Conclusions
As one lays aside the last letter of this collection and leans back in
his chair for meditation on all these heart revelations he asks, most
anxiously, What is the conclusion of the whole matter?
Thanks be unto God who giveth us the victory, our faith remains unmoved.
A general view of the field of prayer shows that the great fundamental
facts remain undisturbed. God is. God answers prayer. The Bible is the
inspired work of the Spirit of God. Jesus is the Son of God. The Christ
is the Saviour of a sinful world. "I know that my Redeemer liveth!"
Entering upon this investigation with a firm determination to hold an
unbiased mind and trying to examine the evidence as an impartial judge
there were moments of doubt as to the wisdom of setting one's mind so
free. It seemed sometimes as if it was wrong, even for a day, to stand
outside of the circle of earnest believers and be a neutral critic of
sacred things. But the risk was taken. A tremor came with the suggestion
that the lovely structure of our lifelong faith might be shattered, and
only dust be left of the religious building which we had so fondly
believed was a building that had indestructible foundations, "Eternal in
the heavens."
But not one pillar has moved, not a rent or seam in any of the old walls
has appeared. The fear that faith might be lost has increased our
estimate of its everlasting value. The faith of our fathers stands
secure. The testimony of unbalanced minds to the Sonship of Christ did
not defeat the Saviour in his day, and they cannot do so now. The
mistakes, errors, and superstitions of the extremists and deceivers have
not made more than a ripple in the current of Christian faith. The tide
comes back. The love for the Holy Bible revives. The prodigal will come
to himself and come back. The spirit of the Christian religion is a
necessity to human progress and human happiness. The world needs it. It
may come slowly, but, nevertheless, it will come surely. The spirit will
awaken. The winter cannot last forever. Prayer is as necessary to the
spirit of man as breath is to his body. The soul's sincere desire will
ever seek expression. The seeker after God will surely find him when he
shall truly seek him with all his heart. Hundreds testified to the facts
that their prayers were answered where only a score or less asserted
that they did not know whether their requests were heard or not. The
millions who never tried to pray cannot be accepted as witnesses on
either side. But the great majority of those who have tried the matter
testify to its effectiveness.
The doubters, who quibble and stumble over the parables and miracles,
find that whether the believer accepted them as literal history or as
spiritual illustrations, they all teach the truth; and to believe in
them can do no harm. The consensus of religious opinion among the common
people is decidedly in favor of trusting more and, consequently,
doubting less. "We will be no more children, tossed to and fro and
carried about with every wind of doctrine by the slight of men and
cunning craftiness." We have put away childish things and here we stand,
men and women, saved by grace, and "Who can separate us from the love of
Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or peril, or sword? I am
persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities,
nor powers, nor things present, not things to come, not height, not
depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love
of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Right is Right, since God is God,
And right the day will win;
To doubt would be disloyalty,
To falter would be sin.
Ye saints, with your faith of steel, pray on. Ye faltering sinners,
smite your breast and pray on. Ye doubtful critics, pray on. Ye
sorrow-stricken ones, pray on. In due time every petitioner shall reap
if he or she faints not.
Oh, the rest, the peace, the joy of this settled conviction, that the
faith in the Messiahship of Jesus Christ need be no more disturbed! "Now
unto him that is able to keep you from falling and to present you
faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the
only wise God, our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power,
both now and forever. Amen."
THE END
Transcriber's Notes
1. This volume is continuation of the preceding two: Health, Healing
and Faith and Praying for Money.
2. The troublesome subject/verb agreement in chapter I has been
retained as in the original ("Such servants of God can offer prayer
which avail much more than the frightened call of the worldly
minded...").
3. Preposition "in" was added in chapter VI ("...and in thee to have
my heart at peace").
End of Project Gutenberg's Subconscious Religion, by Russell H. Conwell