RE NATIONAL PRAYER

Dominion, Volume 11, Issue 47, 19 November 1917, Page 6

RE NATIONAL PRAYER

• Sir,—As one who endeavoured to "do his bit" for the Umpire, and <ts a result is now permanently disabled, ft was with much amusement that i read tho letter lo prayer correspondents by "CommonSense." "He ('Common-Sense') asks whether we would see our wives aud children being brutally treated and not- go to their rescue. The question in itself is absurd. B,ut suppose a' cripple, unable to walk, saw his wife and children being ill-treated ih the street; Unable to go himself he would send 60i»e friond to their rescue, and even though he was a rank unbeliever lie would involuntarily uttor some such prayer as 'God grant that my friend may savo them,' or 'God help him.' Wo, who are unable to go on active servico' are in the position of that cripple, and having sent our bravo lads aro now supplying their needs and praying for them." He takes a very narrowminded view ofs. the matter,, and thinks that we, who advocate a day of prayer, mean our bravo men to 'ay down then arms, fall on their knees, and pray. Ho. says he prefers something practical. That certainly shows signs of common-sense; but is it too much for his mind to grasp that It is possible to have both physical and spiritual efforts working in unison. /"Common-Sense" quoted Ijapoleons words to uphold his argument— God was on the side of the big guii9, but the unfortunate part of it is that God was on the side of the inferior forces at Waterloo, where the much smaller .flntwi forces badly defeated poor Napoloon. Again, in the great Spanish Armada, tho smaller English Fleet was v.ctonoM. These are hut two of countless which prove that Nanoleon's » er * somewhat faulty. /'Common-Sense had bettor polish up his history a little arid read about poor Napoleons most interesting sojourn on St. Helena. We, who are unable or unfit for active servico, are doin? all in our power by gifts of money, etc., and also arci pay in?. Therefore, we are doing and have done more than "Common-Sense. "Common-Sense" wiwly remarks: Trayini f won't hurt anybody, but I her to add that it may and does do a lot ot t ~ | - 1

what ho is about to do a few, seconda hence? Jehovah says: "Cali upon me in the day of trouble, I frill deliver thee (Psalm 50, v. 15). Ejaculatory prayer might with advantage )>o more widely used as wo go through life—used in. hundreds of ways. Just one example. After wo havo written to a soldier at the front, why not, when dropping tho letter In tho pillar-box, say. "God grant that it may reach him promptly, and find him b*«ifo nnd sound/' / or words lo that effect? Bach person mnVing such $ penlion would bo flic rielicr for it (I don t mean in the American dollar sense, of course). I noje the quotation from Napoleon about "God being on the side of tho big guns." The writer of Proverbs, however, appeared to hold other views, for be says (21, v. SI): "The horse is prepared against the day of l)attle, nut safety is of tho Lord."—l am, etc., I SOME MORE COMMON-SENSE.