"WHY PRAY IN AN ORDERLY UNIVERSE? 11

FOURTH IN SERIES "PRAYER IN A DAY LIKE THIS 11•

LAST WEEK DEALT WITH TWO INTELLECTUAL PROBLEMS: WHY PRAY IF ALL EVENTS ARE THE WILL O.F' GOD? WHY PRAY IF GOD IS GOOD? THIS MORNING THE QUESTION IS: WHY PRAY IF THIS IS A UNIVERSE O.F' LAW AND ORDER?

PRIMARY ASSUMPTION OF COURSE IS THAT THIS IS A UNIVERSE OF' LAW AND ORDER. BOUND BY LAW. NOT A MULTIVERSE BUT A UNIVERSE. ONE LA AND PURPOSE HOLDING ALL THINGS TOGETHER. SUN, MOON, AND ALL THE STARS MOVE ITH PRECISION AND ARE EXACT IN THEIR WORKING. WHOLE WORLD OF NATURE LEAVES US

ITH FE8LING THAT THERE IS REGULARITY AND LAW. QUESTION IS: IN THIS KIND OF A UNIVERSE OF

LAW AND ORDER, IS THERE ANY ROOM FOR PRAYER? PUT IT ANOTHER WAY: IN A SCIENTIFIC DAY AND AGE SUCH AS THIS IS, WHAT PLACE HAS BEEN LEFT FOR PRAYER? DbES IT DO ANY GOOD TO PRAY?

ANY ROOM FOR PRAYER? IN A UNIVERSE IN ' HIGH LAW AND ORDER SE~M TO BE ABSO­LUTE AND SUPREME, CAN WE

GO ON BELIEVING THAT GOD SUSPENDS HIS LAWS THAT OUR PRAYERS MIGHT BE ANSWERED? THE MAN OF SCIENCE ANSW~RS THE QUESTION BY JAUNTILY BOWING GOD OUT OF THE UNIVERSE HE HAS MADE. WHILE MANY OF REST OF US HAVE IMPRISONED GOD IN HIS OWN SYSTEM AND HAVE DECLARED HIM INCAPABLE OF MAKING A FATHER'S RESPONSE TO THE CRY OF HIS CHILDREN. SCIENTIST SAYS "THERE IS NO GOD"; REST OF US SAY 11 THERE IS A GOD OF COURSE; BUT HE IS LIMITED BY HIS OWN LAW AND THEREFORE HE CANNOT RESPOND TO OUR PRAYERS."

REAL ~UESTION HERE ANL PROBLEM. HAS SCIENCE MADE PRAYER OBSOLETE? ANSWER IS THAT IT HAS MADE SOME PRAYERS OBSOLETE AND UNNECESSARY. SCIENCE HAS DONE WONDERFUL THINGS FOR US; GIVEN TO MEN POWER UNDREAMED OF A CENTURY AGO. AND THINGS FOR WHICH OUR GRANDFATHERS TURNED TO GOD FOR HELP ARE NOW LARGELY IN OUR CONTROL. NOT THAT NATURE HAS CHANGED; BUT THAT WE ARE ABLE TO CONTROL NATURE IN SOME DEGREE. WHERE OUR FOREFATHERS ~mNT INTO INNER ROOMS TO PRAY, '1'E GO INTO OUR LABORATORIES TO EXPERIMENT AND INTO OUR FACTORIES TO CREATE.

THE TESTIMONY OF LIFE. IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS. WE PRAY BECAUSE WE FEEL WE ARE NOT ADEQUATE FOR

LIFE'S STORMS. COMPETENT IN FAIR WEATHER ONLY. AS LONG AS DAYS ARE BRIGHT AND SUN SHINING WE ARE ABLE TO GET ALONG WITHOUT PRAYER AND GOD. BUT IT IS THE MOST NATURAL THING TO PRAY WHEN THE STORM COMES. BUTTRICK TELLS OF LITTLE CABIN-CRUISER ON LAKE TWELVE MILES BY SIX. HEAVY SQUALL AROSE AND THE LANDLUBBERS V~RE AFRAID. SO IN BROAD DAYLIGHT THEY FRANTICALLY SENT ROCKETS INTO SKY. AND WE ARE LIKE THAT - IN TIME OF STORM 'WE FLING OUR PRAYERS INTO SKY.

AND THESE STORMS ARE VERY REAL. LIKE THAT STORM ON SEA OF GALILEE WHEN THE DISCIPLES CALLED OUT TO JESUS WHO WAS ASLEEP "MASTER, CAREST THOU NOT THAT WE PERISH! 11 YES THERE WAS A STORM OUT­SIDE; BUT THERE WAS ALSO A STORM WITHIN. PERHAPS THE REAL STORM WAS WITHIN . AND JESUS SPOKE TO THEM AS WELL AS TO THE WAVES -PEACE BE STILL . THERE IS THE TESTIMONY OF LIFE. PRAYER DOES SOME HOW BRING PEACE.

"EPILOGUE TO HELL II

I

11 IN SOME CASES I HAVE ATTEMPTED TO CURE NERVOUS PATIENTS ~ITH SUGGESTIONS OF PEACE AND QUIETNESS, BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS, UNTIL I HAVE LINKED THESE SUGGESTIONS ON TO THAT FAITH IN THE POWER OF GOD WHICH IS THE SUBSTANCE OF THE CHRISTIAN'S HOPE AND CONFIDENCE. THEN THE PATIENT HAS BECOME STRONG". DR. J. A. HADFIELD

"AS ONE WHOSE WHOLE LIFE HAS BEEN CONCERNED WITH THE SUFFERINGS OF THE HUMAN MIND, I BELIEVE THAT OF ALL HYGIENIC MEASURES TO COUNTERACT DEPRESSION OF SPIRITS AND ALL .THE MISERABLE RESULTS OF A DISTRACTED MIND, I WOULD UNDOUBTEDLY GIVE FIRST PLACE TO THE SIMPLE HABIT OF PRAYER".

DR. HYSLOP BETHLEM MENTAL .HOSPITAL, LONDON

A FEW YEARS AGO DR. MARTIN LLOYD JONES, A HARLEY STREET SPECIALIST IN DISEASES OF THE HEART, GAVE UP HIS MEDICAL WORK TO BECOME A CHRISTIAN MINIS­TER. WAS A COLLE4GUE OF LORD HORDER. ONE DAY HE SUGGESTED TO LORD HORDER THEY GO THROUGH FILES OF ALL CASES THEY HAD DEALT WITH IN RECENT YEARS. SEPARATING CASES OF ORGANIC DISEASE FROM CASES OF DISEASES OF FUNCTIONAL TYPE. 25% ORGANIC AND 75% FUNCTIONAL. DR. JONES ASKED WHAT HE THOUGHT MED­ICINE COULD DO FOR THE 75%· GREAT PHYSICIAN SAID, "LITTLE OR NOTHING. WHAT THEY NEED MOST OF ALL IS RELIGION". LARGELY AS A RESULT OF THESE WORDS THAT DR. MARTIN LLOYD JONES ENTERED THE MINISTRY AND NOW IS IN LONDON DOING A GREAT WORK APPLYING THE RESOURCES OF RELIGION TO THE PHYSICAL AND MENTAL AS WELL AS THE SPIRITUAL NEEDS OF THE PEO­PLE TO ~HOM HE MINISTERS.

"DURING THE LAST THIRTY YEARS, PEOPLE FROM ALL CIVILIZED COUNTRIES HAVE CONSULTED ME. I HAVE TREATED HUNDREDS OF PATIENTS, AND AMONG ALL OF MY PATIENTS IN THE SECOND HALF OF LIFE, THAT IS OVER THIRTY-FIVE, THERE HAS NOT BEEN ONE WHOSE PROBLEM IN THE LAST RESORT HAS NOT BEEN THAT OF FINDING A RELIGIOUS OUTLOOK ON LIFE. IT IS AFE TO SAY THAT EVERY ONE OF THEM FELL ILL BECAUSE HE HAD LOST THAT WHICH EVERY LIVING RELIGION OF EVERY AGE HAS GIVEN TO ITS FOLLOWERS. AND NOT ONE OF THEM WAS REALLY HEALED WHO DID NOT REGAIN A RELIGIOUS OUT­LOOK". PROFESSOR JUNG OF SWITZERLAND.

Epilogue to Hell ___ .. __ _ IT was the second night of a heavy bombard-

.ment. and we were in a crowded air-raid shel­ter beneath a Mission Hall ~omcwhere in Man­chester. The night before had been one or lire and terror. ·and all were npprehcnsive as tl1c sound of hcavily-Jnden 'planes came from ovel·­head. For four month~ we had offered evening pra~· e;·s in that shelter, and no\\ their influcn..:e was to be felt.

Quietly hymn-sheet.,; were ~ivcn out to Roman Catholics , i\nglicans. Methodists-a vast crowd. some of whom had only Icarned to pray during those fC'\\' mont!1s. No one refused. The minister took his place in the centre. and annot,nced I he first hymn: "Jesu, Lover of my soul.'' The si.n.g­ing was rather weak at first. for the nui:;c out­side was fearful.

The story of the Manger was reacl. for it was the night before Christmas Eve. And then. in a few words, the minister delivered the Christrn:.~s message of One who loved us so tenderly lhaL H came HimseH to sutTer the pain and fl'aill ie:: of our human life . Gradually we became aware vl a Presence in that sheller which made our fears seem unworthy, and we bowed our heads to ])1'a,;·. There came the distnnt whine of a diving 'pl«ne; the deafening roar of gun-fire; a loud explosion­our walls shuddered, and we could hear the dis­tant rumble of falEng masonry. Our loved on~s were out there, fighting the flames, search:ng tile debris, succouring the wouncted-aud we praycrl for them . Yes, and even for those who thrc c1lcncc1 us vvith mortal danger .

There crept into our souls the sense of a gentle stillness. Outside was Hell-but somehow il didn't seem to matler, fOl' inside ;vas peace. As we sang our closing hymn. "0 Love that wilt not Jet me go." we knew that we were surrounded with a Love that would not let us ~o: terror and pain would never crush us-us long as our kneE's were bent before Him And as one went home in the early morning hours, i.lH! streets lil b.v a glow from Dante's Inferno, the words came through thBt unearthly sLi!lness:-

,,Blessing and thanks nnd iO\' C and might Be to our .J.e~u~ gi v.en . Who tun1s our d1rkne~s in lo light, Who tttrn:; our Hell to Heaven.'·

K L. :VI.

Sid oration

BEFORE THE CROSS· When I survey the wondrous cross On which the Prince of glory died, My richest gain I count but loss, And pour contempt on all my pride.

See from His head, His hands, His feet, Sorrow and love flow mingled down ! Did e'er such love and sorrow meet, Or thorns compose so rich a crown ?

W ere the whole realm of nature mine, That were a tribute far too small; Love so amazing, so divine , Demands my soul, my life. my all.

~ontcmplotion Near the Cross was Mary weeping, There her mournful station keeping, Gazing on her dying Son,

meditation

~ctition

~onscrration

There with speechless grief oppressed, Anguish stricken, and distressed; Through her soul the sword had gone.

Who upon that Sufferer gazing, Bowed in sorrow so amazing, Would not with His mother mourn? 'Twas our sins brought Him from heaven; These the cruel nails had driven; All His griefs for us were borne.

When no eye its pity gave us, When there was no arm to save us, He His love and power displayed; By His stripes He wro:ught our healing ; By His death, our life revealing, He for us the ransom paid.

Jesus, may Thy love constrain us That from sin we may refrain us, In Thy griefs may deeply grieve. Thee our best affections giving, To Thy glory ever living, May we in Thy glory live.

I take, 0 cross, thy shadow For my abiding place ; I ask no other sunshine than The sunshine of His face; Content to let the world go by, To know no gain or loss, My sinful self m y only shame, My glory all the cross.

FREMONT STREET METHODIST CHURCH Gloversville, New York Fred Clarke - Minister

Dorothy E .Mellick Grace L. Gifford Minister of Music Church Secretary

Lewis Cunning - ·sexton ~----------------------

ORGAN PRELUDE "Andante" CALL TO WORSHIP HYMN 15 "Angel voices, ever singing" INVOCATION AND LORD 1 S PRAYER

*

Rubenstein

RESPONSIVE REb.DHJG 12th Sunday - Page 577 GLORIA Pi>.TRI APOSTLES' CREED

* Page 512

SCRIPTURE LESSON Ha tthew 6:19-34 A PRAYER FOR THE J., .. RMED FORCES

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 h(:Jarts unto Thee. We beseech Thee to comfort and bless the dying; have mercy upon the widow and fatherless, and give the assurance of Thy presence to all who .mourn.

And, 0 God, who mnkest wars to cease in all the earth, restore to us the blessings of peace; and grant that our present trouble may be overruled to Thy honor and glory; through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.

* ANTHEM

* Pb.STORAL PR!SER

"Come Unto Me11

' Mathews

ORG.hN OFFERTOl~Y 11 J... Song" Hauser PRESENTJ~TION OF OFFERINGS HY1AN 302 "Sweet hour of prayer~ sweet hour of prayer11

SERNON "WHY PRl-..Y IN i .. N ORDERLY UNIVERSE?"

HYMN 338 "Jesus, Lover of my soul'' (Second Tune) BENEDICTION :.lJD DOXOLOGy ORGAN POSTLUDE "J .. llcgro" !(ing

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

Iv1A.RCH 19 , 19~4 - CALENDAR FOR TODAY -lllorning Worship ~ The Fourth Sunday in Lent. Primary Church and Junior Church. Church School with classes for all. Youth Fellowship. Supper meeting,. Discussion leader will be Mildred ularke.

7:00 Union Evening Service at !~orth Main Methodist Ch~rch. Guest speaker, Rev. Albert D. Parker of First J ~ethodist Church, Albany and former pastor of Fremont Street Methodist Church.

THROUGH THE WEEK l'.T FREMONT

MONDAY 3:45 Junior Choir rehearsal.

TUESDJS 7: 00 8:00

WEDNESD.hY 7:55

4:00 7:30

THURSDAY 12;15 4:00 7:30

Chorus Choir rehearsal. Minister's Study Group will meet at the home of Mrs. Edgar Whitman, 76 Prospect Avenue. All women cordially invited. Fifth Lenten Youth Service with young people from First Presbyterian Church in charge. Eighty present last ·wednesday~ Girl Scouts. Mid-week Lenten Service. Everyone given a cordial invitation to attend. Lenten Lunch for men at the YMCA. Minister's Membership Class. Chorus Choir rehearsal.

The flowers today are given by Mrs. Leonard E. Crosby in loving memory of her husband.

New members will be received into the f ellowship of our church on Easter Sunday. Those desirous of join±ng our fullowship arc asked to make their desire kno"m to the minister as soon as possible.

The parents and relatives of our service men are asked to inform tho church office of any changes of address so that our fil es might be kept up to da to. lt~: you knmr we usc this file of addresses quito frcquentlv .

-2-WITH SCIENTIFIC SKILL WE DIAGNOSE THE DISEASE AND APPLY THE REMEDY. AND THUS, AS MAN'S SCIENTIFIC SKILL GROWS SO DOES HIS CONTROL OVER NATURE. AND THUS HIS NEED FOR PRAYER SEEMS TO BE LESSENED.

ANOTHER REASON HY SCIENCE APPARENTLY MAKES PRAYER OBSOLETE, GROWS OUT OF THE CRITICAL AND AR­ROGANT SPIRIT OF SCIENCE ITSELF. A MAN CAN ONLY PRAY WHEN HE TAKES GOD FOR GRANTED. AND SCIENCE TAKES NOTHING FOR GRANTED. SCIENCE IS BASED ON FACTS THAT CAN BE DEMONSTRATED AND REVEALED THRO' EXPERIMENT. WHILE RELIGION IS A FAITH. "NO MAN HATH SEEN GOD AT ANY TIME". RELIGION HAS BELIEF IN HAT WE CALL THE SUPERNATURAL; THAT IS, BELIEF IN SOMETHING OUTSIDE THE NATURAL - OUTSIDE AND ABOVE NATURE. SCIENCE KNOWS NOTHING OF A ORLD OUTSIDE NATUR~ - SUPERNATURAL DOESN'T EXIST. BUT I REPEAT, RELIGION RESTS UPON FAITH. STORY OF THE LIT LE GIRL DRAWING AT HER DESK. "WHAT ARE YOU DRAWING DEAR? 11 "DRA 'ING A PICTURE OF GOD". "BUT MY DEAR, YOU CAN'T DO THAT; NO ONE KNOWS WHAT GOD LOOKS LIKE". "WELL THEY WILL MOTHER HEN I GET 'THROUGH! 11

.

AND SO, ACCORDING 'IO SCIENCE, PRAYER IS JUST SHEER AUTO-SUGGESTION - A PROJECTION OF OUR INNER DESIRES AND ASPIRATIONS INTO A VOID - A DREAM PIC­TURE SCREENED ON NOTHINGNESS. IN THE WORLD OF THE SCIENTIST, A WORLD IN .HIGH NOTHING IS TAKEN FOR GRANTED, THERE IS NO VALIDITY TO PRAYER. IN A UNIVERSE THAT ' ·oRKS ACCORDING TO INFLEXIBLE LAW, THERE IS NO ROOM FOR SUCH A THING AS PRAYER.

THE TESTIMONY OF SCIENCE NO , HAVING STATED THE CASE AS FAIRLY AS ABLE, WHAT IS TO BE SAID IN

ANS ER TO THE QUESTION: HY PRAY IN AN ORDERLY UNIVERSE? THIS CAN BE SAID F'IRST OF ALL. THAT NO MATTER .HAT SCIENTISTS SAY ABOUT THE ILLOGIC AND UNSCIENTIFIC CHARACTER OF PRAYER, PEOPLE CONTINUE TO PRAY. THAT'S VERY IMPORTANT! IN TIMES OF PER­PLEXITY, TRAGEDY, CRISIS AND NEED, MEN CRY OUT TO GOD- 11 0 THAT I KNEW WHERE I MIGHT FIND HIM". AND MEN IN ALL AGES HAVE DONE THIS; HERE IS SOMETHING UNIVERSAL. AND SCIENCE ITSELF CANNOT IGNORE THIS UNIVERSAL CRY AND REMAIN SCIENTIFIC. ANY SCIENCE THAT IGNORES SOMETHING SO WOVEN INTO HUMAN EXPER­IENCE IS UNTRUE TO ITSELF AND ITS OWN SCIENCE. SO

-3-THE SCIENTIST HAS TO ADMIT THAT PRAYER IS EITHER A SURVIVAL FROM THE PAST, AND TO BE GOT RID OF AS SOON AS POSSIBLE - A KIND OF APPENDIX; OR HE HAS TO ADMIT ITH WONDER THAT PRAYER IS A TESTIMONY TO THE PRESENCE AND FACT OF GOD.

SECOND THING IS THIS. RILE I HAVE TO STAND ITH THE SCIENTIST IN HIS DECLARATION THAT THIS

IS AN ORDERLY UNIVERSE, AND THAT GOD DOES NOT CHANGE HIS UNIVERSE AND LA/S TO ANSWER THE ANXIOU PETITIONS OF HIS CHILDREN, YET I HAVE TO MAINTAIN THAT WITHIN THE STRUCTURE OF NATURAL LAW GOD CAN MAKE CHANGES AND ADAPTATIONS IN ORDER TO HELP HIS CHILDREN.

EXPLANATION AT THIS POINT IS NEEDED. RANGE OF HUMAN VOICE IS LIMITED; BUT TELEPHONE CARRIES THAT VOICE TO OTHER SIDE OF ~ORLD. AND RADIO CAN SCATTER IT OVER FIVE CONTINENTS. NO LAW OF NATURE HAS BEEN BROKEN; THIS SO-CALLED MIRACLE IS SIMPLY THE RESULT OF DISCOVERY OF HIGHER LAWS AND ADAPT­ATION OF LAV·s ALREADY KNOWN. RANGE OF HUMAN EYE IS LIMITED. BUT TELEVISION HAS MADE IT POSSIBLE TO LOOK UPON SCENES HUNDREDS OF MILES AWAY. SOON IT WILL BE A COMMONPLACE THING. AGAIN, NO LA HAS BEEN VIOLATED; JUST THE DISCOVERY AND ADAPTATION OF NE LA ·s. BY THE SAME TOKEN, PRAYER IS NOT THE VIOLATION OF THE LAWS OF NATURE; RATHER IS IT THE ENTRANCE INTO A NEW AND HIGHER REALM OF LA . AFTER ALL, WHO ARE ViE TO LIMI.T THE ACTIVITY OF GOD - GOD IHO MADE THIS UNIVERSE WITH ALL ITS LAW7 0 NCE MORE I QUOTE THE LINES BY ETHEL ROMIG FULLER.

AND IN THE THIRD PLACE, SCIENCE, THAT IS PSYCOLOGICAL SCIENCE, IS BEGINNING TO REALIZE THE CONTRIBUTION THAT PRAYER CAN MAKE TOWARD THE UNI­FYING OF PERSONALITY. INTEGRATION OF PERSONALITY IS THE CORRECT TERMINOLOGY. PRAYER HOLDS PEOPLE TOGETHER IN TIMES OF TROUBLE AND TESTING. SOME DOCTORS BEGINNING TO RECOGNIZE THE VALUE OF PRAY­ER IN THE HEALING PROCESS. LET ME QUOTE SOME OF THEM. HADFIELD, HYSLOP, MARTIN LLOYD JONES, AND PROFESSOR JUNG. THUS A SCIENTIFIC AGE IS BEGIN­NING TO DISCOVER THE TRUTH OF TENNYSON'S FAMOUS WORDS, "MORE THINGS ARE WROUGHT BY PRAYER THAN THIS WORLD DREAMS OF." MEN OF SCIE::NCE ARE COMING TO SEE THAT PRAYER IS THE CONTACT OF THE HUMAN AND DIVINE ILL - THAT PRAYER BECOMES THE CHANNEL FOR THE DIVINE HEALING POWER. LEADERS IN THE ICAL WORLD ARE SUGGESTING THE USE OF PRAYER.