THE KING’S BUSINESS 751 were my own ideal man, how would I treat my neighbor ? Then if that is what I would do, that is what God must do.” And more and more of the same kind of argument is employed until the “god” is complete. It seems such a pity to waste time and strength in making a god when God has given us a revelation of Himself in the Word—the Word written, and the Word incarnate. Of course the advantage of it is that every man can produce a god that suits him exactly, (and “there be gods many”), and then too, it does away with a lot of unpleasant things. But what about the god-maker’s ideal ? Where does it come from ? How high is it? What right has it to be recognized as an ideal by him or anyone else? Is there any standard, or is every man a standard to himself? Can we take as much of the character of Christ as suits us for our ideal god, and reject whatever does not strike our fancy? Can we accept as authentic as much of the record of His life as we deem necessary, and reject the re mainder as unhistoric ? When we honestly face the fact that we are indebted to the old book for all that we know of God and of Christ, that to it we owe 'whatever is worthy in our ideals, and that our ideals are unworthy by so much as they deviate from the revelation, then we shall go out of the business of trimming God to suit our ideals; we shall put ourselves lovingly and fearlessly into His hands that we may be conformed unto the image of His Son; and the song on our lips and in our hearts will be, “I shall be satisfied, when I awake with Thy likeness.” daily meetings for prayer are held and happy results have followed. But the revival is more marked in that part of the world that is in the throes of conflict. These facts are due to the troublous times on which we have fallen. As it is written, “In the day of trouble I will call upon Thee.” Man has been called “The praying animal,” a definition no less true because his prayers are mostly mere animal prayers—flesh clamoring for flesh. An English writer lately said, “The Christian consciousness has been slowly awakening to the absurdity of prayer to God that ends with self.’ A good deal of skeptical ridicule has been occasioned by that sort of prayer on the part of leaders in the continental conflict, and no doubt others have begged favors for “us four and no more,” with equal fervency. Apart from the fact that we find no encouragement for the prayers of Gentile powers, as such, in these “times” of their dominating the earth, it is Christianly incredible that God should favor their prayers for His blessing (!) on bolts of human wrath hurled at brother humans, or speed the aim of enemies that lurk for victims in the deep. This, at least, cannot be questioned:! Such prayers are not of the Spirit, any more than they are “in the Spirit,” since the Almighty himself cannot work contradictions, giving victory to both, and would not work such con tradictions in the hearts, ©f His true worshipers. But if men pray as Christ ians, King, Kaiser or common people, they will seek but one and the same Kingdom, and the glory of Him alone who is “the only Potentate,” there There is a revival of interest in the subject and practice of prayer. Numerous books and essays have recently been published on its nature, privilege and power. In our own country, particularly in the East, special and Belligerent Praying
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