A BLIND PRAYER by D. F. Ewen

Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Oct 30, 1879

A BLIND PRAYER.

By D. F. Ewen

“LORD, have mercy upon us, and incline our hearts to keep this law.”—Episcopal service.

What law? The law in which the fourth commandment is included. In lofty cathedral, in massive church, in royal chapel, in quaint, sequestered hamlet where the ivy and yew grow, by the lonely brook and craggy mountain, in far-off India, in the isles of the sea, in Africa’s wilds, in Australian bush, in these United States of ours,—wherever the English language is spoken, does this prayer ascend, responsive to the moral law of God, which is read in Episcopal churches every Sunday morning the wide world over.

What presumption! praying to the good Father to have mercy upon them, while the law is broken by desecrating his holy Sabbath and substituting Sunday observance, foisted upon the people by Pagan-Papal intrigue. “Wherefore the Lord said, For as much as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men; therefore, behold I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid.” Isa. 29:13, 14. “Open thou mine eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out

of thy law. I am a stranger in the earth; hide not thy commandments from me.” Ps. 119:18, 19. “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy but to fulfill. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.” Read Matt. 5:17–19.

D. F. EWEN.