Article November 19, 1932 Issue

Effectual Prayer

JANE GARAGHTY JENKINS

"PRAY one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much." So we read in the epistle of James. Early in the experience of every Christian Scientist there comes the earnest longing to know how to pray effectually, to draw close to the Father-Mother God, that we may be uplifted and healed. Such desire is in itself true prayer, for on page 1 of "Science and Health with Key to the Scriptures" Mrs. Eddy says, "Desire is prayer."

It was this desire that prompted the early followers of Jesus to seek to learn of him how to pray, for they had seen him do many wonderful works of healing through "effectual fervent prayer," and bring much comfort to those about him: and they wished to know how to pray aright.

The Christian Scientist is richly rewarded with holy inspiration when he contemplates the great Master's instruction concerning prayer, as simply and clearly stated in the sixth chapter of Matthew. The student recognizes Christ Jesus' great love for mankind and his desire that all men learn to know his Father, our Father, as he knew Him. With combined tenderness and authority he said to his disciples and his followers in all times, "When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly." Then he said, "After this manner therefore pray ye," and gave the prayer called by Mrs. Eddy (Science and Health, p. 16) "that prayer which covers all human needs." On pages 16 and 17 of this textbook our Leader gives us the spiritual interpretation of the Lord's Prayer. This prayer, with the spiritual interpretation, is one of the most precious possessions of the Christian Scientist, for it does indeed help to solve all human problems by tenderly leading thought from the shadows of materiality to the eternal facts of spiritual being.

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