vailed; but at the same time it was all of grace: the Lord giving the desire, the power to wrestle and the blessing. Jacob was so hemmed in and pressed on every hand that he deeply felt his need of Divine help. This feeling of helplessness and need is what all men naturally require before they will seek God 's favor with the earnest wrestling of a Jacob. A man perishing with hunger and thirst will earnesdy seek relief, and in a Christian country is sure to find it; and thanks be to God , the hungering, thirsting soul is welcome to God and receives most graciously from his bountiful hand. A deep sense of need, such as Jacob felt, may be called the mother of prayer and it has brought many needy souls to the foot of the cross. And our gra¬ cious Father never yet turned away one that came to him seeking for mercy, for this man receiveth sinners and eateth with them and he has declared "Him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out". He listened to the returning prodigal, to the syrophoenician woman, to the importune widow; he listened to Jacob and to many others and answered their cry; and he will listen to you. He will hear and answer your prayer; only pray as Jacob did; pray with earnestness, with his faith and with his perseverance, resolved like him that you will continue praying and wrestling until you receive the blessing, feeling assured that an answer in peace will come because God has said "Ask and ye shall receive, seek and ye shall find, knock and it shall be opened unto you." Thus pray and, like Jacob, you shall have power with God and prevail. Sermon Preached by Rev. Don MacPhers on, 2001 The Rev. Don MacPherson was requested to base his sermon for the 125th Anniversary Service on the same Bible verses used by the Rev. W.M. MacGregor in a sermon of 1821. A descendant of Rev. MacGregor , Neil MacGregor , gave a summation of the 1821 sermon at this Anniversary service. Rev. MacPherson 's sermon was recorded and transcribed as he doesn't work from a written text. Very intentionally we have this celebration at eleven o'clock this morning. It's intentional because, in our understanding of com¬ munity these days, if we held worship service at perhaps a different time we would have fewer young people attend than in years gone by. It would be a worship for older people coming perhaps to remi- 314 United Church and Its People