN. PRAYER IS THUS USED BY MANY AS A DEVICE TO GET THINGS. JULES ROMAINE IMAGINES HIMSELF IN A CATHEDRAL; HE TRIES TO SENSE THE PETITIONS OF THE CONGRGATION; AND HERE ARE SOME OF THE PRAYERS HE THINKS ARE BEING OFFERED TO GOD: 11 0 GOD IN HEAVEN, CURE MY LEG, MATTER BURST FROM IT YESTERDAY .•• 0 GOD, FILL MY SHOP WITH CUSTOMERS AND HELP ME TO FIND IF ~· SERVANT JOHN IS ROBBING ME ••• O GOD, CURE MY SORE EYES ••• SAVE ME, 0 GOD, FROM BEING DRUNK SO OFTEN • •• LORD, LET MY SON PASS THIS EXAMINATION AND THOU SHALT HAVE A GREAT BIG CANDLE ••• HELP ME MAKE HER FALL IN LOVE WITH ME AND I WILL PUT NINEPENCE IN ST. ANTHONY 1 S BOX." PRAYER IS MORE THAN ASKING FOR MERE THINGS. GOD IS MORE THAN THE HEAD OF A SYSTEM OF ORGANIZED CHARITIES.

SURELY PRAYER IS MORE THAN' AN INSURANCE AGAINST DISASTER OR A GUARANTEE FOR LIFID TO COME. SURELY IT MUCH MORE THAN AN EMERGENCY DEVICE TO BE USED ONLY IN TIME OF CRISIS AND THEN' PUT AWAY UNTIL ANOTHER CRISIS ARISES. IT IS ALSO MORE T MAGIC - MORE THAN THE COAXING AND~,THE WHEEDLING OF GIFTS FROM A RELUCTANT GOD.

PRAYER AS COMMUNION ALL OF THIS GOES TO SHOW THAT REAL PRAYER IS DIFFI­CULT TO ACHIEVE. ASKED TO

BELIEVE PRAYER IS A SIMPLE THING - LIKE A CHILD TALKING WITH HIS FATHER. BEAUTIFUL DEFINITION.

-3-EASIER TO UNDERSTAND THAN THEOLOGICAL DEFINITION WHICH DEFINES PRAYER IN ' TERMS OFI SEVEN ELEMENTS: ADORATION, THANKSGIVING, CONFESSION, MEDITATION, PETITION, INTERCESSION AND DEDICATION. BUT THOUGH ONE SIMPLIFIES PRAYER BY DEFINING IT IN TERMS OF CHILD TALKING WITH FATHER, YET VERY OFTEN SENSE OF UNREALITY REMAINS; FOR YOU SEE, WHEN A CHILD TALKS WITH HIS FATHER, HE CAN GRASP FATHER'S HAND, LOOK INTO FATHER'S EYES, HEAR FATHER'S ANSWERING VOICE.

PRAYER IN ITS DEEPEST REACHES IS COMMUNION WITH GOD; FELLOWSHIP WITH THE DIVINE. IT IS MORE THAN A MERE ASKING FOR THINGS. AND WHEN PEOPLE HAVE ASKED FOR THINGS AND NOT RECEIVED THEM, THEN THEY ARE THROUGH WITH GOD. STANLEY JONES SPEAKS OF MAN WHO WAS DISILLUSIONED BECAUSE HE THOUGHT GOD HAD LET HIM DOWN. "MY BROTHER WAS WOUNDED. I PRAYED DESPERATELY THAT HE MIGHT LIVE. ANY DECENT PERSON WOULD HAVE ANSWERED MY PRAYER BUT GOD DID NOT ANSWER IT. MY BROTHER DIED. I HAVE NO FAITH LEFT".

SUCH CASES CAN BE MULTIPLIED. PEOPLE WHO HAVE STOPPED GOING TO CHURCH, STOPPED PRAYING AND HAVE CUT OUT ALL RELIGTON, BECAUSE THEY THINK GOD WAS NOT FAIR. HE DID NOT DO THE DECENT THING, HE HAD THE POWER BUT REFUSED TO DO ANYTHING. SAME REBUKE YOU SEffi THAT SISTERS OF LAZARUS THREW AT JESUS - "LORD, IF THOU HADST BEEN HERE, OUR BROTH ER WOULD NOT HAVE DIED 11

•

THREE SUGGESTIONS FIRST SUGGESTION; SOMETIMES WE ASK GOD TO DO THE IMPOS-

SIBLE. MEN OFTEN PRAY FOR CONTRADICTORY THINGS. GOD COULD NOT POSSIBLY AN­SWER BOTH PRAYERS AT THE SAME TIME. HERE A FARMER PRAYS FOR RAIN FOR HIS CORN AND ON AN ADJOINING FARM HIS NEIGHBOR IMPLORES GOD TO SEE FIT TO SEND A LITTLE SHNSHINE TO RIPEN HIS GRAIN. WHICH PRAY­ER WILL GOD ANSWER? HOW CAN HE ANSWER BOTH?

THE WAR PROVIDES ANOTHER EXAMPLE. DON'T YOU SUPPOSE PRAYERS ARE RISING ~VERYWHERE TODAY FOR VICTORY AND GOD'S BLESSING ON OUR CAUSE? YES AN~ IN GERMANY THIS DAY THERE ARE PRAYERS RISING TO GOD IMPLORING HIM TO GRANT THEM THE VICTORY. AND IN THEIR SUPPLICATIONS THEY PRAY AS SINCERELY AS WE. HOW CAN GOD ANSWER PRAYERS BASED ON SUCH AN

APPARENT CONTRADICTION? ONE OF THE PRAYERS WILL BE UNANSWERED .

THAT BRINGS US TO SECOND SUGGESTION. IN OUR PRAYERS SO MANY TIMES, WE ASK GOD TO SUBSTITUTE OUR INDIVIDUAL DESIRES FOR HIS FAMILY PLAN. AND BY FAMILY PLAN, I MEAN THIS; WE ARE ALL TIED TO­GETHER SOCIALLY. HUMAN LIFE IS A SOLIDARITY. IT IS SO CONSTRUCTED THAT WE RISE OR FALL TOGETHER. THE SINS OF ONE ARE SHARED BY ALL. IN THIS SCHOOL OF LIFE, WHEN ONE INDIVIDUAL DOES SOMETHING WRONG THE WHOLE SCHOOL IS KEPT IN.

SO, AN UNEMPLOYED MAN SUFFERS BECAUSE SOCI­ETY CANNOT WORK OUT THE PROBLEM OF ECONOMICS AND UNEMPLOYMENT. LIKEWISE, MEN HAVE TO GO TO BATTLE AND DIE AS INDIVIDUALS BECAUSE THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD HAVE NOT SOLVED THE PROBLEM OF LIVING TO­GETHER IN PEACE. UNDER THESE CONDITIONS, BECAUSE WE ARE ALL TIED TOGETHER AND LIFE IS UPON FAMILY BASIS, THE PRAYERS OF THE INDIVIDUAL CANNOT BE ANSWERED.

THE THIRD SUGGESTION IS THIS; SOMETIMES WE DISCOVER THAT OUR SO-CALLED UNANSWERED PRAYER WAS REALLY ANSWERED THOUGH IN A WAY WE LITTLE EXPECT­ED. THAT IS, LATER WE ARE WILLING TO CONFESS GOD KNEW BETTER THAN WE. ST. AUGUSTINE TELLS HOW HIS MOTHER, MONICA PRAYED ALL THROUGH THE NIGHT IN A LITTLE CHAPEL IN NORTHERN AFRICA, THAT HER SON MIGHT THROUGH DIVINE INTERVENTION BE SAVED FROM REACHING SINFUL ITALY. WANTED HIM TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN. BUT WHILE SHE PRAYED HE SAILED. AND THERE, IN THE VERY PLACE FROM WHICH HER PRAYERS WOULD HAVE KEPT HIM, AUGUSTINE MET AMBROSE, GREAT BISHOP OF MILAN, WHO PERSUADED HIM TO BECOME A FOLLOWER OF CHRIST. DON'T YOU SEE? THE SPECIFIC THING FOR WHICH MONICA PRAYED WAS NOT GIVEN, BUT THE DEEP DESIRE OF HER LIFE CAME TO PASS. AND WE SOMETIMES MAKE THAT DISCOVERY; THOUGH SOMETIMES THE LANGUAGE OF OUR PRAYER IS NOT ANSWERED AS WE HAD HOPED, YET THE DEEP DESIRES OF OUR HEARTS DO FIND THEIR FULFILMENT. AND WE ARE THEN WILLING TO ADMIT THAT GOD IS WISER THAN WE.

LET ME LEAVE A PICTURE WITH YOU. CHRIST IN GARDEN. LISTEN TO HIM; "FATHER, IF IT BE POSSIBLE LET THIS CUP PASS FROM ME". A NATURAL DESIRE TO ESCAPE ALL THAT WAS BE.FORE HIM. THE CUP DID NOT PASS; HAD TO DRINK BITTER DREGS. APPARENTLY AN UN­ANSWERED PRAYER; BUT OUT OF THAT JESUS EMERGES WITH STRONGER FAITH - "NEVERTHELESS NOT MY WILL .. 11

IF RADIO'S SLIM FINGERS CAN PLUCK A MELODY FROM THE NIGHT AND TOSS IT OVER CONTINENT OR SEA; IF THE PETALED WHITE NOTES OF A VIOLIN CAN BE BLOWN ACROSS A MOUNTAIN OR A CITY'S

DIN; IF SONGS, LIKE CRIMSON ROSES, ARE CULLED FROM THE THIN BLUE AIR, WHY SHOULD MORTALS WONDER IF GOD HEARS

PRAYER? -Ethel Romig Fuller.

I THANK THEE, LORD, FOR MINE UNANSWERED PRAYERS,

UNANSWERED, SAVE THY QUIET, KINDLY "NAY", YET IT SEEMED HARD AMONG MY HEAVY CARES THAT BITTER DAY.

I THANK THEE, LORD, FOR THESE UNANSWERED PRAYERS,

AND FOR THY WORD, THE QUIET, KINDLY, "NAY", 'TWAS THY WITHHOLDING LIGHTENED ALL MY

CARES THAT B~ESSED DAY.

ORDI:R OF :::VL1THIG SERVIC E - 7:00 0 1 CLOCK

ORG.;~N PRELUDE "Prie r e a Notre - Dame' Bo e llmann

* CHOR.i~L PR..YER "0 Holy Fathe r' · llTVOC, .TION i.lTD LORD'S PR.SER

* I-ffic!N 2 ncome , thou .~. lmighty King"

* SCRIPTURE LESSON

* HYUNS OF PRi.ISE

Pa l e strina i . Student

•• Stud(..nt

"The Spa cious Firmament on High' ' Haydn

*

" Lord Thou Hast Been Our Dwe lling; Plac e ''

"Lift Thine Eye s" "With Joyful Song;"

David Hugh Jones Mende lssohn

Schvcdof

P&.YER i. Student CHOR: .. L RESPONSE l'f.ESS • .,GE BY i .. STUDENT

*

Jr::SUS CHRIST , T;-{E LORD

"I Wonde r c.s I Wande r" .. ·._ppa lachia n Carol "Wor e You The re Vlhen The y Crucifi e d ~1y Lord?"

1Jcgro Spiritual "Sa lvation Bc long;e th to God" Tsche snokoff

THE .·,DDRESS Dr . Henry Seymour Brmm

ORGi.N OFFERTORY " Hcdi t a tion" Vi e rne PRESEN T •• T I ON OF OFFERING OFFERTORY dfTHEHS

"Wh en I Survey the Wondrous Cross '' 1·. rra n ged by Dn vid Hugh Jones

"Rise Up l. 0 D.-Ion of God" T . Te rtius Nobl e

BENEDICTION ,JTD CHOR.t.L ;JlEU ORGnN POSTLUDE " ;.11 Ha il the Power of J e sus ' Name"

i .. rrangt: d by 11a cDonald

© A . P H . Lt oo n U S A . N o C 77

_7\lf x Church

DEEP i.n my heart I know that the Church

is of God + That in spite of huma frailties she has brought blessings untold to all generations, 'ncluding my own + That she has made my community and my country a better place in which to hve, to work to establish a home, and to rear my children + That I would not want to live or die in a la:nd wher no churc~ spires point its people heavenward.

J ALSO know that the Church continues to live triumphantly even when me and nations reject her by indifference or open hostility .

IN this knowledg I gladly give myself to my Church and offer her my lo al support by iw telligen.t membership, regular attendance, gener­ous giving, ardent prayer, and devoted service.

'Jhe Church 11Yt~lcomes You '

FREHm:T STREET ~'!ETHODIST CHURCH Gloversville, New York Fred Clarke - Minister

Dorothy E. Mellick Minister of rdusic

Grace L. Gifford Church Secretary

,Lewis Cunning - Sexton

"J.llegretto' ' Schytte ORGAN PRELUDE CALL TO WORSHIP HThlN 21 "Come, let us tune our INVOCi:..TION AND LORD'S PRAYER

By the minister loftiest song"

* RESPONSIVE READING GLORIA. P.h.THI APOSTLES' CREED

*

9th Sunday - 2nd Reading

Page 512

SCRIPTURE LESSON Luke 11:1-13 L. PRAYER FOR TIIE ARMED FORCES To be said by all

0 Lord of Hosts, grant to those who have gone forth to fight our battle by land, sea, or air, Thy protection in danger, patience in suffering, and moderation in victory.

Look with compassion on the sick, the wounded, and the captives; sanctify to them their trials, and turn their hearts unto Thee. 1/'le beseech Thee to comfort and bless the dying; have mercy upon the widow and fatherless, and r, ivc tho assurance of Thy prosenco to all who mourn •

. :Lnd, 0 God, who ma.kest wars to cease in all the earth, r estor e to us the blessings of peaco; and grant that our present troubl e may be overruled to Thy honor and glory; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. s~.men.

* l.NTHEM "V.fha t of the Night 0 Wa tchman" P.i: .. STORAL PPJSER CHORi~L RESPONSE ORGLN OFFERTORY "Voix Ce l es t es" PRESENT..:SION OF OFFERINGS HYMN 325 "I look to Thee in every need"

"TIIE PROBLEM OF UN~·J·JSVIERED PR..YER''

HTI11N 242 "He leadeth mo, 0 blessed thought'1

BENEDICTION i.lJD DOXOLOGY ORG1 .. N POSTLUDE "Maos toso''

Thompson

Bo e llmann

10:30 11:00 11:45 6:30

7:00

FEBRUARY 27, 1944 - CALENDAR FOR TODAY

Morning Worship~ Primary Church and Junior Church. Church School; visitors cordially invited. Fremont Youth Fellowship will meet in order to attend the evening service. Union Service at Fremont; Princeton Seminary Choir. Address by Dr. Henry Seymour Brown; for progran of this service turn to the back page.

THROFGH THE WEEK AT FREMONT

MONDJS 3:45 7:30

TUESD.i:,. Y 8 : 00

Junior Choir rehearsal. February meeting of Board of Education. \'verner Workers meet with l.'irs. J.·.._. Fanch, 17 Monroe Street. Speaker, Mrs . Harry Langworthy.

WEDNESDi.Y 7:55

7:30 THURSD.h.Y 3:45

6:30

7:30

Second Lenten Service for high school and junior high school students. This Students' Service will be conducted by the youth of the Congregational Church. Hid-week Lenten Prayer Service. ~1inistcr 1 s I1Iembership Class. Winning Six Covered Dish Supper at the church. Chorus Choir r ehearsal.

OT!IER i'-l'HWUNCEMENTS

The Flowers today arc given by the family of tho late l~.lbcrt Pyne and arc in his memory.

"Prayer in a Day Like This" is the general theme of th<.: sermon sories which starts today. Sermons in tho series arc as follows: "The Problem of Unanswered Prayer1

' ,

"Praye r and Pain", "Prayer and Some Intollcctual Frob-. loms", "Why Pray in an Orderly Universe?", "Tho Usc of Imagination in Prayer" •

We invite the men to join the discussion group which is meeting during Church School hour under tho l ea dership of the minister. Stimulating time is promised 1