Some years ago when the yellow fever raged at Memphis, Tennessee, the pious people of this country prayed most devoutly to have the plague swept away. These prayers were repeated, were offered up by the most faithful in the Christian ranks, but all in vain. They had read in their Bible that the prayers of the righteous availeth much. They had been taught to believe that "all things whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive." (Mat. 21 : 22.) There is no one thing that Jesus taught more explicitly than this; the prayers of those who truly believe shall be answered. He said: Therefore I say unto you, What things so ever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them. (Mark 21 : 24.) But we see that prayers are not answered. And besides, those prayers which it is claimed are answered carry no proof of the fact with them. Did not millions of Christians pray for the restoration of President Garfield? How utterly delusive it is to palm off as truth the following promise upon credulous minds: Again I say unto you that if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything ye shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father, which is in heaven. (Mat. 18 : 19.) Jesus himself offered a prayer that was not answered. In the garden of Gethsemane he prayed: O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as thou wilt. (Mat. 26 : 39.) There is no evidence that God has ever interfered in the affairs of men. The hand of earth is stretched uselessly toward heaven. From the clouds there comes no help. In vain the shipwrecked cry to God. In vain the imprisoned ask for liberty and light--the world moves on, and the heavens are deaf and dumb and blind. The frost freezes, the fire burns, slander smites, the wrong triumphs, the good suffer, and prayer dies upon the lips of faith. ("Ingersoll's Interviews," p. 49.) "Ask and it shall be given thee" is an erroneous and immoral teaching. It is false. It is not true that people get what they pray for. We hear pious persons praying, "Give us this day our daily bread," but none of them expect to get their bread in that way. What an irresistible smile would wrinkle the faces of the devout if a poor widow should pray: "Give us this day our daily coal," and another of the praying circle should ask, "Give us this day our daily potatoes," and another should beg, "Give us this day our daily beefsteak." While no one expects to get his daily supplies in answer to prayer, yet millions of pious souls are scandalized if you doubt the efficacy of prayer. They will admit that they have to work for their "daily bread," "but after all God gives it to us just the same." He gives it to the sinner who does not pray in the same manner, that is, if he labors he earns his own bread.