Page:The Message and Ministrations of Dewan Bahadur R. Venkata Ratnam, volume 2.djvu/217

 in defending the practice of prayer and in commending that practice to the world. All the different faiths, from sublime Theism to primitive Fetichsm, are at one in their advocacy of prayer. It cannot be that they are all mistaken, that they have all been imposed upon, or that they have all entered into a conspiracy, as regards this important matter. It would, therefore be perfectly reasonable to recognise the practice of worship as based upon a fundamental truth of human nature.

Again, the objections generally urged against prayer are, in our view, not so strong as to shake the position of believers in prayer. No doubt, God's purposes have been providentially planned; and it is idle to dream of disturbing them by our solicitation. But true prayer does not ask for those gifts which God does not want to give us, but it implores those very gifts which He specially means to grant unto us. Our appeal for them only marks our hearty appreciation of them. The value of spiritual riches lies large]y in our spirit