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if we knew everything about healthexcept the way to get it。
I am quite sure that the difficulty does not lie in the fact that
men are not in earnest。 This is simply not the fact。 All around
us Christians are wearing themselves out in trying to be better。
The amount of spiritual longing in the worldin the hearts
of unnumbered thousands of men and women in whom we should never
suspect it； among the wise and thoughtful； among the young and
gay； who seldom assuage and never betray their thirstthis is one
of the most wonderful and touching facts of life。 It is not more
heart that is needed； but more light； not more force； but a wiser
direction to be given to very real energies already there。
The usual advice when one asks for counsel on these questions is；
〃Pray。〃 But this advice is far from adequate。 I shall qualify the
statement presently； but let me urge it here； with what you will
perhaps call daring emphasis； that to pray for these things is not
the way to get them。 No one will get them without praying； but
that men do not get them by praying is a simple fact。 We have all
prayed； and sincerely prayed； for such experiences as I have named；
prayed； believing that that was the way to get them。 And yet have
we got them？ The test is experience。 I dare not limit prayer；
still less the grace of God。 If you have got them in this way；
it is well。 I am speaking to those； be they few or many； who have
not got them； to ordinary men in ordinary circumstances。 But if we
have not got them； it by no means follows that prayer is useless。
The correct conclusion is only that it is useless； or inadequate
rather； for this particular purpose。 To make prayer the sole
resort； the universal panacea for every spiritual ill； is as radical
a mistake as to prescribe only one medicine for every bodily trouble。
The physician who does the last is a quack； the spiritual advisor
who dies the first is
Grossly ignorant of his profession。
To do nothing but pray is a wrong done to prayer itself； and can
only end in disaster。 It is as if one tried to live only with the
lungs； as if one assimilated only air and neglected solid food。
The lungs are a first essential； the air is a first essential； but
the body has many members； given for different purposes； secreting
different things； and each has a method of nutrition as special to
itself as its own activity。 While prayer； then； is the characteristic
sublimity of the Christian life； it is by no means the only one。
And those who make it the sole alternative； and apply it to purposes
for which it was never meant； are really doing the greatest harm
to prayer itself。 To couple the word 〃inadequate〃 with this might
word is not to dethrone prayer； but to exalt it。
What dethrones prayer
is unanswered prayer。 When men pray for things which do not come
that waypray with sincere belief that prayer； unaided and alone；
will compass what they askthen； not getting what they ask； they
often give up prayer。
This is the natural history of much atheism； not only an atheism of
atheists； but a more terrible atheism of Christians； an unconscious
atheism； whose roots have struck far into many souls whose
last breath would be spent in denying it。 So； I repeat； it is a
mistaken Christianity which allow men to cherish a blind belief in
the omnipotence of prayer。 Prayer； certainly； when the appropriate
conditions are fulfilled； is omnipotent； but not blind prayer。
Blind prayer is superstition。 Prayer； in its true sense； contains
the sane recognition that while man prays in faith； GOD ACTS BY LAW。
What that means in the immediate connection we shall see presently。
What； then； is the remedy？ It is impossible to doubt that there
is a remedy； and it is equally impossible to believe that it is
a secret。 The idea that some few men； by happy chance or happier
temperament； have been given the secretas if there were some sort
of knack or trick of itis wholly incredible and wrong。 Religion
must be for all； and the way into its loftiest heights must be by
a gateway through which the peoples of the world may pass。
I shall have to lead up to this gateway by a very familiar path。
But as this path is strangely unfrequented where it passes into
the religious sphere； I must ask your forbearance for dwelling for
a moment upon the commonest of commonplaces。
I。 Effects Require Causes
Nothing that happens in the world happens by chance。 God is a God
of order。 Everything is arranged upon definite principles； and
never at random。 the world； even the religious world； is governed
by law。 Character is governed by law。 Happiness is governed by
law。 The Christian experiences are governed by law。 Men； forgetting
this； expect Rest； Joy； Peace； Faith to drop into their souls from
the air like snow or rain。 But in point of fact they do not do so；
and if they did； they would no less have their origin in previous
activities and be controlled by natural laws。 Rain and snow do
drop from the air； but not without a long previous history。 They
are the mature effects of former causes。 Equally so are Rest and
Peace and Joy。 They； too； have each a previous history。 Storms and
winds and calms are not accidents； but brought about by antecedent
circumstances。 Rest and Peace are but calms in man's inward nature；
and arise through causes as definite and as inevitable。
Realize it thoroughly； it is a methodical； not an accidental world。
If a housewife turns out a good cake； it is the result of a sound
receipt； carefully applied。 She cannot mix the assigned ingredients
and fire them for the appropriate time without producing the
result。 It is not she who has made the cake； it is nature。 She
brings related things together； sets causes at work； these causes
bring about the result。 she is not a creator； but an intermediary。
She does not expect random causes to produce specific effectsrandom
ingredients would only produce random cakes。 So it is in the making
of Christian experiences。 Certain lines are followed； certain
effects are the result。 These effects cannot but be the result。
But the result can never take place without the previous cause。
To expect results without antecedents is to expect cakes without
ingredients。 That impossibility is precisely
The almost universal expectation。
Now what I mainly wish to do is to help you firmly to grasp this
simple principle of Cause and Effect in the spiritual world。 And
instead of applying the principle generally to each of the Christian
experiences in turn； I shall examine its application to one in
some little detail。 The one I shall select is Rest。 And I think
any one who follows the application in this single instance will
be able to apply it for himself to the others。
Take such a sentence as this： African explorers are subject to
fevers which cause restlessness and delirium。
Note the expression； 〃cause restlessness。〃