CHAPTER XXIV.
"Not till the soul acts with all its strength, strains its every faculty, does prayer begin."--_Frances Power Cobbe._
"I have always thought a great deal on the subject of prayer," said Mr.Hayden, drawing his chair up closer and bending over to look at hislisteners, Grace and Kate, who had called to get the letter which hadjust been read, "and it appears to me," he continued, "that subject hasbeen misunderstood."
"Well?" interrogated Grace.
"Well, we have always been taught to pray to a God who could be informedof our wants and needs, and be induced to change His mind about themethod of dealing with them, or be softened in His judgments concerningHis children. Now if God is all-wise and all-powerful, why need we socarefully instruct Him? If He is all Love why need we ask Him withpiteous tears to bless our sick and afflicted? If He is everywherepresent, and no respecter of persons, why need we ask Him to do for onemore than for another? As God is omniscient, is He not all the knowledgethere is?"
"The great mistake has been to regard Deity as Person, instead ofPrinciple," said Grace, as he paused a moment.
"As God is changeless and eternal, the essence of Love and Life," hewent on, not heeding the interruption, "how can it be otherwise thanthat we have an influx of this divine Life into ourselves as weacknowledge its eternal and omnipresent existence, realizing the truthof what we say?"
"There the trouble has been," said Kate, taking up his thought, "that wehave not realized the divine Presence which we call Truth, because wehave not acknowledged it."
"That is exactly the reason, and it needs a constant acknowledgment ofthe Good to keep us from admitting false beliefs that beset us becauseof an acknowledgment of the opposite of the Good."
"What then is your idea of the true method of prayer?" asked Kate, muchinterested.
"More of thanksgiving, as Mrs. Pearl teaches. I like her comparison tothe servant and prince. We can not dwell too much on the thought thatGod is always giving us blessings. They are here, have been from thebeginning of all knowledge, and our part is to take them. I often thinkof that comparison between the earthly and the heavenly Father, given byJesus, when he said: 'If ye then, being evil, know how to give goodgifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is inheaven, give good things to them that ask Him?' Here is Mabel, forinstance. Passionately fond of flowers as she is, suppose some day Ishould bring her a rare bouquet from the florist's, and with a smilehold them out to her, saying: 'Here Mabel, are some roses for you!' Howwould I feel if she came with the most pathetic expression of longingand misery in her face, and dropping down on her knees, should beg meto give her one flower? But instead, like a true child that knows thefather love, she would fly to take the beautiful gift and say, 'Oh,thank you, papa!' as she gives me a rapturous kiss, then runs for a vaseto hold her treasures."
"Indeed, that is like the true child we all should become, and givethanks for the beautiful gifts of God," said Kate, softly, as if toherself.
"What do you think of the Lord's prayer as it was revealed to the lady?"asked Grace, to whom this part of the letter seemed a little hard tounderstand.
"I think her revelation far exceeds mine, but I have enough to know thatit is as she says: 'We must finally get the inner meaning, but I woulduncover the spiritual ideas by clothing them in more spirituallanguage.'
"It would be a great help if you would interpret it for us," said Kate,moving her chair closer in her eagerness to hear.
"Wait a moment," said Mr. Hayden, as he went for the Bible. "I don'tknow very well how to word it, but the thought came to me this morning,and became much plainer after I had read the letter."
He read the Lord's Prayer, then gave his conception of the spiritualmeaning.
"All-pervading Father-Mother Spirit, which art in all harmony, reveredand holy is Thy name. Thy peace and love and righteousness is conceivedand realized amid earthly environments as it is in the highest state ofharmony.
"Give to us each day the hidden manna, the living word that sustains us,and give us the truth for error as we in our divine likeness to Thee,give truth for error to those who err against us.
"Leave or let us not in temptation, but preserve us from all thoughtsthat would dishonor Thee, for Thine _is_ the kingdom and power and gloryforever."
"That is wonderful. Oh, how beautiful it all is," exclaimed Kate withmuch feeling.
"Isn't it?" added Grace, "and quite in accord with the passage quoted byMrs. Hayden,'what things soever ye desire, that--'"
"Same principle, recognizing the omnipresence of all things good, andacknowledging the gift as already given," interrupted Mr. Hayden,shutting his book and rising to put it away.
"How would you construe the passage where it says, 'with prayer andsupplication let your requests be made known to God?'" asked Kate.
"Oh, but you have not quoted it all: 'With prayer and supplication, withthanksgiving let your requests be made known,'" replied Mr. Hayden,smiling. "It means, continue to ask, and expect to receive and givethanks, not only by word, but by proper use of what you already have.'If ye continue in my word,' was the condition, so it must be that wecontinue to ask and give thanks, even if our petition is not visiblyanswered at once."
Mr. Hayden had some advantage in his study over the girls, for thesethings had been more or less considered by himself and Mrs. Hayden eversince her recovery, and it was no wonder he could explain so readily.
"After all, how would you apply this way of praying to givingtreatments?" asked Grace. "I am anxious for the practical application."
"Why, it is all practical, as far as the individual is concerned, butthe application to others we have yet to learn, though I imagine it isthe same. It is simply being negative to false conditions, thus puttingthem off, and affirmative to true conditions, absorbing them as theflower does the light and heat."
"Well, it is a beautiful idea of prayer at any rate," remarked Grace.
They soon went home, still discussing and deeply pondering the subject.
* * * * *
"Grace, what do you suppose I did to-day?" cried Kate, breathlessly, asshe rushed in the next evening.
"Can't imagine, unless you cured little Tim, the newsboy," laughedGrace, making her guess extravagant enough.
"No, but really, I treated Fannie for a dreadful headache. Of course Isaid nothing to her, but she was stumbling so over her music, I askedher what was the matter, and when she told me I treated her. In just afew moments she brightened up and said she felt better, and before wegot through it was all gone. Wasn't that delightful?"
"Very, and I am so glad. How did you do it?"
"Well, I can hardly tell, but the talk we had yesterday with Mr. Haydengave me a clearer idea than I had before, and I just denied the headacheand acknowledged the truth that she was spiritually well; then waited afew moments and gave thanks that it was so."
"How glad we ought to be for the privilege of reading Mrs. Hayden'sletters," said Grace, thoughtfully, as she smoothed her hair and washedher hands.
"Yes, and what a goose I was about it," Kate replied. "I would scarcelytake the chance when it was offered, and if it had been any one but Mrs.Hayden, I do believe I should have refused point blank."
"We know so little what is right when we judge in the old way," saidGrace. "Now, if I actually hadn't seen that woman cured, and knownpositively how she was before, nothing would have induced me to spend mytime on this, although, from the first, I rather liked the theory."
"Where is my gingham apron?" called Kate, looking in the dark closetwhere she had hung it.
"Kate, I'm thoroughly reformed, as you will know when I tell you I amperfectly willing to perform the culinary duties to-night, and I will bethe cook while you discourse some music for my edification," laughedGrace, as she emerged from the studio with her sleeves rolled back, andthe lost apron pinned around her.
"What!" cried Kate, holding up both hands with a mock-tragic air. "Doyou
really mean it?"
"Of course, and I will show you what a talent I have for poaching eggsand making toast."
The girls were in the habit of dividing their work according to theirpersonal tastes. Kate liked to prepare dainty meals and wash dishes,while Grace preferred to sweep and dust, and arrange things to suit herartistic eye. Each disliked the other's part of the work, so they werewell content to have it so divided.
"Go on, now," ordered Grace, "and play for me. I want some music; but,first of all, tell me where the eggs are, and how long should theyboil?"
"The eggs are in the tin pail on the third shelf in the closet. Theyshould boil till they are a pretty blue white."
"Very well, now I can dispense with your company."
Kate laughed merrily, and sitting down to the piano, played till Gracecalled her out to dine.
"It seems rather nice to come home and play lady," she remarked, as shewent out where Grace was.
"Well, really, Kate, I was thinking this afternoon that there is not somuch difference in the kinds of work as there is in the thoughts youhave when you work, and I resolved, that to refrain from certain dutiesbecause one does not like them is selfish, and makes a person one-sided.Then I could see no reason why I should dislike to cook, and concludedto try it."
"I believe you are right about the one-sidedness," said Kate, soberly.
"I do want to grow into a rounded character, and am just realizing thenecessity of doing things that lie nearest us, whether it is washingdishes, painting or scrubbing. If I get so I can think right aboutthings I'm sure I shall like them."
"That is true. I have already noticed a vast difference in my patiencein giving lessons. You know some days I would be so nervous and get soexasperated with Fannie Thornton and Jenny Miles, I didn't know what todo with myself, but the last few days I have not minded them at all, infact I got along better with Fannie than ever before, and it was justbecause I kept from thinking she was contrary and stupid."
"Well, that is a practical application of your lesson. I think we oughtto apply it to everything we do," replied Grace.
"One of the chief beauties of this Christianity is that it goes intoevery thought and action," said Kate, thoughtfully, adjusting her hair.
"Oh!" she added a moment later, "I forgot to give you the letter thatcame to-day." She pulled it out of her pocket all crumpled and gave itto Grace, who glanced at her name on the envelope and then grew whiteabout the mouth as she hastily put it into her pocket, remarking in anordinary tone, "It will keep a little longer."
Little was said by either for some time. Grace was preoccupied and Katefurtively watched her face, for this was an unaccountable procedure,although occasionally Grace had been affected the same way before.
She insisted on washing the dishes, and was glad indeed that she had itto do, while Kate poured her thoughts into music, feeling that she couldbest show sympathy for her friend by this, to her, most expressive way.
As for Grace, she waited till she had quite finished her work and thensat down to read the letter. She well knew it was from Leon Carrington,a suitor, whom she had rejected on the plea that she wished to be weddedsolely to her art. Pride had forbidden her being frank enough to tellhim the real reason, caused by an impeachment made against hischaracter, by one whom she implicitly trusted as a friend. Her bitterresolve was the result, and while it was true she loved and desired tospend her life in pursuing her art, she had compelled herself to thinkshe loved it best, and so told him it was first choice.
Hers was a proud, deep nature, and rather than admit that she had lovedor could love one whom she considered unworthy, she cut the matter shortby a decided rejection. It had cost her a mighty effort to come to thisdecision, and when she came out of the trial, she had lost her faith inall men.
On all other points but this, Grace was sound and sweet in her generaldisposition, but any talk on marriage she would never tolerate even withKate.
This was the third letter he had written in the two years since he wentaway, and as in the preceding, he fervently begged her to reconsider.