[To Tim EDITOR or THE "Britt-xi/mm.1 • SIR,—I have read
with much interest your article of October 12th. The theory of supernatural duality is, of course, no new thing; as old, in fact, as humanity itself. Neither is there anything specially new in the Fijian's perplexity concerning the answer to prayer, which perplexity, as you truly say, is shared by Christians themselves. Prayer for spiritual blessings is more often answered than prayer for earthly things. May not the reason be that prayer for spiritual things is, in a manner, its own answer ? He that prays for faith is already half a believer ; for repent- ance, half a penitent; for strength to keep goo.d resolutions —is not such a one comparable to the athlete who swings dumb-bells to keep himself in training ? In short, prayer for spiritual blessings is subjective, and reacts upon the praying soul. Concerning prayer for things temporal there is no such easy solution. "If we have faith," we are told, "-we may say unto this mountain, ' Be thou removed,' " but apparently no such faith is now found on the earth. The material miracle is an event of the day before yesterday.—I am, Sir, &c., A PRAYING AGNOSTIC. [Was it not George Meredith who said that he who rose from prayer had his prayer already answered?—En. Spectator.]
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