Prayers and Business

Dominion, Volume 24, Issue 137, 6 March 1931, Page 7

Prayers and Business

Sir, —As an ordinary . business man with many interests, much harassed by the present depression, I ndte with interest that business men are being asked to attend the chupches next Sunday to pray for Divine assistance. It is an excellent suggestion, but as a logical man I doubt whether the Almighty will do mueh to help us till we take the trouble to follow His laws more, carefully. These are very clearly set out in. the Bible, and are so concise that they can be read in about three minutes. We are clearly told that the Sabbath'is a day of rest. It is supposed to be a day in which we are expected to take a sort of weekly stocktaking of the state of our souls and pray most earnestly for Divine guidance. It ■is not much good going to church two or three times a year when the mood takes us or when to put it blunt’v the wind up.” The Almighty will know better than we do ..lliwn.j a-.’.';, •.*■ whether we are going to make it a special effort for one day, or whether we are really going to make an honest attempt, with His assistance, to follow His laws more closely in the future. It seems to me that next Sunday will have to be a stepping stone to milch greater spintual effort on our part if we are to expect any assistance from God. The present state of the world is being brought about by the majority of us, and as far as I can see it will go from bad to worse as long as we continue to reckon progress and prosperity in pounds, shillings and pence.

Personally, I should like to have as mueh money as possible, and quite a lot of other things, but I do realise that most of the things I want most are of no benefit to my soul, and I can quite understand that the Almighty will not think much of my prayers or pay any heed to them unless my desires are more spiritual. and I take it that the same applies to most of my business friends.. It. looks to me that civilisation is on the brink of a gnat disaster, which is , being brought about by extravagance and love of money and pleasure. The Almighty will certainly help us if we help ourselves, by trying to live more in accordance with His laws, but it is too much to expect much response to a few extra prayers from people who have very little faith, and are more troubled about their worldly goods than anything else. I trust that you will find space to publish what I think is quite sound reasoning on a very important subject.—l am, etc., A BUSINESS MAN. Masterton, March 1.