A DAY OF PRAYER

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27515, 9 October 1950, Page 6

A DAY OF PRAYER

Sir,—l was glad to read your footnote asking correspondents to confine themselves to the issue. So let us return to the original. It was suggested that we have a day of prayer. I have read many letters in reply, but so far nothing definite has been decided. Does it not appear that something lacking has caused so much delay? We have heard the testimony of many who claim they believe in prayer and that much can be achieved by praying. Then why all this debate and delay? It most certainly shows a weakness in their testimonies.

During the war many special prayer* were made, and many are under the impression, and trying to influence others, that these prayers were answered, but I can assure every reader of this letter that it was not so. In fact, I have not known of one to be answered, neither have I heard any true testimonies, for if they had been true we would be seeing more active service in the. Lord’s work.

As a believer in prayer, and one who can show undoubted results, I welcome all who are in favour of the suggestion made for a, day of prayer to meet at rooms which have been made available for this purpose ever since the beginning of Centennial Year, in the Pioneer Women’s Hall, Moray place, Dunedin, every Sunday and Wednesday afternoon at 3.15.—1 am, etc., John P. Morris. Mosglel Junction.

Sir. —The letters of the numerous correspondents who declare themselves so adamantly in favour of the proposal to call for a day of prayer, force one to the conclusion that they have set themselves against a consideration of the subject from either a natural or a scientific approach. They have, apparently, become accustomed to imagining that they must believe in. or make profession that they do, the power of prayer, and a personal God. They obviously delude themselves that unless they make regular supplications to their God some dire misfortune will be sure to descend upon them.

Why should we not have science instead of superstition, reason instead of prophecy, truth instead of tradition? As previously stated, the justification for a day of prayer centres upon the exponents of the idea ‘being able to establish, a tangible reason as to why we should .be called upon to give lip service to a petty the proof of whose existence is not forthcoming., • -

Lavoisier and Meyer showed that no god created the universe out of nothing. Kant and Laplace showed that the earth and the heavenly bodies were evolved from gaseous nebulae. Kepler and Newton showed that these bodies were not governed in their motions by a god but by the law of gravitation. Darwin and Wallace showed that the species of animal and vegetable life were not created but evolved from a common protoplasm. Marx and Engels showed that man’s career has not been determined by any among the gods, but by his systems for producing and distributing the necessities of life.— I am, etc., Rationalist.

Sir, —I would answer “ Enigma’s ” letter thus: A great many people ask "Why?” Because they do not realise that “ spiritual things are spiritually discerned.” Since its creation the world has been governed by certain unalterable laws, i.e., the sum of the Ten Commandments, the earth moving on its axis, birth and death is human, animal and plant life, etc. Only mankind has broken the law In the Ten Commandments. Mankind in obedience to the Commandments has available to it limitless spiritual power which in John 15 is revealed as spiritual life from God. St. Paul describes it as “ God in you, the hope of glory." Mankind in this vast world with its millions of peoples of diverse needs, temperaments and outlook has the effrontery to attempt to live for the most part in flagrant disobedience of the law of God. Is it any wonder chaos results and that war is inevitable? The Bible tells us that if we pray believing, our prayer will be answered. Then it will be answered, not because an aloof, arbitrary God stands afar off watching to see what faith we have, but because a living, bounteous Father ha* been enabled to use His power in our lives and the lives of others to answer our prayer, through our faith. How could General MacArthur’s prayer that God be merciful to the British soldiers be a believing one when they were being sent to a task which meant 'breaking a law (Sixth Commandment) and thus inevitably bringing suffering upon themselves and others? They themselves cut off the mercy of God available to each one through the spiritual power within. God was not aloof. He in each one suffered: “ In all our afflictions He is afflicted.” Many of us have lived through three wars and suffered heavily. We assumed that the very awfulness of the first Great War would end war. Sadly we experiened the second World War and thought surely there could not possibly be another; but it threatens! It is time mankind realised that peace will come only through mankind setting free in the world the spiritual force available to all—the spiritual force which at the Creation made a world out of chaos. —I am, etc., Wisdom...