ttering heart. You say, "Poor thing, poor thing!" Now, a prayer
goes out of the storm of this world into the window of God's mercy,
and He catches it, and He feels its fluttering pulse, and He puts it
in His own bosom of affection and safety. Prayer is a warm, ardent,
pulsating exercise. It is the electric battery which, touched, thrills
to the throne of God! It is the diving-bell in which we go down into
the depths of God's mercy and bring up "pearls of great price." There
was an instance where prayer made the waves of the Gennesaret solid as
Russ pavement. Oh, how many wonderful things prayer has accomplished!
Have you ever tried it? In the days when the Scotch Covenanters were
persecuted, and the enemies were after them, one of the head men
among the Covenanters prayed: "Oh, Lord, we be as dead men unless Thou
shalt help us! Oh, Lord, throw the lap of Thy cloak over these poor
things!" And instantly a Scotch mist enveloped and hid the persecuted
from their persecutors--the promise literally fulfilled: "While they
are yet speaking I will hear."

Oh, impenitent soul, have you ever tried the power of prayer? God
says: "He is loving, and faithful, and patient." Do you believe that?
You are told that Christ came to save sinners. Do you believe that?
You are told that all you have to do to get the pardon of the Gospel
is to ask for it. Do you believe that? Then come to Him and say: "Oh,
Lord! I know Thou canst not lie. Thou hast told me to come for pardon,
and I could get it. I come, Lord. Keep Thy promise, and liberate my
captive soul."

Oh, that you might have an altar in the parlor, in the kitchen, in the
store, in the barn, for Christ will be willing to come again to the
manger to hear prayer. He would come in your place of business, as He
confronted Matthew, the tax commissioner. If a measure should come
before Congress that you thought would ruin the nation, how you would
send in petitions and remonstrances! And yet there has been enough sin
in your heart to ruin it forever, and you have never remonstrated or
petitioned against it. If your physical health failed, and you had the
means, you would go and spend the summer in Germany, and the winter in
Italy, and you would think it a very cheap outlay if you had to go all
round the earth to get back your physical health. Have you made any
effort, any expenditure, any exertion for your immortal and spiritual
health? No, you have not taken one step.

O that you might no