SIXTEENTH TALK 3l3

to call up more power from within, not to appeal for
help from some one from without—which is the usual
instinct. That is the unfortunate result of the
Christian teaching on that subject. You are taught
always to take refuge in prayer, and prayer literally
does mean asking; consequently it should not be
applied to the higher forms of aspiration as it often
is. The word ct prayer" comes from the Latin
precari. It means " to ask," and nothing but that;

and you do not ask for help from without but you
call up reserve of strength from within. (< For ye are
Gods, and the children of the Most High." I know
that many of our members have the habit of calling
upon the Master for help when they feel in difficulty.
Be very sure that the Master's thought is always
very near you and assuredly He can be reached; and
yet why should you trouble Him for something that
you can do for yourselves ? It is true that you may
call upon Him, if you wish to do so. But surely if
you can call upon the God within you and bring out
more of that, you will bring yourself nearer to the
Master Himself in doing that, than you would do in
calling on Him for help. You have the right to do
so—one does not question that—but knowing, as I

know, how full a life is that of the Master, how He is

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always occupied in work for the world, surely we
shall not wish to call upon Him, while there is any
possible resource left to us, while we can by any
means do the thing ourselves. To fail in doing this