The soul is in need. Man is conscious of a lack, of a "missing link," of something outside of himself and higher than himself. He is internally conscious of having sunk below his level — and of being unable of himself to rise. He looks and longs and prays for help. Music awakens feelings in the mind of an idiot and a moanful cry from his heart, as though he longed for something higher. The inspiring voice of nature pours into the soul of man, a melody which awakens in him a consciousness that beyond him is a nobler, higher plane of life. Within man, there lies a self-slumbering instinct of a lost union with a purer, holier realm; and . . .
the falling of a leaf, it may be,
or the whispering of the breeze,
the beauty and fragrance of a flower,
the song of a bird or the music of the rippling brook,
the broad plain or the lofty mountain,
the expanse of ocean or the azure vault of Heaven decked with glittering stars
— awakens that instinct and declares to him that he was born for something higher — and he prays!

Could you ascend to some height and observe the behavior of man — what would you see? You would see him praying! You would see the African bowing down before his fetish. You would hear the muezzin notifying the Mohammedans of the hour of prayer. You would see the Parsi endeavoring to satisfy his soul's need in the Zend-Avesta. You would see the Tartar prostrating himself before the Grand Lama. You would see the countless number paying their devotion to the bird, the cow, the crocodile, the sun, Jupiter, and to the many wooden gods and gods of stone. You would see the Arabian before the Black Stone of Mecca, which, says a legend, was white when the angel gave it to Abraham, but was turned black by the sins of man. You would see the Indian with his Manitou, the devotee of the Roman Catholic church counting her rosary. You would see a Nathaniel under his fig tree or a woman pleading for a crumb. Among all these 'gods' — some men fear they have not found the god that can meet the soul's demand — so they worship the "unknown god".

Thus men pray. Everywhere man seeks for something to meet the need of the soul. The Christian has found the God — and the only one — that can satisfy the heart. He has found the one, true God — he who through his Son restores the missing link, and brings man again into blissful union with himself. This union which man finds with God — meets all the needs of the soul, and satisfies all its longings. When God is found, the soul sinks into perfect rest. There is no lack to those who fear the one, true God. He supplies all man's need. He leads him into green pastures and into quiet resting places. He restores his soul.

Amid the gods many to whom men pray, the Christian has found the true God — the one, and the only one, that actually hears and answers prayer, lifts man to his proper plane and sphere, and gives him rest, joy, and peace. He is all in all to the Christian.

In this little book we deal only with the Christian's prayer — the prayer that avails and brings the blessings of God to the heart of man.

The Soul's Hidden Life Sustained by Prayer

The soul that has found Jesus — has found life. "And this is the record that God has given to us eternal life — and this life is in his Son."1 John 5:11

. This life is a heavenly life — because it comes from God. It is heavenly not only in its purity — but also in its peacefulness.

This life of the soul — is a hidden life. "Your life is hid with Christ in God." Christianity is not an exterior, visible something. As the fruit of a tree, is not the life of the tree — so holyaction is not the life of the soul — but is the fruit of that life. And as the bearing of fruit does not sustain the life of the tree — so the doing of good deeds does not keep the soul alive. Its life is sustained from an unseen hidden source.

If a man's religion consists in his doing and his talking — then he has not the true vital Christian religion. If he loves to talk about the things of God — more than he loves to talk with God; if he has more animation in public prayer — than in secret prayer — then it is to be feared that his religion is only an external thing, and not that true religion which has its source in God.

If a person can talk out more than he experiences in his heart; if he has more outward thought than inward feeling — then his religion is gleaned from an outside source, and not breathed into his soul by the Spirit of God. If he has a religion that is fed through the intellect, a religion that is borrowed or learned from others, and not that which comes along as a hidden stream from God — his religion is vain!

True spiritual life comes from God to man's soul — and then flows out in holy living. This life is both gained and sustained through believing prayer. The reading of the Scriptures — is listening to the voice of God; and is the listening side of prayer.

All true spiritual life and holy living — comes by the soul's life being hid with Christ in God. "In him was life." The good deed, in order to be of value in God's sight — needs to have the stamp of the divine life; just as a coin must bear the government stamp, in order to pass current. Our acts of kindness should have their origin deeper than in us. If they proceed only from us — they will leave our imprint on others; if they have their source in God — they will engrave his image on the character of others. "All my springs are in you!" said one who had all his expectations from God. "There is a river [or spring], the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God." Our stream of life — should have its spring in God.

In Judges chapter one, Achsah was leaving her father Caleb's home to go and dwell with her husband. Taking advantage of a father's feeling — she asked him for a blessing. He had given her a south land, and now she desired a spring of water. He gave her the upper and the lower springs. Too many, we fear, have only the upper, or surface springs, whose waters fail in a dry time — and dry times will come. We should have the lower springs, whose waters never fail.

If our outward life has its rise in our own human sympathy, compassion, and kindness — it will be feeble in a dry time. Oh! let your life be hid with Christ in God, that the spring of every act, word, and thought may be in him. If man's life has its rise in himself — it may bind man to him; but if it has its rise in God — it will bind men to God.

The cultivation of gentleness, kindness, and love are excellent — but let it be the cultivation of that gentleness, kindness, and love which comes from God, and not the cultivation of merely our own qualities. If you desire to be kind — then go into the presence of Jesus. Draw near to the Savior — that He may breathe His Spirit upon you. A kind, tender feeling will begin to thrill your heart, and then as you go out among men, the expression that thrill will strike upon the hearts of men. If you would have more love — look with steadfast eye to Calvary. See the pierced hands and side, the thorn-crowned brow, and hear the "My God! My God! Why have You forsaken Me!" and there will begin to kindle in your soul — a love that will make men feel the warmth of its flame.

It is by prayer, that the soul's life is sustained. The intellect may feed upon the external perceptions of God — but the soul feeds and lives upon God himself. Live each moment under the cover of His feathers. Hide beneath the shadow of His wing. When the angry storm-clouds of life are gathering, oh, how blessed to feel the soft down of God's featherscovering us; and when the heat of trial is kindling upon us, to feel the cooling shadow of His wing!

Let your spirit, O pilgrim saint, closely entwine with the Spirit of your God. Let your life be hid in the secret of His pavilion — and there in the closest intimacy commune with Him. Thus shall your daily life be like the peaceful flowing of the river, whose banks are ever as verdant as the springtime.

"I dwell beneath His shadow,
'Tis sweet to shelter there;
Secured within his loving arms
From all distracting care.

To nestle 'neath the feathers
Of his protecting wings;
Defying there hell's fiery darts
And all beside that stings!

I dwell beneath his shadow,
And gladly linger there;
While on his love I feed my soul
And his own peace I share!

Oh! precious are these tastes of bliss;
The fullness is to come;
But these refresh us on our way,
To fuller joys at home."