Page:Withgodbookofpra00las.djvu/93

 you will,  and  it  shall  be  done  unto  you" (John  XV.  7).  God  is  faithful  and  just,  and will,  therefore,  surely  keep  His  promise  to grant  us  the  graces  we  need,  because  we  have a  claim  to  them.  They  are  the  price  of  the blood  and  merits  of  Jesus  Christ,  for  He  died to  save  us.  His  merits  are,  then,  ours;  and, when  we  claim  by  our  prayers  a  share  in  them or  in  their  fruits,  God  can  not  refuse  to  grant us  what  we  ask.

The Holy  Scriptures  are  full  of  examples  of the  efficacy  of  prayer  as  a  means  of  obtaining whatever we  need  to  secure  our  salvation. It was by  his  prayer  that  the  publican  was justified, by  her  prayer  that  the  Samaritan woman was  converted;  it  was  by  his  prayer that David  obtained  the  forgiveness  of  his sin, and  that  the  good  thief  on  the  cross  was converted and  received  the  promise  of  paradise. We find  in  Holy  Writ  also  many  examples of  prayer  as  an  efficacious  means  of obtaining  even  temporal  favors. It was  by prayer  that  Moses  obtained  the  victory  over the Amalecites;  Elias  obtained  rain  after  a three  years'  drought;  Manassas,  his  deliverance from  prison  and  his  restoration  to  his kingdom; Ezechias,  the  prolongation  of  his life; Solomon,  wisdom;  Susanna,  the  proof of her  innocence;    Daniel,  his  deliverance