Publication date
3/15/13
Volume
34
Number
6
The WatchTower
The Privilege and Necessity of Prayer
The Watchtower Magazines
/../literature/watchtower/1913/6/1913-6-1.html
 
 
Corner 
Stone, 
this 
Bethel 
will 
be 
the 
gate 
of 
heaven, 
through 
which 
will 
come 
to 
mankind 
all 
the 
glorious 
things 
which 
God 
has 
promised-restitution, 
perfection, 
paradise-for 
all 
the 
willing 
and 
obedient. 
Jacob 
took 
the 
stone 
he 
had 
used 
for 
a 
pillow, 
set 
it 
up 
as 
a 
monument 
and 
poured 
oil 
upon 
it, 
as 
signifying 
its 
sacredness 
to 
God. 
His 
examjJle 
since 
has 
been 
imitated 
by 
the 
Egyptians, 
in 
setting 
up 
great 
eolumns 
pointing 
heaven­ 
ward, 
and 
also 
imitated 
by 
the 
Babylonian 
steeples, 
and 
by 
Christians 
in 
the 
cathedral 
steeples 
and 
church 
spires. 
All 
of 
these, 
however, 
unwittingly 
point 
to 
heaven, 
and 
prefigure 
the 
fact 
that 
there 
is 
by 
and 
by 
to 
be 
a 
ladder, 
a. 
communica­ 
tion 
between 
heaven 
and 
earth. 
That 
ladder 
will 
be 
the 
Mes­ 
sianic 
kingdom. 
Tradition 
tells 
us 
that 
subsequently 
.J 
acob 
's 
stone 
was 
taken 
to 
.J 
erusalem, 
and 
there 
used 
in 
conjunction 
with 
the 
crowning 
of 
the 
Jewish 
kings. 
'rradition 
says 
that 
that 
stone 
was 
taken 
by 
Jeremiah 
when 
the 
Babylonians 
overthrew 
Jeru­ 
salem. 
Tradition 
further 
says 
that 
it 
was 
carried 
to 
Ireland 
and 
for 
a 
time 
used 
there 
for 
crowning 
their 
kings. 
It 
says 
also 
that 
this 
same 
stone 
is 
now 
in 
Westminster 
Abbey, 
and 
forms 
the 
seat 
of 
the 
throne 
on 
which 
the 
British 
sovereigns 
are 
crowned. 
THE 
WATCH 
TOWER 
of 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
we 
understand 
that 
before 
Abraham, 
Isaac, 
Jacob 
and 
the 
holy 
prophets 
of 
the 
past 
can 
bless 
the 
world 
as 
the 
honored 
seed 
of 
Abraham 
in 
the 
:flesh, 
another 
work 
must 
be 
done. 
That 
other 
work 
will 
be 
done 
by 
our 
Lord 
.J 
esus. 
The 
death 
of 
the 
holy, 
harmless, 
undefiled 
Lamb 
of 
God 
constituted 
the 
entire 
foundation 
for 
the 
complete 
out­ 
working 
of 
the 
plan 
of 
God's 
mercy 
for 
our 
race. 
During 
this 
Gospel 
age 
a 
secondary 
feature 
has 
operated; 
an 
elect, 
select' 
company, 
a 
bride 
class 
of 
joint-heirs 
with 
the 
Master, 
has 
been 
called 
out 
of 
the 
world 
from 
Jews 
and 
Gentiles, 
to 
constitute 
the 
spiritual 
seed 
of 
Abraham. 
If 
this 
ladder 
of 
intercourse 
and 
communion 
came 
down 
to 
Jacob, 
still 
more 
does 
it 
come 
down 
to 
and 
center 
in 
The 
Christ, 
of 
which 
Jesus 
Christ 
is 
the 
Head 
and 
the 
church 
his 
faithful 
members. 
When 
Jacob 
awakened, 
he 
felt 
overwhelmed. 
To 
have 
the 
Almighty 
thus 
indicate 
his 
care 
and 
blessing 
and 
approval, 
and 
to 
assure 
him 
of 
his 
protecting 
care 
in 
the 
future, 
seemed 
wonderful 
to 
the 
frienclless 
man. 
He 
said, 
Surely 
this 
place 
llIay 
be 
called 
God's 
house 
and 
the 
gate 
of 
heaven! 
And 
so 
ever 
sinee, 
the 
church 
has 
delighted 
to 
be 
known 
as 
the 
house 
of 
God-Bethel. 
By 
and 
by 
as 
the 
great 
temple 
of 
God, 
eOllll,osed 
of 
living 
stones, 
Jesus 
himself 
being 
the 
Chief 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
- 
BROOKLYN, 
N. 
Y. 
THE 
HARVEST 
IS 
GREAT 
The 
Master 
said, 
"The 
Harvest 
truly 
is 
great, 
but 
the 
laborers 
are 
few; 
pray 
ye 
therefore 
the 
Lord 
of 
the 
Harvest 
that 
He 
would 
send 
forth 
laborers 
into 
His 
Harvest." 
(Luke 
10 
:2) 
These 
worus, 
applicable 
nearly 
nineteen 
centuries 
ago, 
seem 
very 
applicable 
today 
also. 
We 
have 
more 
opportunities 
for 
using 
unencumbered 
brethren 
filled 
with 
the 
Spirit 
than 
ever 
before. 
If 
any 
such 
brethren 
believe 
themselves 
reason­ 
ably 
well 
developed 
in 
meekness, 
gentleness, 
long-suffering, 
brotherly-kindness, 
lo\'e; 
alJ(l 
if, 
in 
addition, 
they 
have 
had 
some 
considerable 
experience 
with 
Present 
Truth 
and 
are 
fully 
consecrated 
to 
the 
Lord, 
we 
should 
like 
to 
he[\!' 
from 
them. 
Such 
desiring 
to 
co-labor 
under 
the 
Society's 
auspices 
might 
give 
us 
a 
brief 
history 
of 
their 
life-work 
thus 
far, 
and 
send 
their 
photograph. 
Let 
them 
tell 
us 
also 
to 
what 
extent 
they 
have 
had 
and 
used 
opportunities 
for 
presenting 
the 
Truth 
in 
public, 
and 
to 
what 
extent 
God 
has 
blessed 
their 
efforts 
in 
bringing 
others 
into 
a 
fullness 
of 
consecration 
and 
mental 
enlightenment. 
Or 
if 
their 
talents 
run 
more 
toward 
stenography 
than 
to­ 
\,.ard 
public 
speaking, 
we 
should 
be 
pleased 
to 
know 
of 
that. 
But 
do 
not 
mention 
stenography 
to 
us 
unless 
you 
are 
thorough­ 
going 
in 
it, 
as 
a 
poor 
stenographer 
is 
a 
hindrance. 
VOL. 
XXXIV 
BROOKLYX, 
X. 
Y., 
l\IARCH 
15, 
1913 
No.6 
"Let 
us 
. 
THE 
PRIVILEGE 
AND 
THE 
NECESSITY 
OF 
PRAYER 
come 
boldly 
unto 
the 
throne 
of 
grace, 
that 
we 
may 
obtain 
mercy, 
and 
find 
grace 
to 
help 
in 
time 
of 
need.' 
,­ 
Hebrews 
4:16. 
Prayer 
is 
a 
general 
term 
for 
all 
manner 
of 
petitions­ 
whether 
a 
request, 
a 
hymn, 
or 
an 
expression 
of 
thanksgiving 
and 
praise. 
The 
word 
supplication 
seems 
to 
carry 
with 
it 
the 
thought 
of 
a 
continllous 
request, 
a 
repeated 
prayer, 
a 
longing 
desire, 
a 
waiting 
for 
the 
Lord 
to 
grant 
our 
petitions. 
Well 
has 
the 
poet 
said, 
"Prayer 
is 
the 
soul's 
sincere 
desire, 
rtterec1 
or 
unexpressed." 
The 
first 
intimation 
of 
approach 
to 
God 
on 
the 
part 
of 
humanity 
is 
that 
in 
connection 
with 
the 
sacrifices 
offered 
by 
Cain 
and 
Abel. 
They 
did 
not 
come, 
however, 
with 
a 
peti­ 
tion 
to 
a 
Father, 
but 
\,.ith 
sacrifices, 
thus 
acknowledging 
sin. 
The 
one 
who 
brought 
a 
saerifice 
symbolically 
representing 
a 
sin-offering 
God 
accepted; 
the 
other, 
he 
declined 
to 
accept 
in 
any 
sense 
of 
the 
\\'ord. 
Two 
thousand 
years 
later, 
God 
made 
choice 
of 
Abraham 
as 
the 
person 
through 
,,-hom 
the 
vague 
promise 
made 
to 
Eve 
should 
be 
fulfilled; 
and 
to 
him 
he 
made 
the 
very 
definite 
promise 
that 
in 
him 
and 
his 
seed 
all 
the 
families 
of 
the 
earth 
should 
be 
blessed. 
With 
AlJraham 
God 
made 
a 
covenant, 
which 
he 
renewed 
to 
Abraham's 
posterity-to 
Isaac, 
but 
not 
to 
Ishmael; 
to 
Jacob, 
but 
not 
to 
Esau. 
These 
men 
were 
privi­ 
leged 
to 
pray, 
because 
by 
their 
faith 
they 
were 
jl'stified 
to 
fellowship 
with 
God. 
Eventnally 
these 
blessings 
of 
divine 
favor 
and 
grace 
extended 
to 
Israel 
as 
a 
natiol1; 
and 
th('y 
(,l1tered 
into 
thesl' 
privileges 
in 
the 
full 
sense 
of 
the 
wOl'(l, 
uJl(ln 
tll(' 
Covenant 
of 
the 
Law, 
of 
which 
Moses 
was 
the 
mediator. 
From 
that 
time 
on 
they 
had 
the 
same 
opportunities 
to 
appeal 
to 
God 
as 
had 
Abraham, 
Isaac 
and 
Jacoh. 
Illllped, 
in 
some 
respects, 
they 
had 
a 
preferred 
cOlll1ition. 
They 
haa 
a 
typical 
atone­ 
ment 
day, 
on 
which 
they 
were 
typically 
deallseil; 
ana 
be­ 
cause 
of 
this 
typieal 
cleansing, 
they 
were 
permitted 
to 
come 
to 
God, 
as 
did 
David, 
Hezekiah 
ana 
others. 
The 
temple 
at 
.T 
erusalem 
was 
called 
the 
house 
of 
God, 
and 
the 
people 
went 
up 
to 
the 
temple 
to 
pray. 
Apparently 
it 
was 
generally 
understood 
that 
they 
might 
not 
pray 
any­ 
where 
and 
everywhere. 
This 
is 
inilicated 
by 
our 
Lord's 
con­ 
versation 
with 
the 
woman 
of 
Samaria. 
Suppliants 
were 
heard 
only 
when 
they 
went 
to 
the 
temple 
to 
pray. 
The 
Samaritans 
claimed 
that 
the 
proper 
place 
to 
pray 
was 
on 
Gerizim, 
the 
mountain 
of 
Samaria. 
'Vhen 
the 
woman 
asked 
our 
Lord 
in 
regard 
~o 
this 
matter, 
he 
intimated 
that 
the 
Jews 
were 
right 
in 
claiming 
that 
Jerusalem 
was 
the 
place 
where 
men 
ought 
to 
worship.-John 
4:20-24. 
The 
Jewish 
nation, 
by 
means 
of 
their 
Law 
Covenant 
made 
with 
God, 
were 
in 
covenant 
relationship 
to 
him, 
and 
were, 
therefore, 
permitted 
to 
pray 
to 
him. 
God 
docs 
not 
regard 
all 
prayers, 
but 
only 
those 
offered 
by 
persons 
in 
a 
particular 
attitude 
of 
mind, 
and 
in 
a 
certain 
covenant 
relationship. 
Those 
outside-even 
sincere, 
honest 
Gentiles-cUd 
not 
have 
the 
privilege 
which 
Israel 
possessed. 
ACCESS 
TO 
THRONE 
OF 
GRACE 
A 
SPECIAL 
PRIVILEGE 
During 
the 
Gospel 
dispensation, 
all 
who 
have 
made 
full 
consecration 
to 
God 
have 
ber'ome 
spiritual 
sons 
of 
God 
and 
may 
ask 
of 
him 
as 
their 
Father, 
may 
come 
boldly, 
confidently, 
to 
the 
throne 
of 
grace 
in 
prayer. 
Those 
who 
have 
not 
made 
a 
consecration 
to 
God 
have 
no 
Advocate 
through 
whom 
to 
approach 
him. 
Those 
who 
come 
in 
the 
spirit 
of 
prayer 
and 
with 
a 
real 
desire 
for 
those 
blessings 
which 
God 
has 
promised 
to 
give, 
will 
see 
that 
prayer 
is 
a 
privilege 
restrietec1 
to 
a 
certain 
class. 
Those 
who 
do 
not 
esteem 
it 
a 
privilege 
may 
as 
well 
not 
come; 
for 
God 
has 
not 
as 
yet 
made 
any 
proposi­ 
tion 
to 
the 
world. 
Prayer 
is 
the 
privilege 
of 
God's 
children. 
Cornelius 
was 
a 
man 
who 
sought 
harmony 
with 
God. 
Al­ 
though 
he 
prayed 
for 
years 
and 
gave 
much 
alms, 
yet 
his 
prayers 
and 
alms 
did 
not 
come 
up 
before 
God 
until 
an 
ap­ 
propriate 
time-not 
until 
Jesus 
had 
died 
and 
ascended 
up 
on 
high, 
there 
to 
appear 
in 
the 
presence 
of 
God 
for 
us. 
(Acts 
10:1,2,4; 
Heb. 
9:24) 
Three 
and 
a 
half 
years 
after 
the 
cross, 
at 
the 
end 
of 
the 
time 
of 
special 
favor 
to 
the 
Jews, 
this 
man's 
prayers 
and 
alms 
came 
up 
before 
God 
as 
a 
me­ 
morial. 
But 
even 
then 
he 
must 
send 
men 
to 
Joppa 
to 
invite 
St. 
Peter 
to 
come 
to 
his 
home 
and 
instruct 
him 
how 
to 
receive 
the 
blessing 
of 
God 
in 
Christ. 
When 
Cornelius 
accepteil 
Christ, 
our 
Lord 
became 
his 
Advocate, 
and 
the 
holy 
Spirit 
came 
upon 
him. 
Thereafter 
he 
had 
the 
privilege 
of 
access 
to 
the 
Father 
at 
the 
throne 
of 
grace. 
So 
is 
it 
with 
humanity 
today. 
There 
is 
but 
one 
way 
for 
any 
to 
avail 
himself 
of 
the 
privilege 
of 
prayer. 
Each 
must 
[5200] 
(79-83) of the holy Spirit we understand that before Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and the holy prophets of the past can bless the world as the honored seed of Abraham in the flesh, another work must be done. That other work will be done by our Lord Jesus. The death of the holy, harmicss, undefiled Lamb of God constituted the entire foundation for the complete outworking of the plan of God’s mercy for our race. During this Gospel age a secondary feature has operated; an elect, select company, a bride class of joint-heirs with the Master, has been called out of the world from Jews and Gentiles, to constitute the spiritual seed of Abraham. If this ladder of intercourse and communion came down to Jacob, still more does it come down to and center in The Christ, of which Jesus Christ is the Head and the church his faithful members. When Jacob awakened, he felt overwhelmed. To have the Almighty thus indicate his care and blessing and approval, and to assure him of his protecting care in the future, seemed wonderful to the friendless man. He said, Surely this place may be ealled God’s house and the gate of heaven! And so ever since, the church has delighted to be known as the house of God—Bethel. By and by as the great temple of God, composed of living stones, Jesus himself being the Chief THE WATCH TOWER Brooxityn, N. Y. Corner Stone, this Bethel will be the gate of heaven, through which will come to mankind all the glorious things which God has promised—vrestitution, perfection, paradise—for all the willing and obedient. Jacob took the stone he had used for a pillow, set it up as a monument and poured oil upon it, as signifying its sacredness to God. His example since has been imitated by the Egyptians, in setting up great columns pointing heavenward, and also imitated by the Babylonian steeples, and by Christians in the cathedral stceples and chureh spires, All of these, however, unwittingly point to heaven, and prefigure the fact that there is by and by to be a ladder, a, communication between heaven and earth. That ladder will be the Messianie kingdom. Tradition tells us that subsequently Jacob’s stone was taken to Jerusalem, and there used in conjunction with the crowning of the Jewish kings. Tradition says that that stone was taken by Jeremiah when the Babylonians overthrew Jerusalem. Tradition further says that it was carricd to Ireland and for a time used there for crowuing their kings. It says also that this same stone is now in Westminster Abbey, and forms the seat of the throne on which the British sovereigns are crowned. THE HARVEST IS GREAT The Master said, ‘‘The Harvest truly is great, but the laborers are few; pray ye therefore the Lord of the Harvest that He would send forth laborers into His Harvest.’’ (Luke 10:2) These words, applicable nearly nineteen centuries ago, seem very applicable today also. We have more opportunities for using unencumbered brethren filled with the Spirit thau ever before. If any such brethren believe themselves reasonably well developed in meekness, gentleness, long-suffering, brotherly-kindness, love; and if, in addition, they have had some considerable experience with Present Truth and are fully consecrated to the Lord, we should like to hear from them. Such desiring to co-labor under the Society ’s auspices might give us a brief history of their life-work thus far, and send their photograph. Let them tell us also to what extent they have had and used opportunities for presenting the Truth in public, and to what extent God has blessed their efforts in bringing others into a fullness of consecration and mental enlightenment. Or if their talents run more toward stenography than toward publie speaking, we should be pleased to know of that. But do not mention stenography to us unless you are thoroughgoing in it, as a poor stenographer is a hindrance. Vout. XXXIV BROOKLYN, N. Y., MARCH 15, 1913 No. 6 THE PRIVILEGE AND THE come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.’’— “Let us... NECESSITY OF PRAYER Hebrews 4:16. Prayer is a general term for all manner of petitions— whether a request, a hymn, or an expression of thanksgiving and praise, The word supplication seems to carry with it the thought of a continuous request, a repeated prayer, a longing desire, a waiting for the Lord to grant our petitions. Well has the poet said, ‘*Prayer is the soul’s sincere desire, Uttered or unexpressed.’? The first intimation of approach to God on the part of humanity is that in connection with the sacrifices offered by Cain and Abel. They did not come, however, with a petition to a Father, but with sacrifices, thus acknowledging sin. The one who brought a sacrifice symbolically representing a sin-offering God accepted; the other, he declined to accept in any sense of the word. Two thousand years later, God made choice of Abraham as the person through whom the vague promise made to Eve should be fulfilled; and to him he made the very definite promise that in him and his seed all the families of the earth should be blessed. With Abraham God made a covenant, which he renewed to Abraham’s posterity—to Isaac, but not to Ishmael; to Jacob, but not to Esau. These men were privileged to pray, because by their faith they were justified to fellowship with God. Eventually these blessings of divine faver and _ grace extended. to Israel as a nation; and they entered into these privileges in the full sense of the word, under the Covenant of the Law, of which Moses was the mediator. From that time on they had the same opportunities to appeal to God as had Abraham, Tsaae and Jacob. Indeed, in some respects, they had a preferred condition. They had a typical atonement day, on which they were typically cleansed; and_hecause of this typical cleansing, they were permitted to come to God, as did David, Hezekiah and others. The temple at Jerusalem was called the house of God, and the people went up to the temple to pray. Apparently it was generally understood that they might not pray anywhere and everywhere. This is indicated by our Lord’s eonversation with the woman of Samaria. Suppliants were heard only when they went to the temple to pray. The Samaritans claimed that the proper place to pray was on Gerizim, the mountain of Samaria. When the woman asked our Lord in regard to this matter, he intimated that the Jews were right in claiming that Jerusalem was the place where men ought to worship—John 4:20-24, The Jewish nation, by means of their Law Covenant made with God, were in covenant relationship to him, and were, therefore, permitted to pray to him. God does not regard all prayers, but only those offered by persons in a particular attitude of mind, and in a certain covenant relationship. Those outside—-even sincere, honest Gentiles—did not have the privilege which Israel possessed. ACCESS TO THRONE OF GRACE A SPECIAL PRIVILEGE During the Gospel dispensation, all who have made full consecration to God have become spiritual sons of God and may ask of him as their Father, may come boldly, confidently, to the throne of grace in prayer. Those who have not made a consecration to God have no Advocate through whom to approach him. Those who come in the spirit of prayer and with a real desire for those blessings which God has promised to give, will see that prayer is a privilege restricted to a certain class. Those who do not esteem it a privilege may as well not come; for God has not as yet made any proposition to the world. Prayer is the privilege of God’s children. Cornelius was a man who sought harmony with God. Although he prayed for years and gave much alms, yet his prayers and alms did not come up before God until an appropriate time—not until Jesus had dicd and ascended up on high, there to appear in the presence of God for us. (Acts 10:1, 2, 4; Heb. 9:24) Three and a half years after the cross, at the end of the time of special favor to the Jews, this man’s prayers and alms came up before God as a memorial. But even then he must send men to Joppa to invite St. Peter to come to his home and instruct him how to receive the blessing of God in Christ. When Cornelius accepted Christ, our Lord became his Advoeate, and the holy Spirit came upon him, Thereafter he had the privilege of access to the Father at the throne of grace. So is it with humanity today. There is but one way for any to avail himself of the privilege of prayer. Each must [5200]

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