The Lord Hath Need

The Lord Hath Need

"After He had said these things, He was going on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When He approached Bethphage and Bethany, near the mount that is called Olivet, He sent two of the disciples, saying, "Go into the village ahead of you; there, as you enter, you will find a colt tied on which no one yet has ever sat; untie it and bring it here.”If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' you shall say, 'The Lord has need of it.'" So those who were sent went away and found it just as He had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, "Why are you untying the colt?" They said, "The Lord has need of it." They brought it to Jesus, and they threw their coats on the colt and put Jesus on it. As He was going, they were spreading their coats on the road." (Luke 19:28-36)

When Queen Victoria was a middle aged woman she took great pleasure in wandering incognito throughout the streets of the village of Windsor. On one such occasion, during a shower, she stepped into a peasant’s cottage and asked the loan of an umbrella. The peasant woman looked at the Queen doubtfully. At last she said, “I have two umbrellas, one an old shabby one, and one my Sunday umbrella, I shall give you the shabby one, for I never expect to see it again.” The next day a messenger wearing the royal livery brought back the shabby umbrella with a handsome present in money.

The peasant woman was appalled. “O, sir, who is it who barrowed my umbrella?”

“Madam it was your Queen.”

“O my Queen, would to God I had known you, I would so gladly given her my best.”

Her wailings were all in vain; she never again had an opportunity to do a personal favor to her Queen. When your King asks help of you, how do you respond?

When the Master sent His disciples to bring the colt upon which He would make His entry into the city of Jerusalem, the owners of the colt said, “Why loose ye the colt?” and they said, “The Lord hath need of him.” He who could say, “The cattle on a thousand hills are mine,” in infinite grace said that He that created the heavens and earth needed this humblest beast of burden. Even so He needs your life and my life, “a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to Him.” As He needed this humble colt to fulfill the prophecy and to bring to pass His eternal purpose so He needs you who have been redeemed by His blood to aid in the accomplishment of His plans.

The Lord needs you. The Lord of lords, the King of kings, the Crown Prince of heaven needs you. What an amazing thought: He who has created the heavens and the earth, the sea and all that is therein, and who has fashioned men has need of the creature! He who upholds and governs His creation by the Word of His power, He who has the angels of heaven to do His bidding has need of me! Our government of the people, by the people and for the people confronted today with a myriad of problems says to each citizen, “I need you to help solve our mutual problems and to build a better country upon the foundation laid by our fathers.” Trade, businesses, professions lay their hands upon the Christian and says, “I need you to plan and think, to toil and accumulate, to serve and die in my employ.” Society, likewise, asserts its claim saying, “I need you with your wit, your beauty, your talents, your personality to shine in the circle of fashion.” But there comes another voice sounding clarion clear above these voices, it comes floating silently across twenty finished centuries and whispers to the soul of the Christian, “The Lord needs you.”

If while you were away on a business trip with all its duties and obligations, you received a message telling of an illness of a loved one and of her need for you, none of the other varied interest could prevent you from rushing to her bedside. Even so, amid the conflicting interest of this life you cannot escape the conviction that the Lord whom you love needs you, and that His love for you lays first claim upon your devotion and loyalty. He who left the glory of heaven, who endured the wrath of God against sin, who rose from the grave and ever lives to make intercession for you, needs you.

The Lord NEEDS you. You sincerely sang this morning, “I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord.” How truly do we need the Lord! We need His strength in the hour of temptation, His forgiveness in sin, His power in weakness, His grace in trouble. “I need thee, O I need thee, every hour I need thee.” As we confess our need for the Lord there comes echoing back from His lips these words, “I NEED thee O child of faith!” Jesus said, “I am the vine, ye are the branches; he that abideth in Me and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit; for without Me ye can do nothing.” Surely the branches need the vine. It is the source of their life. From it the branches, moment by moment, draw the tiny stream of life-giving sap that feeds and builds up their fabric of leaf, fiber and fruit. Apart from the vine the branch is nothing, it starves, shrivels, and perishes. But with out the vine the branch can bear no fruit. The vine has need of the branch. The Lord NEEDS you. The grape does not grow upon the vine, it hangs from the branch. Christ is the vine, He is the source of our supply. But He bears fruit through us. He needs us for fruit bearing as surely as we need Him for life.

No longer does Jesus stand upon the Galilean shore and preach to the people about “the sower who went forth to sow” but He preaches through His chosen vessel. He does not sit upon the Mount to teach His disciples but He would do it through you. He does not now minister to the sick and afflicted by physical hand, He does not warn the impenitent, comfort the sorrowful, and cheer the faint by words from his lips: He has need of you to do this. “Inasmuch as ye do it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye do it unto me.” He needs you His branches to continue to fulfill God’s purposes among men.

The Lord needs you child of weakness. For that triumphant entry into the Holy City He might of chosen a splendid chariot drawn by magnificent charges, for He who created all things was worthy of earth’s richest and best. But He chose the lowest and humblest of all, and said of that insignificant beast of burden, “The Lord hath need of him.” He did not use the colt for lack of something better, but He chose it. And so, too, “hath He chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the mighty things; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yes, and things which are not, to bring to naught things that are.” (1 Corinthians 1:26) When our Lord was on the earth He did not chose the high and mighty to go into the world to do His bidding but He chose the despised publican, the lowly fisherman. He chose men of few talents and developed them until they became men of many talents.

Today, the Lord needs you. You, who have only one talent; you, who feel all others are fitted for the Lord’s service except you. The Lord needs you. The vine needs every branch no matter how small or how big, each is needed that the branch might show forth its full beauty and symmetry, Paul in his writings tells us that Christians are members of one body of which Christ is the head. “We are the body of Christ and members in particular.” As the human body needs the performance of all its members so Christ, your Lord needs you to perform your function in His body.

The Lord needs you regardless of your inability or limitations. “Nobody seems to want me,” said the youngest girl of a large family. “I’m a cripple and in everybody’s way.” As she spoke she was passing a bookseller’s shop, and her eye fell upon the words, “The Lord hath need of him.” She carefully remembered the reference, and searched it out at home. “Jesus once needed a donkey,” she thought, “so perhaps He wants me – a cripple. I’ll ask Him.” Forty years later a lame Bible woman died, beloved by hundreds and blessed by God in her work. The Bible woman was once the crippled girl. Samson had the jawbone of an ox, David a sling, the widow a curse of oil, the little boy two loaves and five fish, but given to the Lord He used them for His honor. Perhaps you wonder what you have that He can use, what else you can do in the Lord’s work. Next Sunday morning I want in a very practical manner to show you fields that are white and ready for harvest in this portion of the Lord’s vineyard and what part you can have in reaping that harvest. But for the present I am intent on laying upon your heart this message, “The Lord needs you for the furtherance of His purpose and plans.”

One morning this past week a man came to our door asking for something to eat. While my wife was preparing it, I sat and talked with him concerning the One who said, “Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you.” I did not have to tell the plan of salvation, he knew it as well as I. He sat there cold and indifferent, unmoved and un-yielded. I couldn’t understand it, as I can never understand how people can spurn the love of Jesus that passeth knowledge. Then as I thought of this and similar experiences this verse came to mind, “art thou not inexcusable, whosoever that judges, for wherein thou judges another thou condemns thyself?’ why is it that we who live in the fullness of the love of God in Christ refuse to heed the Master when He beseeches, “I have need of thee.” We have been saved from a horrible doom by a dying Savior. He has opened the door of heaven with all of its bliss unto us. If the refusal of a sinner to give up his sins is a solemn responsibility, is not the refusal of a saved one also a sad and solemn thing. How can we condemn the one who refuses the gift of salvation when we resist the Christ who saved us and who now wants to use our lives for His glory and for the salvation of others. The Lord needs you. Take your life and lay it at the feet of “Him that loved us, washed us from our sins in His own blood, and hath made us Kings and priest unto God His Father.”

An art gallery had been closed for some repairs. A young carpenter had been called to do this work, and, as it was his first time to visit an art gallery, he was very much interested in the famous paintings that covered the walls. His interest was especially attracted to a painting by Hoffman, “The Head of Christ.” When the young carpenter would eat his dinner, he would sit near the famous painting that he might gaze into the matchless face of Christ. He continued this until his work had been completed, and it was his last day in the art gallery. He would soon leave for some other job, and did not know when he would have an opportunity to again see the picture of Christ. So when he finished his meal, he arose, and lifting his hand, pointed to the picture and said, “Jesus Christ, you can count on me.”

Can Christ count on you to make Him known in this needy world of ours?

Dr. Robert W Kirkpatrick

First Presbyterian Church, Saint Albins W VA, October 14, 1945

The Privileges of Prayer

The Privileges of Prayer

It happened that while Jesus was praying in a certain place, after He had finished, one of His disciples said to Him, "Lord, teach us to pray just as John also taught his disciples." And He said to them, "When you pray, say: 'Father, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. 'Give us each day our daily bread. 'And forgive us our sins, For we ourselves also forgive everyone who is indebted to us. And lead us not into temptation.'" Then He said to them, "Suppose one of you has a friend, and goes to him at midnight and says to him, 'Friend, lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him'; and from inside he answers and says, 'Do not bother me; the door has already been shut and my children and I are in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.' "I tell you, even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend, yet because of his persistence he will get up and give him as much as he needs. "So I say to you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. "For everyone who asks, receives; and he who seeks, finds; and to him who knocks, it will be opened. "Now suppose one of you fathers is asked by his son for a fish; he will not give him a snake instead of a fish, will he? "Or if he is asked for an egg, he will not give him a scorpion, will he? "If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him?" (Luke 11:1-13)

Many fail to make of prayer what it is our privilege to make. There are many for whom prayer is an energizing power that is a lost art. Some have given up praying because of intellectual difficulties, others no longer pray because of moral difficulties. In the hour of prayer they have been brought face to face with surrenders which they are unwilling to make. When called upon to deny self, or give up prayer they have chosen the latter. But by far prayer is a lost art for many not because of any sense of futility or frustration but because of indifference to the privilege of prayer.

It is a privilege to pray. It is through prayer that the creature is brought into a vital living relationship with the Creator. It is through prayer that the children of God receive the fullness of the Father and the good gifts He stands to impart. It is through prayer that the worker co-operates with the husbandman in achieving his purpose for all mankind.

Centuries ago St. Augustine testified: “Man is restless until he finds his peace in God.” George Matheson expresses this need in one of his prayers: “My heart needs thee, O Lord, my heart needs Thee! All else within me can be filled by thy gifts. My hunger can be satisfied by daily bread. My thirst can be allayed by earthly waters. My cold can be removed by household fires. My weariness can be relived by outward rest. But no outward thing can make my heart pure. The calmest day will not calm my passions. The fairest scene will not beautify my soul. The sweetest music will not make harmony within. The breezes can cleanse the air but no breeze ever cleansed my spirit. The world has provided for my heart. It has provided for my eye, it has provided for my ear, it has provided for my touch, it has provided for my taste – but it has not provided for my heart. O God, provide for my heart.” This our deepest need is met as we come unto God in the hour of prayer.

In one of the grand hymns of the Church we sing: “Guide me, O thou great Jehovah, Pilgrim through this barren land; I am weak, but Thou art mighty; Hold me with Thy powerful hand.” Paul confessed, “I am not sufficient of myself, but my sufficiency comes from God.” Abraham Lincoln said, “I have been driven many times to my knees by the overwhelming conviction that I had no where else to go. My own wisdom and that of all about me seemed insufficient for the day.” Man’s darkness needs God’s light; man’s perplexity needs God’s guidance; man’s weakness needs God’s strength.

The high privilege of prayer is petition. It is the privilege of asking our Father in heaven to minister to the needs of us, his children. This is in accord with both the practice and the teaching of Jesus. Jesus asked God, His Father for things both for Himself and others. He taught us to think of prayer as analogous to the relation of existing between a father and a son. One element of this relation is asking. Thus Jesus said: “What man of you, if his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a serpent? If you being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him?” “Prayer is fellowship with God; a fellowship of giving and receiving, of asking and taking.”

There is no need of any kind, whether is be great or small, that cannot be brought to God in prayer. Our temporal as well as our spiritual needs are of real concern unto Him. Jesus taught us to pray saying, “Give us this day our daily bread.” There is no need so small, there is no need as great as our daily bread. Paul the Apostle has commanded us, “in everything, by prayer and supplication to let our request to be made known unto God.” Temporal necessities, physical needs, business and household problems constitute a large part of our life and experience should certainly be made an object of prayer.

Jesus said, “Your heavenly Father knoweth what ye need of before ye ask.” Why, then, is it needful to asks for the supply of our needs? If God is good, loving, kind, infinitely wise will He not give us His children that which we need without asking? Let us remember that giving is not always as simple as it seems. There are two parts to giving. There must be a giver and there must be a receiver. Receiving is just as important as giving. An earthly father cannot make possible the means for giving his child a college education, until and unless his child is ready to receive it. As we make known our needs unto our Father in heaven, we give evidence that we are aware of our need and are ready to receive the supply of His grace.

A skeptical father and his Christian son were discussing prayer. The father said that he saw no reason why he should ask God for what was already furnished in nature and which would come to him in the ordinary course of events. The son replied, “Father, I remember once when I made free use of your pictures and books to entertain my friends. You said, “Son, all that I have belongs to you, but I think it would be respectful and courteous to ask your father before taking anything.” And so added the son, “Although God has provided everything for you, I think it respectful and courteous to ask Him and thank Him for what you use.”

The high privilege of prayer is petition; the higher privilege of prayer is intercession. Dr. Fosdick has described intersession, praying on behalf of others, as “love on its knees.” In the Scripture which we read this morning, the householder was concerned that his unexpected quest should have something to eat and thus at midnight he hammered on his neighbor’s door until the need of his quest was met. Moses interceded for the idolatrous Hebrews: “But now, if Thou wilt forgive their sin – and if not, blot me, I pray Thee, out of Thy book which Thou hast written.” (Exodus 32:32) His love for his people was so great, that he, though innocent, would rather perish than live without them. Such a love drove him to his knees on their behalf. Our Lord when “He knew that His hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having love for His own who were in the world to the end,” offered up His great prayer of intercession for His friends and not for them alone but for His friends of all succeeding ages. Jesus urged his disciples to “love your enemies and pray for them who persecute you.” He practiced what He taught, for as He was being nailed to the cross, He prayed, “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” Love intercedes on behalf of others.

Through intercessory prayer we reach out and become identified with joys and sorrows, plans and purposes of friends close at hand, and neighbors far away. Through prayers of intercession we can cooperate with God in determining the future of our world. Through intercession we can have a vital part in the missionary program of the Church, in promoting efforts to bring peace and unity to our world, in staying the hand of the aggressor. One has written, “A dying world is waiting for a praying Church. Every time the Church has set herself to pray there have been great revival movements. We must transfer the stress of our dependence from appeals to men to appeals to God, from trusting organization to struggle in supplication.”

There is a place where thou canst touch the eyes

Of blinded men to instant, perfect sight;

There is a place where thou canst say “Arise!”

To dying captives, bound in chains of night;

There is a place where thou canst reach the store

Of horded gold and free it for the Lord;

There is a place – upon some distant shore –

Where thou canst send the worker or the Word;

There is a place where heavens resistless power

Responsive move to thine insistent plea;

There is a place – a silent, trusting hour –

Where God, Himself descends and fights for thee.

Where is that blessed place – dost thou ask, “Where?”

O, Soul, it’s the place of intercessory prayer.

The high privilege of prayer is petition, the higher privilege of prayer is intercession, and the highest privilege of prayer is communion, fellowship with God. The highest privilege of prayer is to occupy ourselves with God. “To dwell in the secret place of the most high, to abide under the shadow of the Almighty.” In prayer there must ever be a two way communication. I talk to God, this is wonderful. God talks to me, this is more wonderful. Have you ever said with Samuel, “Speak, Lord, for thy servant heareth.” God does speak, Words of assurance to a troubled soul, Words of comfort to a sorrowing heart, and Words of guidance to an inquiring mind.

The practice of prayer should not be limited to a particular time nor to a certain place, as important as this is. Ones entire life should be lived as in the presence of God. It was said of Enoch, “he walked with God.” This is true prayer. This is what Paul meant when he urged his readers to “pray without ceasing.” Thus, at anytime and out of the midst of any situation we can breathe a prayer to God of thanksgiving or praise, of petition or intercession.

One has said, “The theological problem confronting us today is getting religion out of people and not pump it into them.” How true! If the millions of Christians in the world would begin living in their faith, what a different world ours would be. I know of no better way to become a practicing Christian than to exercise the privileges of prayer. Let us pray.

Dr. Robert W Kirkpatrick

Whitfield Estates Presbyterian Church, August 30, 1964

Prayer Availeth Much

Prayer Availeth Much

"Therefore, confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another so that you may be healed. The effective prayer of a righteous man can accomplish much." (James 5:16)

Prayer is the mightiest force in the world today. I say this not unmindful of the power that lies latent in the atom. Prayer is powerful because it is the channel whereby God’s power enters human life. Prayer is the unseen wire stretched from the heart of God to the heart of man. Prayer is just as real as electricity; it is no more mysterious, it is no less practical; it is much more powerful.

The post has said, “If the veil of this worlds’s machinery were removed we would behold more things wrought by prayer than this world dreams of.” Intuitively our souls respond to this testimony and we recognize the truth of this statement. We know that there is power in prayer and yet we fail to use it. We have emphasized men, methods, money in the Church organization and have failed to adequately tap our greatest source of power – prayer.

In James 5:16, the Apostle teaches us how we might have power in prayer. He said, “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man Availeth much.” Another has translated this verse: “Powerful is the heartfelt supplication of a righteous man.” In this translation three words stand out, powerful, heartfelt, and righteous. Here we behold the personage of prayer – a righteous man, the attitude of prayer – heartfelt supplication and the fact there is power in prayer.

The door that leads into the throne room of prayer is purity of heart. The presence of sin in your heart robs you of the power of prayer. The Psalmist said, “If I regard iniquity in heart, the Lord will not hear my prayer.” (Psalm 76:18) “The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and His eyes are open to their prayers: But the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.” (Psalm 34:12-16 1 Peter 3:12) In the hour of prayer have you ever felt that your prayers have ascended no higher than the ceiling? Have you lost the joy of prayer, the failure to receive profit and joy is almost always caused by sin having right of way in your life. If one’s heart is not right with God the first and simplest requisite of prayer has not been met.

In the first chapter of Isaiah we find a vivid illustration of this truth. Here we behold the people of Judah performing all the eternal rites of worship. They are offering multitudes of sacrifices, burning incense, observing new moons and Sabbaths, and coming together in solemn assemblies. But at the time they are a “sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, a seed of evil doers, children that are corrupters, they have forsaken the Lord, they have provoked the Holy One of Israel unto anger, they have gone away backward.” The result of their worship in the face of this iniquity is this: “When you spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you; yea, when you make many prayers, I will not hear.” If they would have their worship accepted by God and their prayers to ascend unto Him then they must “wash and make themselves clean and put away the evil of their doings and learn to do well.”

As David came into the presence of God after his sin with Bathsheba his prayer was, “I acknowledge my transgressions … Create within me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.” As we come into the presence of God conscious that we like sheep have gone astray we must claim His promises, “If we confess our sin, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sin and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

To expect God to answer our prayers while we are indulging in known sin would be to make Him a God of hypocrites, if, therefore, when we kneel to pray there comes before us any habit or practice of life that condemns us or raises the question as to it being right or wrong, it must be confessed and renounced before we can find joy, peace, or power in prayer.

The prayers of a righteous man must be heartfelt. So many of our prayers only come from our lips. They are orations delivered unto God rather than supplications poured out from our heat. Mr. Moody told how one day his little boy came to him and said, “Papa, I want a drink.” Then the boy kept on playing, Mr. Moody knowing how little children ask for things from force of habit, or for things they don’t really need or desire kept on reading. Presently the boy said again, “Papa, I want a drink,” and kept on playing and his father went on with his reading, a little later the boy came unto his father and said, “Papa, I am thirsty, I must have a drink.” This time Mr. Moody knowing that his child truly wanted a drink went a got it for him. Are your prayers an outpouring of your heart, or merely an expression of the lips?

If the prayer is from the heart, it will be in accord with God’s will. I would find it hard to ask with fervency of my earthly father that which I knew he would not want me to have. So vary often we ask for something which we want rather then for which God wants us to have. The Prodigal Son went to his father and said, “Give me.” When he received that which he wanted he headed for the city of destruction. When he came to himself he returned to his father and now notice the difference in his prayer, “Father make me …” That is, do with me as you desire, do with me what is best for me. A robe was cast upon him, a ring was placed upon his fingers, shoes were put upon his feet and the fatted calf was killed in his honor. Prayer will be effective we stop praying “Give me,” and begin to pray, “Make me.” “Not my will but thine be done.” When we are truly seeking the performance of God’s will then our praying will really become enthusiastic.

The prayer that comes from the heart is characterized by faith. It would be difficult to make a fervent request if we felt that the one of whom the request was made had no power to grant it.

George Mueller a man of great faith was crossing the Atlantic from England to Canada. They had been out at sea several days when a heavy fog enveloped the ship. The Captain had been on watch for twenty-two hours when George Mueller tapped him on the shoulder and said, “Captain, I must be in Quebec on Saturday afternoon.” “Impossible said the Captain.” “Very well” was the reply, if you can’t take me, God will find some other way. I have never broken an engagement for fifty seven years. Let us go into the chart room and pray.” “Mr. Mueller don’t you see how dense the fog is. We can never get through it.” “No, I don’t see the density of the fog; my eye is on the living God who controls every circumstance of my life.” They went into the chart room and Mr. Mueller prayed somewhat like this, “O Lord, if it is consistent with thy will, please remove this fog in five minutes. You know this engagement you made for me in Quebec on Saturday. I believe it is your will for me to keep it.” Then the Captain commenced to pray but Mr. Mueller stopped him saying, “No, don’t pray, you do not believe that God can do this.” They went out on the deck and the fog had cleared away. Mr. Mueller was in Quebec on Saturday. Ask believing and God will give power through prayer,

Jesus said, “Whatsoever things ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them and ye shall have them.”

The heartfelt supplication of a righteous man is power. James uses a well known Old Testament story to prove this point. “Elijah was a man subject to like passion as we are. Elijah was not different from us, he had the same weaknesses, he had no prior claim upon heaven, and he prayed earnestly that it would not rain and it rained not on the earth for the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain. You will recall the incident. Because of the wickedness of the people under the leadership of Ahab God shut up the heavens and it rained not for three and one half years. At the end of that time Elijah gathered together upon Mount Carmel the children of Israel together with the prophets of Baal and proposed a contest. The false prophets were to build an altar and place their sacrifice upon it and Elijah would do the same. Then each were to pray to their God and the god who answered by sending fire from heaven to consume the sacrifice, He should be worshiped in Israel. The prayers of the prophets of Baal went unanswered, whereas when Elijah prayed fire came from heaven and consumed the sacrifice. The people proclaimed, “Jehovah, he is God. Jehovah, he is God.” Elijah went up to the mountain and prayed for rain, his prayer was answered, rain came and the earth brought forth her fruit.

The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man Availeth much. It avails for God – Israel turned unto the Lord. It avails for the people – the drought was ended, the earth brought forth fruit. It avails for the one who prays – Elijah’s faith must have certainly been strengthened. There is power in prayer.

Prayer is the first work of the Church of Jesus Christ. I know what some of you are thinking. You are saying to yourself: “I thought the first work of the Church was to seek the salvation of the lost souls.” Before souls are saved prayer must be offered. Remember the Church of Jesus Christ was born in a prayer meeting. Pentecost the birthday of the Church came after the followers of Christ had spent ten days in prayer and supplication. The Church has moved forward through the ages only as she has gone upon her knees.

Dr. Robert W Kirkpatrick

First Presbyterian Church, Saint Albans, W Va, September 1, 1946