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 BEY. SAMUEL BACKUS, 
 
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 OJ 1 BKOOKLYN, N. Y. 
 
 " For where two or thrfee are gathered together in my name, there 
 sin I in the midst of them." Matt. 18 : 20. 
 
 NEW-YOEK 
 
 Jtiblished by A. S. BARNES & Co., 51 
 1852. 
 
THE PRAYER-MEETING 
 
 . CHAPTER I. 
 
 Its Value* 
 
 To all who love to meet and together say, 
 "Our Father who art in Heaven" one who 
 has lived and labored longer than most of you, 
 comes with words of friendly salutation. He 
 desires earnestly and affectionately to address 
 you on the subject of Prayer-Meetings. 
 
 Prayer is as old as religion, and yet social 
 meetings expressly for prayer, are of compara- 
 tively recent date, unless we go back to the 
 early days of the Christian church. Many 
 can remember when " prayer-meetings." as the 
 term is now understood, were unknown. 
 
 But though so recent in their origin, they 
 have by common consent come to be esteemed 
 essential. They have not inappropriately 
 
been tei'ttiec! " the spiritual barometer of the 
 churches." As is the prayer-meeting in any 
 church, so do we expect to find the sp:ritual 
 state of that church, nor can it be otherwise* 
 
 Religion is not a dormant, inert principle^ 
 like latent heat in physical bodies, waiting 
 some new agency to give it development and 
 life, but it is in its nature intrinsically active ; 
 it is a power #t work ; it is the love of God 
 carried out in its appropriate results. Relig- 
 ion being a great common interest,.. it will fol- 
 low that, as this interest is prized, the differ- 
 ent parties concerned will come together and 
 seek its advancement ; and inasmuch as the 
 interests of religion are inseparably blended 
 with prayer, Christians can hardly do other- 
 Wise than meet and pray. 
 
 Well may we believe, therefore, that where 
 the prayer-meeting is fully attended by the 
 brethren and sisters, and solemn in its aspects^ 
 there will everything pertaining to religion 
 flourish, <md that these meetings can be cold 5 
 and neglected and formal, only when the spirit 
 and fire and activity of religion have departed* 
 A glance at the dead> cold prayer-meeting 5 
 tells us unmistakably that there is the form of 
 godliness without the power, that the things of 
 the world are uppermost, that the flesh rules 
 rather than the spirit. There we expect to 
 
hear dull and pointless preaching addressed to 
 cold and lifeless hearers. In such a case, to 
 hear of an awakened or converted sinner, 
 sounds like thunder from a clear sky. 
 
 We in this day should about as soon think 
 of dispensing with the ministry itself, as of 
 withholding from it the aid derived from the 
 prayer-meeting. 
 
 Blessed place! Blessed employment! how 
 readily does every warm-hearted Christian say ? 
 
 " I have been there, and still would go, 
 'Tis like a little heaven below." 
 
 This unassuming means of grace, from the 
 small beginnings of fifty years ago, has won 
 its way to favor unrivalled. 
 
 We have here the prime motive* power, 
 which, impelled by the Spirit of God, drives 
 all the divine machinery of the Gospel. 
 
 And yet the real value of this agency has 
 hardly begun to be appreciated. In its work- 
 ings hitherto, such an advancement on the 
 past has been realized, that we have hardly 
 thought of future improvements. We have 
 said, " It is good, very good," and have thought 
 of nothing better. 
 
 We have taken the prayer-meeting as we 
 would some newly discovered plant or fruit in 
 its native wildness, good and wholesome as we 
 have it now, and which we therefore think not 
 
6 
 
 of improving by culture. Or we have taken 
 it like some useful and newly invented ma- 
 chine in its first clumsy construction. We ex- 
 ult in its utility, without the least imaginings 
 of what ingenious heads, and skilful hands are 
 yet to make it. 
 
 When first we could travel ten miles an 
 hour by steamboat or rail car, we supposed the 
 limits of locomotion attained, and we had no 
 wish to travel faster ; now we move fiity miles 
 an hour, and complain of tardiness. Such do 
 we believe will be the case in the progressive 
 power of prayer in its future developments, 
 especially of prayer in the social meeting, to 
 that end purposely convened. What know we 
 yet of the achievements which can be made 
 by those who are u all of one accord in one 
 place," as were the disciples at the day of 
 Pentecost ? 
 
 That memorable event was prefaced with a 
 long prayer-meeting, wonderful in itself, won- 
 derful in its results. We think of three thou- 
 sand souls added to the Lord in one day, and 
 we say, " Was there ever the like before, and 
 shall there ever be the like again?" But greater 
 things than these are before us. The time 
 cometh when in one day, not three thousand 
 souls shall be added to the Lord, but a whole 
 nation. No means essentially new will be em- 
 
ployed, but these wonders of grace are to be 
 brought about by a better use of those already 
 prescribed and used; and in no department 
 of Christian effort, have we reason to look for 
 greater improvement, than in using the power 
 of prayer, as an agency for carrying forward 
 the work of God. In no other department do 
 we so fully perceive the pertinency of the di- 
 vine precept, "Put on thy strength oh Zion, 
 put on thy beautiful garments, oh J erusalem !" 
 
 Oh this putting on~of Zion's strength ! It is 
 the strength of God, though wielded by man. 
 Is it not a consummation most devoutly to be 
 wished ? If my readers do not follow me with 
 patience and delight through the subsequent 
 pages, it will not be for want of a worthy 
 theme. 
 
 There are many reasons why this tract may 
 fail of great success, but no new and untested 
 theories are here divulged ; none are called 
 upon to experiment in unexplored fields of re- 
 search. 
 
 The views advanced are believed to be 
 scriptural, and sustained also by successful ex- 
 periment. They have been formed from a 
 long course of careful study and observation on 
 the nature and uses of social prayer. They 
 are believed to be simple and practical. 
 
 The writer has mingled familiarly in pray er- 
 
 
 
 ^a TtT 1* T* *^T T Y! 
 
 
 
8 
 
 meetings for almost forty years, lie has seen 
 them in all their different phases, and atten- 
 tively marked their influences ; and strange 
 would it be, if with all these advantages, he 
 should be able to point out no common defects, 
 or to suggest no needed improvements. Hav- 
 ing lived and labored in a day of wonderful 
 revivals, having seen Missions, and Tract So- 
 cieties, and Sabbath Schools, progressing from 
 their incipiency to their present state, he may 
 at least claim some credit as a witness of facts. 
 
 It may be proper here that I forewarn my 
 readers of my purpose to pass by all prayer, 
 but that of the social meeting. 
 
 You will not expect, therefore, anything on 
 that all-important subject, " Closet Devotion." 
 I leave every man undisturbed in his sacred 
 retirement whither he has gone, u to shut his 
 doors about him, that he may pray to his Fa- 
 ther who is in secret." I do this with the less 
 regret because, except in the article of mere 
 neglect, there is less danger of wrong perform- 
 ance of secret prayer than of any other. 
 
 Neither do I intrude upon the family, as 
 they are gathered around their fireside altar, 
 to confess their common sins, to give thanks 
 for their common mercies, and to ask a supply 
 for their common wants. 
 
 Undisturbed by me, they may sing their 
 
9 
 
 family hymn, read their family Bible, and offer 
 their night and morning prayer, in their own 
 way. 
 
 And least of all would I abridge the liberties 
 of the pastor, as he leads the devotions of his 
 flock. He may preach his own sermon, and 
 offer his own prayers, so that he do it to edifi- 
 cation, and I will find no fault with him. 
 
 ' Eespecting these omitted occasions of prayer, 
 there are specific human helps, and better 
 helps might undoubtedly be provided, and to 
 these w^e leave all those who may need them. 
 Our business is with the all-important, the be- 
 loved social prayer. 
 
 CHAPTER II. 
 
 Dignity of the Subject. 
 
 THE subject thus announced, is worthy of 
 the highest powers of rhetoric and of argu- 
 ment. The largest talent, and piety of the 
 highest tone, might well be employed in carry- 
 ing out our design. The Prayer-Meeting, hum- 
 ble and unpretending as it is, casts into shade 
 all that earth calls great. Conquerors die, ar- 
 mies vanish, revolutions roll on like wave fol- 
 
10 
 
 lowing wave, and yet the general features of 
 the world undergo no change. 
 
 The energies of statesmanship and military 
 prowess may disturb the world, but they never 
 reform it. Not so the moral enginery whose 
 motive power is in heaven ; a power wielded 
 by the Spirit of God, and gained by prayer. 
 
 He w r ho can open a wider pathway to the 
 Throne of Divine Grace, and draw down from 
 thence a larger stream of influence to vivify 
 and warm the dead, cold things of earth, has 
 begun a process which earth, and heaven, and 
 vast eternity shall feel. He who truly prays, 
 has power with God, and wields an almighty 
 arm. 
 
 Who then can estimate the power of believ- 
 ing, united prayer ? 
 
 Strange now as it may seem, even on such a 
 subject, and where everything has been consid- 
 ered settled for centuries, I feel like a pioneer, 
 threading my way, where no one has opened a 
 path before me. I will not say that nothing 
 has been written expressly as a guide and in- 
 structor in the performance of social prayer, 
 for it is no strange thing that a book should be 
 born, and sleep,"and die, and never be known 
 beyond the precincts of its' own covers, but if 
 ever there had been written a good directory 
 for this end, it never would have been forgot- 
 
11 
 
 ten. Like Bunyan's Pilgrim's Progress, and 
 Watt's sacred poetry, it would have been a 
 book for the world. That such will be the des- 
 tiny of the present treatise, I am not vain 
 enough to suppose ; but where a work is so 
 much needed, and where others have done no- 
 thing, I shall not be blamed for doing what I 
 can to meet the want, leaving it for abler hands 
 to complete what I but begin. 
 
 CHAPTER HI. 
 
 Some Things Common to All Prayer. 
 
 THEKE are things essential and common to 
 all forms and occasions of prayer ; and unless 
 these be understood, all rules, and directions, 
 and enforcements of prayer in any particuar 
 aspect of it, must be of little use. We may, 
 indeed, take it for granted, that these things 
 are already familiar to all my readers, and this 
 is probably to a considerable extent true ; yet, 
 in a treatise like this, these points cannot well 
 be passed over. 
 
 The duty and use of prayer are common top- 
 ics, and as abstract truths, there can be no 
 need of proving them ; and yet on these points, 
 
12 
 
 apparently so plain, a few thoughts may not be 
 amiss. 
 
 All know that to us, there are needed things, 
 which if coming at all, must come as the gift 
 of God. Again, if God is to bestow upon us 
 these gifts, He must do it either as asked or un- 
 asked ; i.e., we must pray for then?, or receive 
 them without prayer. Some of these blessings 
 God may indeed give, and does give, whether 
 we pray for them or not. For it is written, " He 
 maketh His sun to shine on the evil and on 
 the good, and sendeth his rain on the just 
 and on the unjust." This we see and know, 
 in attestation of the goodness of God. The 
 saint, that walks with God from day to day, 
 and the most thankless wretch that sees the 
 light, are in this alike. The morning sunshine 
 falls as benignly upon the one as upon the other. 
 Their fields lie side by side, and with equal til- 
 lage, grow with equal luxuriance. 
 
 When the earth has been for weeks parched 
 under a summer sun, and vegetation looks 
 drooping and sickly, the timely and looked-for 
 shower refreshes the fields and purifies the air 
 for the wicked man, as much as for the good. 
 
 But even in things the most fixed by the uni- 
 form laws of Providence, the witholding of 
 filial trust, -and grateful praise, as all the 
 prayerless do, cannot but be displeasing to the 
 
e 
 
 13 
 
 great Dispenser of good. Nor of the most 
 common blessings of life, do we know how 
 many are gained in answer to prayer. The 
 laws of Providence in nature, have a guiding 
 hand, and that hand is moved by prayer ; and 
 who is competent to say, that were it not for 
 the praying ones on the earth, the wheels of 
 nature would stop in their course and instant 
 destruction ensue ? 
 
 Ten praying men could have averted from 
 Sodom the fiery shower, and for one prophet, 
 the laws of gravitation were counteracted, and 
 the waters of Jordon were parted. What then 
 may not God do, for the sake of ten thousand 
 times ten thousand, and thousands of thousands, 
 who cry day and night before him ? 
 
 The same event happening to all alike, by 
 no means secures to all an equal good. 
 
 The same wind which bears one vessel rap- 
 idly and safely to its destined haven, may dash 
 another upon hidden rocks. The balmy breath 
 of evening may invigorate and refresh one 
 constitution, and at the same time germinate 
 the seeds of death in another. 
 
 But in reference to the inner man, the di- 
 verse influences of the same apparent cause 
 are the most striking. To the pious soul, the 
 sunshine, and the flowers, and the ten thousand 
 charms of nature, are but so many conductors 
 
14 
 
 between heaven find earth, bearing upward 
 holy aspirations to the throne of God, and 
 downward from that throne those movings of 
 the Spirit which cause God's children to rejoice, 
 with joy unspeakable and full of glory. How 
 sublimely and how blessedly does the spiritual, 
 praying man say, as he looks upward in the 
 starry night, " The heavens declare the glory of 
 God,^ and the firmament showeth his handy 
 work, day unto day utter eth speech, and night 
 unto night shewetli knowledge !" The garden, 
 the orchard, the green fields, the extended 
 landscape, the river, the ocean, are so many 
 treasures of delight to the devout ; and the rich 
 and the poor share the inheritance alike. 
 
 And yet, to the ungodly and the prayerless, 
 these things are valueless. An unholy and 
 unconfiding frame of mind, may strip nature 
 of all her loveliness. It may turn the very 
 sunshine into darkness, and make the flowers 
 sickening. The sweet, soft music of the birds 
 and the bees, may scathe the soul, and good it- 
 self may become hateful ; and to see God in 
 these things may be the climax of horror. 
 Such, we apprehend, are some of the elements 
 of the worm and the fire, as they begin to gnaw 
 and to burn, on this side the grave. 
 
 But the minds even of the wicked are not 
 always in this state. Though they neither love 
 
15 
 
 nor fear God, they may for a season rejoice in 
 his works. He who has spread out so many 
 beauties before them, has also given them taste 
 to perceive and relish these beauties ; nor is this 
 taste necessarily destroyed by sin. The prayer- 
 less and the praiseless may have tastes highly 
 refined, and intellects highly cultivated, ana by 
 them the beauties of nature may be fully per- 
 ceived and delighted in. But then these things 
 lure the heart away from God, and to the grace- 
 less become so many links in a chain by which 
 Satan binds his victims. 
 
 This chain may seem to be made of gold, 
 and wreathed with flowers ; it may appear at 
 first weak, and its action may be all but imper- 
 ceptible ; but it is continually thickening and 
 hardening in its progress, becoming at length 
 a chain of heated iron, burning and scathing 
 the ungodly sufferer, soon to be riveted by 
 devils to some fixture in their dark abode. 
 Such may be the ultimate difference between 
 praying and being prayerless. 
 
 These are indeed dreadful thoughts, but 
 dreadful only because they are true. 
 
 Thus, then, is it shown, that in thiiigs winch 
 seem the most uniform and fixed, there is a use, 
 and a beauty in prayer. 
 
16 
 
 THINGS COMMON TO PKAYER, CONTINUED. 
 Spiritual Blessings. 
 
 WE have been considering prayer in refer- 
 ence to the procurement and value of earthly 
 things. But its greatest value is still unper- 
 ceived. There is another and higher depart- 
 ment of the divine administration, where 
 prayer is everything. In the department of 
 spiritualities it is especially true, that he who 
 asketh receiveth, and only he. Here all may be 
 summed up in a word, "The gift of the Spirit." 
 The Spirit, indeed, is no substitute for the 
 moral actings of the human soul, but it is that 
 which guides and models those actings, in all 
 which is befitting our high relations to God. 
 This Spirit, with all its tlessed fruits, in the 
 plain language of the Bible, " God giveth to 
 them that ask him." This explicit language 
 is enough. Here our faith should rest, without 
 waiting for more specific reasons to fix our 
 trust. 
 
 Here it is, that in the divine plan, God giv- 
 eth not account of any of his matters before he 
 bids us believe and obey. 
 
 This Holy Spirit God is ready, exceedingly 
 ready, to give to those that ask him ; but no- 
 where that I know of, has he told us that he 
 bestows it otherwise. 
 
ir 
 
 Indeed, in speaking of the new heart as the 
 promised gift of the Spirit, he says, " For this 
 will I be enquired of by the house of Israel, 
 to do it for them." 
 
 In saying all this, I am not forgetful that 
 the Spirit is often given, not" only to those who 
 ask not his visitations, but even to those who 
 stoutly fight against him ; though I have yet 
 to learn that this heavenly benefaction may not, 
 in all instances, be bestowed in answer to the 
 prayers of some one or more of God's believ- 
 ing children. 
 
 Nor can we tell where these strivings would 
 stop, were it not for the stintedness, and fickle- 
 ness, and other unholy mixtures, which are 
 found in the prayers of the saints. 
 , There are, in every Christian community, a 
 few who are reputed eminent for prayer and 
 piety ; and, to those observant of such things, 
 it has always seemed that if these few emi- 
 nently pious Christians, should stop praying, 
 religion would die out. 
 
 And if this be so, it is as plain on the other 
 hand, that if all Christians would watch and 
 pray, as these few do watch and pray, the 
 world would soon be converted to Christ. 
 
18 
 
 THINGS COMMON TO PRAYER, CONTINUED. 
 
 The Purposes of God. 
 i 
 
 WE can hardly think of praying to God in 
 any form, without at the same time thinking 
 of Him as planning, and counselling, and pur- 
 posing, the things he is to do. We are, of ne- 
 cessity, brought to consider prayer as connected 
 with the eternal and unchangeable purposes of 
 
 We are in a measure driven to this course, 
 not merely by the sneers and cavils of the in- 
 fidel, for his sneers and cavils, and even his 
 arguments, are comparatively harmless things 
 as used against the duty and prevalence of 
 prayer ; bnt we often find the honest and sim- 
 ple-minded stumbled and perplexed w r ith the 
 suggestion, that because God is unchangeable, 
 therefore prayer must be unavailing. ^ These 
 misgivings are always painful, and may be 
 highly dangerous. 
 
 Such minds should therefore, as far as pos- 
 sible, be relieved and rightly guided. 
 
 Now it is evidently useless lor us, if we were 
 so disposed, to deny that God has formed a 
 decree or eternal purpose, according to which 
 he gives his Spirit, and also performs all his 
 other works. God " discerneth the end from 
 the beginning, and from ancient time the thing 
 
19 
 
 that is not yet done, saying " my counsel shall 
 stand, and I will do all my pleasure." 
 
 This is matter of rejoicing, for God alone is 
 competent to judge rightly what he shall do. 
 
 We ought not to indulge even the most se- 
 cret wish, that he should in anything act oth- 
 erwise than according to his own determinate 
 counsel and foreknowledge ; nor should we 
 have any dread of looking such a doctrine fully 
 in the face, whatever may be the point of duty, 
 or privilege, which we may wish to investigate. 
 
 Secret things we know belong unto the Lord, 
 and to whom else should they belong ? And 
 with the Lord, as secret things, we ought most 
 cheerfully to leave them. But then all things 
 pertaining to God and his works are not se- 
 cret ; many glorious truths of this sort are re- 
 vealed, and these belong to us and our children 
 forever. To take the things that are revealed, 
 and to leave in their own original secresy 
 things not revealed, is infinitely better than 
 making efforts to bend our views into a sup- 
 posed consistency with human theories and 
 formularies, absurdly enough called STANDARDS. 
 We have no standard of Christian doctrine 
 but God's own word, legitimately and properly 
 interpreted. From what God has done, and 
 from what he has caused to be written, there 
 
 
are many things which we can know, and 
 which we ought to know.- 
 
 "We know that he has given, and therefore 
 from the beginning has purposed to give, every 
 department of this universe over which he 
 reigns, its own appropriate laws, according to 
 its own intrinsic nature. We know that God 
 has made the heavenly bodies, and that they 
 are most wonderfully governed ; but yet not 
 by the laws of animal life, or by moral precepts 
 sanctioned by pains and penalties. Animals, 
 as animals, are governed not by the laws of 
 vegetation, but by the proper laws of animal 
 life, just referred to. To man, and other beings 
 endowed with a moral nature, God has given 
 a moral law, adapted to this moral nature, and 
 by this law he will govern them. 
 
 God's laws are permanent in their character, 
 so that having once enacted them he never 
 repeals them ; and according to them all his 
 plans and purposes will be carried out. In 
 conformity with its own appropriate laws, each 
 department of his government will be admin- 
 istered. 
 
 It follows that in dealing with moral beings, 
 God will ever act in conformity with that de- 
 cree, which secures to them full and perpetual 
 possession of all the powers and prerogatives 
 of moral agency, in subordination to moral 
 
21 
 
 law. We may rest assured, that God as a 
 moral rnler will never act upon our race other- 
 wise than as upon beings endowed with the 
 capacity of choosing and acting for themselves. 
 
 The purposes of God are so far from in- 
 terfering with the freedom of intelligent inter- 
 course between him and his creatures, that 
 they include in their very nature the confirma- 
 tion of freedom in moral acts. As a conse- 
 quence, they must also include all the appro- 
 priate contingencies of efforts and results, be- 
 longing to those acts. 
 
 By this process, we come to the great point 
 at issue, viz : that among such contingencies, 
 PKAYEK holds a pre-eminent distinction. God, 
 then, having firmly decreed that some of his 
 creatures shall be and remain forever endowed 
 with the power of asking, and the promise of 
 receiving, it must be with an ill grace that we 
 bring up the purposes of God, as an objection 
 to the utility of prayer. 
 
 CHAPTER IV. 
 
 Manner of Approaching God in Prayer. 
 It being once decided on general principles. 
 
22 
 
 that prayer is suited to our condition, as the 
 rational creatures of God, and that by this and 
 other acts of worship we ought to approach him, 
 the manner of this approach becomes a theme 
 of immense magnitude. We have, as fixed 
 principles, that everything is depending on the 
 blessing of God, and that this blessing is to be 
 obtained by prayer ; and in view of these prin- 
 ciples, we instinctively feel that a more mo- 
 mentous theme can scarcely be presented to 
 our minds 5 than the manner of our approach. 
 Everything is depending on the blessing of 
 God, that blessing is to be obtained by prayer, 
 and with all solicitude we ask, "How shall 
 we pray, so that our prayers shall be favorably 
 answered? How shall the largest, richest 
 blessing, be obtained? How shall we best 
 please God, in drawing near to him ? 
 
 To answer these enquiries, and gain these 
 ends, is the design of the present essay, in so 
 far as seasons of special social prayer are con- 
 cerned. 
 
 As in every other undertaking, so in this, a 
 first requisite is to fix definitely in the mind 
 the object aimed at. 
 
 "We never ought to appoint or to attend a 
 prayer-meeting, without having before us some 
 desired and expected result, which can be con- 
 ceived of in thought, and expressed in words. 
 
23 
 
 Otherwise, any good that may be gained 
 can be nothing more than what is called a 
 " lucky accident ;" a thing of rare occurrence, 
 and never to be trusted. The more general 
 and undefined idea of worshipping God, or 
 gaining some nameless good, to our bodies or 
 souls, is not enough. This is to act without 
 an object. That a meeting for worship maybe 
 profitable, we must understand what worship 
 we mean to pay, and what blessing we expect 
 to receive. Mere reasoning about what may 
 be right and proper to say to God is not enough. 
 We should come, not with the product of pert 
 reasonings, but with the deep feelings of a 
 burdened soul ; with the pouring out of the 
 heart, rather than the dry cogitations of the 
 head. 
 
 The work of preparation is evidently of 
 great account, and in this, it will be profitable to 
 give a very large place to those thoughts which 
 seem spontaneously to press and fasten on the 
 mind. 
 
 A recurrence to our own experience will in- 
 form us, that there are from time to time, 
 themes that hover around us, and court our 
 attention, which quicken into action our mem- 
 ories, which excite our hopes and our fears. 
 These are things which the more tenaciously 
 cling to us, the more we strive to expel them. 
 
24: 
 
 These are for the time being, the actings 
 and speakings of the heart. They are, while 
 they last, the wants and desires and offerings of 
 the soul. They are in fact the heart, which we 
 should pour out before God. These we should 
 by all means take with us to the social meeting. 
 Vastly better are they than the dry and dusty 
 creations of mere thinking, forced into life, or 
 rather into motion, as the means of making a 
 speech, or gathering expressions for a prayer. 
 Let spontaniety of feeling flow in its own self- 
 sought channel, and we shall not go empty to 
 God. 
 
 Before we go to the prayer-meeting we shall 
 know why we are going, while we are there, 
 we shall know why we Iiave come, and in the 
 review, we can tell where we have been. 
 
 Nor let it be once imagined that this using 
 the thoughts we have, rather than trying to en- 
 gender those we have not, is to neglect keeping 
 the heart with dilligence. 
 
 Instead of neglecting the heart, this is the 
 very means of training it to speak out fully 
 and freely, in its own native dialect. 
 
 Those feelings which lie uppermost in our 
 minds when we think of appearing before God 
 are likely to be the best, as the burden of our 
 first approach to him in prayer ; and the 
 thoughts which arise in view of meeting our 
 
25 
 
 brethren, are likely to be the very things which 
 we ought to talk about with them, for mutual 
 edification. Do we go to the prayer-meeting 
 pressed with a sense of guilt, and delinquency 
 in duty, then should that feeling be wrought 
 into humble confession, with penitential suppli- 
 cation for forgiveness. Then should we offer 
 the sacrifice of a broken heart. But if a sense 
 of the goodness of God in special mercies re- 
 ceived fill the mind, then should we be pre- 
 pared to approach the Throne with songs and 
 thanksgivings. Do darkness and gloom and 
 despondency afflict us ? then surely we should 
 pray, "Lord lift thou up the light of thy coun- 
 tenance upon us." " Is any among you af- 
 flicted? let him pray; 55 is the simple and ex- 
 pressive Bible direction. And again are we 
 told, "Confess your faults one to another, and 
 pray for one another, that ye may be healed." 
 Thus, in all states and circumstances of life, 
 the thing which for the time the mind feels, is 
 the proper theme for its devotions, whether 
 that feeling be personal or social. 
 
 And if, as will sometimes be the case, the 
 mind be barren and desolate, seemingly bereft 
 of all thought, and all feeling, and all desire, 
 then let so much of the man as is left to sigh 
 and groan and lament over this dreadful bar- 
 
26 
 
 renness do so, by saying, " Quicken me, oh 
 Lord, according to thy word." 
 
 CHAPTEE Y. 
 
 Individual Preparation. 
 
 MY readers will have observed that, though 
 speaking of preparation for a social meeting, 
 I have treated of those who are to join in it 
 as of so many individuals ; and so, indeed, they 
 are. Each one for himself is to prepare his 
 own mind for the offering of prayer, according 
 to his condition ; just as if he was going into 
 his closet, to pray alone with God. The reason 
 for this is found in the fact, that individuality, 
 and personality, and peculiarity of wants and 
 interests, is the very thing by which to take 
 advantage of all the powers and perquisites of 
 our social nature ; uniting all hearts into one, 
 and producing agreement in all that shall be 
 asked of God, or offered to him. This very in- 
 dividuality of desire is the basis of social feel- 
 ing and social action. 
 
 Our idea may be illustrated, if not proved, 
 by the following considerations. Wherever 
 
r 
 
 there is a mere joint stock interest, that of it- 
 self calls forth no feeling of sympathy among 
 the proprietors. Their interests being identical, 
 become thereby purely personal, and are much 
 more frequently the occasion of strife than of 
 friendship. Hence a community of goods, or 
 anything approaching to it, is destructive of 
 the peace of society. Not so the mingling of 
 kind offices, where the interests of each are 
 distinct. 
 
 It is wonderful to see how God adapts his 
 method of influencing the human mind to the 
 laws and principles of that mind ; and in no- 
 thing is this adaptation more striking than in 
 the use he makes of our social nature, which 
 will be the theme of our next chapter. 
 
 CHAPTER VI. 
 
 Our Social Nature. 
 
 It thus comes to pass, that no sooner has the 
 Christian left his closet door, where he has 
 been praying to God as his Father, in language 
 and thought so purely his own, that he has not 
 had even the outlines prescribed by his Master, 
 than he is met with a directory for social 
 prayer, a directory adapted to the very small- 
 
est number that can use the plural pronoun, 
 and say, "Our Father who art in heaven." As 
 the prayer in secret to Him who seeth in se- 
 cret, secuers an open reward, so the agree- 
 ment in heart of two on earth, secures a social 
 blessing from above. " It shall be done for 
 them by their Father who is in heaven" 
 The moment the inspirations of secresy and sol- 
 itude leave us, the sympathies of our social 
 being, come to our aid- 
 But while this is so, we lose not our individ- 
 uality, but only leave in our closets those things 
 which are unsuited to any ear, and any heart, 
 but those of God. We leave nothing behind 
 us because it is personal merely. Just what 
 we are when alone, do we go to meet our 
 brethren in the chosen place. The aggregate 
 of our individual wants, and feelings, so far as 
 these are proper to be known by others, makes 
 up the common stock of material for the prayer- 
 meeting ; and by the common laws of brother- 
 hood, each one shares his equal portion of the 
 whole : 
 
 "Our joys, our fears, onr hopes are one, 
 Our comforts and our cares." 
 
 "We bear one another's burdens, and so fulfil 
 the law of Christ." 
 
 Now let us see how the social principle 
 works when each apart, according to the op- 
 
portunity afforded, has communed with his own 
 heart and with God, and all with one accord 
 have come together into one place. There are 
 present, persons of all ages, all characters, and 
 all conditions of life, each seeking some good, 
 adapted to his own peculiar wants. 
 
 We have a right to suppose there may be in 
 the assembly some new-made, heart-stricken 
 widow, left with little children, in deep pov- 
 erty. She is known, and beloved, and pitied 
 by the whole assembly. It is known, too, that 
 she prizes the sympathies, and desires the 
 prayers, of her Christian friends, and that she 
 is making great account of a remembrance, in 
 the exercises of the meeting. The pressure 
 of her griefs is so great that she knows not 
 how to bear it alone. There is not another 
 case like her's ; and yet there is not one in 
 which there is more unity of heart. 
 
 The services having been suitably intro- 
 duced, some brother brings her case before 
 God, and before the assembly, in language 
 simple, appropriate, affecting/ Her sorrows 
 are felt and uttered, her wants and those of her 
 babes are feelingly and earnestly spread out 
 before the widow's God, and the orphan's 
 Father. If the breathless silence is inter- 
 rupted, it is only by the struggling bosom, un- 
 able to do more than half conceal its emotions. 
 
30 
 
 Tell me now, can you conceive of unity more 
 complete, of concentration of feeling more en- 
 tire ? This one widow's grief has become, for 
 the time, the grief of all, as when one mem- 
 ber suffers, all the members suffer with it ; and 
 as sure as there is prevalence in prayer, the 
 blessing of the widow's God is gained. 
 
 There may be a case of a very diferent de- 
 scription. A brother may have received sig- 
 nal blessings, and feel that to praise God alone, 
 is not enough. He wishes to call upon his 
 brethren and sisters, saying, " Magnify the 
 Lord with me, and let us exalt His name to- 
 gether." His call for praise is cheerfully re- 
 sponded to, and united thanksgiving is ren- 
 dered in his behalf. Do you not hear an hun- 
 dred hearts in perfect unison, beating with new 
 pulsations of delight? If the joy be the joy 
 of one, the praise is the praise of all. It is 
 the very genius of the gospel, that it makes 
 the feelings of one soul the common property 
 of many souls. It is in this way that heart is 
 drawn to heart, and all hearts are welded as 
 it were into one, by the common attraction of 
 a Christian love. 
 
 There may be other cases, differing from 
 either of the preceding. There may be one 
 who has had great enlargement in the things 
 of God, and he desires to see the blessing ex- 
 

 31 
 
 tended ; or there may be another who is labor- 
 ing under great spiritual darkness, and feels 
 that God has shut up his tender mercies from 
 him. Such cases specified, touch every soul ; 
 they draw out all hearts in united prayer. 
 
 There may be a brother who has grievously 
 sinned, and who wishes as a privilege the op- 
 portunity of making confession and asking for- 
 giveness. Again the social feelings are in full 
 play, and all will hasten to "restore such an 
 one in the spirit of meekness," feeling that no- 
 thing but the grace of God has kept them from 
 the same condemnation. 
 
 There may be, there have been, prayer- 
 meetings in which were present those who 
 were by the Spirit smitten down with a sense 
 of sin, and who were crying out in bitterness of 
 soul, "What shall we do to be saved ?" while 
 others were saying, " Rejoice with us, for we 
 h.ave found the precious Saviour." 
 
 Do you want anything of more general in- 
 terest? can you think of anything in which 
 there will be more entire agreement? Souls 
 flow and unite together, as drops of water meet 
 and mingle at the bottom of the vessel. 
 
 I have specified a few out of a great multitude 
 of supposable cases, to show the workings of our 
 social nature, in making individual wants and 
 interests the very basis of unity in divine wor- 
 
32 
 
 ship. While specific causes for prayer and 
 praise unite all hearts, mere generalisms leave 
 them like particles of matter floating loosely 
 about, having no affinities, drawing them to a 
 common center. Individualism, properly em- 
 ployed, draws all minds to itself, as the magnet 
 attracts chalybeate dust. 
 
 Inasmuch as God has made us social beings, 
 and has himself made so much use of our so- 
 cial nature in the economy of his kingdom, 
 I have felt impelled to give these illustrations 
 of sympathy, as it may be made to act in be- 
 half of the honored prayer-meeting. 
 
 If, now, to this consentaneousness of feeling 
 in regard to special personal concerns, there be 
 added the common topics and themes of inter- 
 est, which, some or all of them, are almost 
 sure to be called up, we cannot fail of seeing 
 how a meeting for prayer may be specifically 
 adapted to every case, while without one jar- 
 ring note all voices may unite in joining cho- 
 rus, and saying, " How good and how pleasant 
 a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in 
 unity." 
 
 Thus may we understand what it is for all 
 things to be done "decently and in order." 
 Thus may we know how much better is defi- 
 niteness and simplicity than vague and con- 
 fusedn otions ; how much better it is, to know 
 
33 
 
 what We have said, what we are saying, and 
 what we mean to say, than to know that we have 
 said something, or wished to say something. 
 We shall feel it better to say, "We have 
 confessed such and such sins to God, we 
 have given him thanks for such and such bless- 
 ings, and we have earnestly prayed to him 
 to do this and that," than to say, "We have 
 paid our respects to God, and in a general and 
 civil way have endeavored to propitiate his 
 favor." It is better, and if we do as we 
 ought we shall find it better, at the close of a 
 meeting, to say, "We have had our souls 
 drawn out in the prayers and praises of the 
 brethren," than to say merely^ " We have 
 heard such and such brethren pray." Are we 
 aware, dear brethren, how much account God 
 makes of this unity of thought and aim ? Do 
 we think how earnestly Christ enjoined this on 
 his disciples, and what large promises he has 
 made to those who act it out ? Especially do 
 we realize how pathetically he prayed to his 
 Father for its bestowment, as he was perform- 
 ing his last official services, while the agonies 
 of the garden and of the cross were full before 
 him? Hear his tender accents, "That they all 
 may be one, as thou Father art in me, and I 
 in thee, that they also may be one in us ; that 
 the world may believe that thou hast sent 
 
34 
 
 me. 55 God has given in the wonders of his 
 works a social nature to man, he himself 
 makes great account of it, and wo to us if we 
 neglect it. 
 
 CHAPTEK VII. 
 
 God to le Approached with Reverence. 
 
 HAVING made up our inventory of wants and 
 wishes, having determined why we desire to 
 come before God in social worship, having our 
 hearts knit together in brotherly love, our next 
 business is to know Him before "Whom we 
 come, and what we are to expect at his hands. 
 I do not speak of the solemn awe which we 
 ought to feel in approaching God, because of 
 his majesty, and our sinfulness, such as made 
 the prophet cry, " "Wo is me, for I am undone, 
 for 1 am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in 
 the midst of a people of unclean lips ; for mine 
 eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts." I 
 speak now of what we are to think of God 
 in relation to prayer, what he thinks of it, 
 what we may expect of him. In this partic- 
 ular we have an inspired directory for our 
 faith, furnished ready to our hands. " He that 
 
35 
 
 eometh unto God, must believe that He is, and 
 that He is the rewarder of those that dili- 
 gently seek him," It would seem as though 
 a truth so manifest as this, must have been 
 known had the divine word been silent on the 
 subject, and yet we have reason to fear that, 
 though now plainly revealed, it is often forgot- 
 ten. Do we always pray as to a living and 
 present God? Do we always feel that he 
 hears us, and remembers what we say to him ? 
 Do we always know and remember ourselves, 
 what we say to him? When we have laid 
 our requests before him, do we always wait 
 and expect a reply? Nay, if God were to 
 write such a reply in heaven, and send it down 
 by an angel to be read in our hearing, should 
 we not, in expectancy of its meaning, stand in 
 doubt of its purport, and looking one at another, 
 ask? "What can this response be about? for 
 we expected nothing." 
 
 Would it not puzzle us to think what prayers 
 we had offered, or for what we had given 
 thanks? Now, brethren, these things ought 
 not so to be. 
 
CHAPTEE VIIL 
 
 A Present God* 
 
 "We ought always to pray as to a present God f 
 lie that eometh unto God, "MUST BELIEVE 
 THAT HE is." If this direction be proper for 
 any besides^ it is proper for us. "We must have 
 that faith in our prayers, which makes the 
 being of God a reality to our minds. We 
 must not only assent to liis being, as a truth 
 proved by evidence addressed to the intellect^ 
 but it must be a truth felt. This is possible, 
 If there were no wickedness in the thing, there 
 never was a more senseless dogma than one 
 which we often hear, viz : that we cannot know 
 there is a God, or feel his presence, because we 
 know him not by our corporeal senses ; because 
 we have never seen him and handled him. 
 This is to contradict in the article of God, the 
 sufficiency of evidence which we freely and 
 constantly admit in other things. 
 
 Sound philosophy will teach us that being, 
 whether human or divine, whether created or 
 uncreated, is known only by its attributes. Of 
 the real essence of being, whether celestial or 
 .terrestrial, we know nothing. The shallow 
 thinker may say, that he apprehends the es- 
 sence of his fellow-man by the corporeal 
 
37 
 
 senses ; but nothing can be more false. The 
 body which is felt, is not the man ; the voice 
 which is heard is not the man, and the same 
 may be said of anything about him, palpable 
 to us. 
 
 It is the idea of the spiritual, the immaterial 
 part, which makes us feel that a fellow-being 
 is with us not that we can, even in this 
 way, determine what man's essence is. We 
 can only say, we perceive such and such attri- 
 butes or qualities, indicating to us the existence 
 and presence of a being like ourselves. I have 
 an instance fresh in my memory, fully to my 
 purpose. I once saw the body of a man of God, 
 moving, walking, speaking even, and yet I 
 saw not that man. I had been wont to know 
 him as possessed of a strong mind, with a 
 warm and holy heart, but now there was only 
 the human form, whose unchanged appearance 
 rendered the ruin more dreadful. He was not 
 a maniac, he was not an idiot ; but the soul 
 had fled, and left the body alive. I am not 
 agitating any curious questions about the 
 union of the material and the immaterial in 
 man ; I am only speaking of this man as he 
 appeared to me a mere moving body, and 
 nothing more. And never do I recollect feel- 
 ing so vividly what it must be to dwell in 
 blank emptiness, as when closeted with what 
 *3 
 
33 
 
 seemed so like my venerated friend. Every 
 child knows that there is no loneliness more 
 complete, than that of the sepulchre, with its 
 lifeless inmates. It cannot be that we become 
 conscious of a present, human being, by ap- 
 prehending the material body through the me- 
 dium of the corporeal senses. The body, as an 
 outer garment, serves to introduce the soul to 
 our notice but the man, the living, thinking, 
 feeling man, we know, as far as we know him at 
 all, by his own appropriate, spiritual attributes. 
 - And now, if we know man by his attributes, 
 as far as we know him at all, surely we may 
 know God, who is wholly a spirit, by means 
 of His attributes, which are written all around 
 us, and within us, and of which our own con- 
 scious existence is proof demonstrative. 
 
 I had thought of more fully showing how we 
 are continually made to realize the axistence 
 and presence of being, by some one attribute of 
 such being, and oftimes by an attribute seem- 
 ingly least significant, as a whisper, a rustling 
 noise, a shadow, and the like; but the single 
 and remarkable instance I have adduced, it 
 does seem to me, must entirely settle the ques- 
 tion of possibility, showing us by natural 
 things, that God lays down no hard conditions, 
 when he requires us to come to Him believing 
 that "He is" There is no impossibility in a 
 
39 
 
 faith wliicli is tlie evidence of things hot seeti* 
 as well as the substance of things hoped for. 
 
 CHAPTER IX. 
 God Will Hear Prayer and Answer iti 
 
 BUT believing in the being of God is not 
 enough, unless his character is also before us* 
 By faith we must behold him as "the re- 
 warder of them that diligently seek him." 
 We rmlst feel, not only that we are speaking to 
 a present and attentive God, but also that this 
 God will speak to us in return. We ought to 
 feel, and by taking pains we may feel, that we 
 are as truly in the presence of God as of each 
 other, that we speak to him as really as we 
 speak to each other ; and that if we seek him 
 as w r e ought, he will surely grant our requests, 
 But will God grant in answer to our 
 prayers the very things we ask ? Not always, 
 for we may ask that which we ought not 
 to have. We may ask for those things which 
 would injure us. We do not suppose God 
 is going to give up the government of the 
 World to us, or to free us from the control of 
 his providence and his la,w. But he must 
 
40 
 
 do this, if he give an unconditional affirmative 
 to every request which we may make. Yea, 
 the very idea of faith in God, implies a belief 
 of his wisdom to choose for us, as well as of 
 his goodness to bless us. 
 
 We have nothing on which to ground a con- 
 fidence that God will grant our particular re- 
 quests, in kind, and manner, as we may present 
 them, unless we can find some specific prom- 
 ise that meets the case, or have evidence from 
 his word, that our requests are so in accord- 
 ance with his great designs of love and mercy 
 which he is carrying forward in the world, 
 that he cannot refuse us. 
 
 "We must remember, moreover, that much is 
 implied in the phrase, " Diligently seek him." 
 It is impossible for us diligently to seek God 
 unless at the same time, on our part, and with 
 our best powers, we lend a hearty co-operation 
 in bringing about the answer to our prayer. 
 
 The man who rightly prays to God for suc- 
 cess in any labor to be performed, stands 
 ready, with the strength given, to perform that 
 labor himself. He does not expect God will 
 perform it for him. This principle holds good 
 in reference to everything which belongs to us 
 as duty. 
 
 In regard to specific answers to prayers, we 
 shall, moreover, find .a wide difference between 
 
41 
 
 temporal and spiritual blessings. In temporal 
 blessings, there are no specific promises given, 
 and, therefore, no specific answers are certain ; 
 while, as regards spiritual good, the promises 
 seem all but unconditional. When Christ in 
 the garden prayed for the avoidance of bodily 
 suffering, he added, after the greatest impor- 
 tunity, "Father, not as I will, but as Thou 
 wilt." In praying for spiritual gifts, he makes 
 no such condition or contingency, He says, 
 without any proviso, "Father, keep through 
 thine own name, those whom thou hast given 
 me. 55 " Father, I will that those whom thou 
 hast given me, be with me where I am," 
 " Father, forgive them, for they know not what 
 they do." And again appealing to the fullness 
 of paternal love in giving to children, he says, 
 "How much more shall your Heavenly Father 
 give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him." 
 We think there is also a preference given to 
 those things which are covered directly by the 
 atonement. By this we mean things to which 
 the atonement had immediate reference. 
 
 There is, indeed, a sense in which all good of 
 every kind bestowed on man is through a Medi- 
 ator. But in regard to all common temporal 
 blessings, this relation to the atonement is inci- 
 dental only. It comes by the atonement, only 
 as the probationary state of this world comes in 
 
42 
 
 this way. We do not suppose that Christ died 
 that men might have rain and sunshine, or civil 
 privileges here for a season. In God's remedial 
 system these things are means, not the end it- 
 self. 
 
 But the forgiveness of sin, the sanctification 
 of the heart by the Spirit, and eternal life in 
 heaven, are direct results of the atonement. 
 In reference to these it was made, and only in 
 view of it could God consistently grant them. 
 . When, therefore, Christ says to his disciples, 
 "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my 
 name, I will do it," he must have had things 
 cf this sort in view. "In my name," must 
 have reference to what Christ has done, and 
 must, of course, be inapplicable to everything 
 not depending on the atonement by him 
 effected. 
 
 In those things which thus are covered by 
 the sacrifice of Christ, and which fall under 
 the operation of the Spirit, we seem to have 
 unlimited license to enlarge and multiply, and 
 urge, and repeat, our requests, as we please. 
 
 JEIere again, however, we do not know cer- 
 tainly that even spiritual blessings will light 
 down just where we wish, and in the very 
 manner we would prescribe, even on the sup- 
 position that our own frame of mind is pleas- 
 ing to God. 
 
43 
 
 Some of God's promises and plans are 
 shaped expressly to the union of many hearts, 
 and many hands, in gaining a desired end. In 
 all such cases, the answer must not be expected 
 unless the union is complete, and the desire 
 ardent, and the number, and the perseverance 
 such, that God's appointment will be honored 
 in a favorable response. 
 
 What God has promised to secret, or indi- 
 vidual prayer, he will sacredly fulfil, accord- 
 ing as that prayer is more or less such as it 
 should be ; and there the promise rests. So, 
 too, what God has promised to public united 
 prayer he will grant in the same way. A 
 case may arise in which the divine economy 
 demands that the circle of prayer be enlarged, 
 and that more hearts be combined, or that 
 longer trial of faith should be made, or a more 
 public testimony be given for God. All these 
 things tend to produce a degree of uncertainty 
 in regard to a specific answer to prayer, even 
 in spiritual things. 
 
 Not knowing" fully what is done, or what is 
 required to be done, we cannot know beyond 
 doubt, whether a particular blessing will be 
 granted at all, or if granted, at what time, and 
 under what circumstances. 
 
 It may be, also, that if prayer be offered for 
 an individual, that individual may have so 
 
44 
 
 sinned, that prayer for him will be forever un- 
 availing. Such cases, however, make nothing 
 against the great principle that God will give 
 his Spirit to them that ask him ; and that 
 even more cheerfully than the fondest parent 
 gives good things to a child. 
 
 But whether a specific spiritual good be 
 gained or not, the holy Spirit cannot be be- 
 stowed and nobody be the gainer. He is a 
 visitant which always scatters blessings in his 
 train. If the Spirit be given in answer to 
 your prayers, whether according to your wishes 
 or not, you will be a gainer, and it is hardly 
 possible that you will be blessed alone. And 
 let it be remembered that the more widely the 
 heavenly influence is diffused, the larger the 
 number of participants, the greater the bene- 
 fits which will accrue to you for having obtained 
 the gift of that Spirit by your prayers. 
 
 Much has been said about the " Prayer of 
 Faith," and much, too, to little purpose. That 
 there is such prayer, it were infidelity to deny ; 
 and that it is what it has often been claimed to 
 be, it were folly to assert. The prayer of faith 
 does not require a new revelation but only a full 
 belief of a revelation already given. The prayer 
 of faith is nothing more nor less than to pray 
 aright, in full confidence that everything which 
 God has said about prayer in his word is true. 
 
45 
 
 We have, as we think, set before yon the 
 prayer of faith, offered and answered. Offered, 
 not by impulses and imaginations, but with a 
 rational, confiding trust in God ; answered, not 
 in emotions and imaginings, and strange voices, 
 but in veritable and saving communications 
 from God, by means of his Spirit. 
 
 CHAPTEK X. 
 
 The Conduct of a Prayer-Meeting. 
 
 We pass now to some considerations respect- 
 ing the best methods of conducting a Prayer- 
 Meeting. 
 
 Although I have found so many things to 
 say before coming to this point, yet 1 am free to 
 admit, that a leading object in writing this es- 
 say was to induce a strict and honest inquiry 
 into the common faults noticeable in these 
 meetings, together with an earnest and deter- 
 mined effort at amendment. The right regu- 
 lation of social meetings for prayer is a great 
 business. It is like oiling the bearings of heavy 
 machinery. It is like good type, and a power 
 press, to the art of printing. 
 
 If prayer-meetings are useful at all, then 
 
46 
 
 they are more or less useful according as they 
 are well or ill conducted. There is no magic 
 charm in the mere name of prayer-meeting. 
 
 If any are pleased to make light of our 
 views, by calling them the advocacy of relig- 
 ious machinery, we are not careful to deny the 
 charge, as a fact, though we repel the insinua- 
 tion of wrong, as unfounded. 
 
 Religious meetings have often, no doubt, 
 been injudiciously managed, by what has been 
 familiary Icalled machinery ; and so too, they 
 have been badly managed by other means BO 
 that such a fact decides nothing. 
 
 Whatever is to be done in things material or 
 spiritual, machinery of some sort, is necessary 
 to the doing of it. God always employs it in 
 carrying on his works. "What wonderful prin- 
 ciples are employed in the motions of the hea- 
 vens, and how nicely are they adjusted in their 
 application. Consider the agencies concerned 
 in the rearing of a plant, or the formation of 
 an insect. And w T hy should there not be ma- 
 chinery employed in moving and shaping the 
 human mind ? The human soul does not un- 
 dergo transformations by a mere divine fiat, 
 like that which said " Let there be Light, and 
 there was Light." Machinery of various kinds 
 is to be employed. To mention a single in- 
 stance, in preparing souls for heaven, the gos- 
 
47 
 
 pel is to be preached, nor is it a matter of in- 
 difference how it shall be preached. God 
 always gives the increase, but he does not give 
 it equally to every kind of tillage. 
 
 If ministers will preach the Bible without 
 perversion, in ever so homely or unskilful a 
 manner, it will be likely to save some; but 
 when preached by Paul or Whitfield, it saves 
 thousands. So a company of pious men, hav- 
 ing the spirit of prayer at all, can hardly manage 
 a meeting so poorly, that no blessing shall be 
 obtained ; but when have we seen, and when 
 shall we see, a prayer-meeting so rich and so 
 blessed in its results, as was that held in an 
 upper room, by the disciples of our Lord, during 
 the interval between his ascension and the day 
 of Pentecost? 
 
 We do, and we must, insist upon it, that 
 some methods of procedure are more pleasing 
 to God than others, and that an orderly and 
 comely meeting will, other things being equal, 
 answer its end better than an uncomely and dis- 
 orderly one. We believe that some means are 
 more likely to induce the spirit of prayer than 
 others, and, of consequence, more likely to ob- 
 tain a favorable response. We believe that 
 here, as everywhere else, an effort made for 
 the attainment of some tangible and intelligible 
 object, is more likely to result favorably than 
 
48 
 
 mere beating ol the air. We make no reliance 
 on what may be called machinery, except as 
 means to an end. We no more expect to have 
 our praying done in this way, than to have the 
 fabrics for our clothing, or implements for our 
 household so produced ; and we would as soon 
 dispense with machinery, in the one case as in 
 the other. I have no great fear nor favor for 
 the term machinery. We are entirely willing, 
 in its stead, to substitute " mecw<s of grace," if 
 any like the term better. But "ordinary means 
 of grace" we decidedly object to, until it can 
 be shown that preaching and praying have or- 
 dinarily been performed in the most effectual 
 and successful manner. 
 
 We confess that the term "ordinary means 
 of grace" as used by some men, and perhaps 
 we may say, some sets of men, brings too for- 
 cibly to our minds the language of the poet 
 
 " To wear out life 
 
 In dropping buckets into empty wells, 
 And growing old in drawing nothing up." 
 
 We are always afraid of being misunder- 
 stood, and therefore throw in a word of caution 
 here, as though we might be supposed to be 
 recommending some easy way of praying ; 
 some way of dispensing with carefulness and 
 earnestness in holy living ; some labor-saving 
 apparatus, encouraging indolence. We do no 
 
49 
 
 such thing. As the philosopher said of old, 
 "There is no royal road to geometry," so 'we 
 say in regard to things of religion, "There is 
 no lazy way to heaven." We have not been 
 telling, nor meaning to tell, how good prayer- 
 meetings may be had without warm-hearted 
 Eiety, but how such piety may expend itself in 
 etter-directed and more successful effort. 
 
 CHAPTER XI. 
 
 Topics for Prayer How Introduced. 
 
 THE success and interest of a prayer-meet- 
 ing will depend very much on a right, and 
 easy, and natural introduction of the various 
 topics suitable for prayer. "We have spoken 
 before of the importance of having the subjects 
 for prayer simple, and pointed, and distinct, 
 and understood. 
 
 What we are now inquiring after is, the best 
 mode of bringing these various topics of 
 prayer before those who may be assembled. 
 
 We are interested to know, how the different 
 topics and themes and subjects of prayer, shall 
 be cognizable by the brethren ; so that each mat- 
 ter of general, or individual interest, shall fill 
 
50 
 
 its proper place, and receive its due degree 
 of attention. 
 
 A few hints are all that will be necessary, as 
 a well-understood view of the thing to be done 
 will generally suggest the best way of doing 
 that thing, in the existing circumstances. 
 
 It is very likely that every brother going to 
 the meeting, with some one burthen pressing 
 his soul, may have the opportunity of himself 
 leading in prayer, and so of bringing his own 
 Burthen before God. 
 
 He can do the very thing he wishes to have 
 done, and he can do it in his own way ; and 
 he above all others is the man to do it. But 
 no brother should depend on the opportunity 
 of praying himself. Free conversation should 
 occupy a portion of the time, and the thoughts 
 which each one may have carried with him as 
 the burthen of his soul are the things about 
 which he should speak in those intervals al- 
 lowed for conversation. In this way a general 
 interest may be created on the various points 
 demanding attention. By such free disclosures 
 everything pertaining to individuals becomes 
 cognizable by all. Such interchanges of real 
 thought are a thousand times better than stale 
 thread-bare exhortations, and mimic preaching. 
 
 There may be, and there ought to be made, 
 such free and full disclosures, as shall bring the 
 
51 
 
 brethren acquainted with each other's state of 
 mind, and condition of life. 
 
 Nor do we forget the sisters often the most 
 steadfast and valued members of the Christian 
 community. "We will not agitate the question 
 whether females may properly pray and ex- 
 hort in promiscuous meetings ; but if they may 
 not publicly speak and pray in their own be- 
 half with their own lips, they can do the same 
 thing through the brethren of their acquaint- 
 ance. Nor is there any valid objection to 
 their throwing on the table written notes of 
 request for prayer, according to their own feel- 
 ings, either with or without their names. Such 
 notes always give life to a meeting : they 
 have always been used in reference to some 
 cases, such as sickness and affliction, and why 
 should not the custom be so extended as to meet 
 every want which may arise? 
 
 By means such as these all matters of a per- 
 sonal nature, may without difficulty be intro- 
 duced. 
 
 Other matters more general and public may 
 be propounded by the chairman, or by any 
 brother, or by a standing committee for the 
 purpose, or in any way which shall seem expe- 
 dient, and which on trial shall prove successful. 
 
 In all this there is nothing extravagant, no- 
 thing difficult, nothing more than is practiced 
 
52 
 
 every day, in meetings of far less interest than 
 the prayer-meeting. Whenever and wherever 
 there is to be an assemblage of men, to sing, 
 or talk, or play, or do anything else, you find 
 the programme, informing you of what is to be 
 done. In an ordination or installation, spe- 
 cific prayers are assigned to particular individ- 
 uals ; which if properly performed, relate en- 
 tirely to one topic, and that already known. 
 
 In all such instances it is deemed liberty 
 enough for the performer, that he be expected 
 to utter the pre-expressed thoughts and desires 
 of the congregation ; using for this purpose his 
 own language, and his own arrangement. 
 
 Certainly, in a little gathering of neighbors, 
 and brethren, and friends, there can be no dif- 
 ficulty in doing the same thing, and with less 
 of formality attending the service. 
 
 Something like this is indispensable to that 
 kind of prayer intended by Christ, when he 
 said, u Whatsoever things ye desire when ye 
 pray, believe that ye shall receive them, and 
 ye shall have them." Or this, " If two of 
 you shall agree on earth as touching any 
 thing that ye shall ask, it shall be done for you 
 of my Father which is in heaven." 
 
 We now see the meeting assembled. The 
 parties are there differing in rank and char- 
 acter, and yet in love drawing near to each 
 
53 
 
 other, becoming one in heart and one in speech. 
 There are the suppliants, prepared in spirit 
 with the matter of their petitions and addresses, 
 rea-dy to be offered. And there, too, on his 
 throne of grace, sits the great Dispenser of 
 good in tlie person of Christ, uttering those 
 large and gracious promises, just recited from 
 his own word. Can you look on such a spec- 
 tacle and say with careless indifference, u Oh ! 
 it is only a prayer-meeting, and therefore it 
 matters little by whom it is attended, or how it 
 is conducted?" "Only a prayer-meeting?" and 
 what would you have more or greater than a 
 prayer-meeting? Say, rather, u It is a prayer- 
 meeting, which if taken in its largest sense, is 
 the most solemn and interesting place this side 
 of heaven." 'No matter, how a prayer-meeting, 
 a meeting to converse with God, is conducted ! 
 Shall every point of etiquette be regarded 
 when we meet our vile and worthless fellow- 
 mortals, and yet, when we come before God 
 shall all regard to decorum be laid aside? In- 
 stead of this,our very best thoughts and feelings^ 
 our best words, should be held in requisition. 
 
54 
 
 CHAPTEE XII. 
 
 The Presiding Member. 
 
 IN all deliberative assemblies there is needed 
 ahead, or presiding member, through whom the 
 other members may maintain intercourse with 
 each other ; and very much depends upon the 
 manner in which this member discharges his 
 functions. It is, therefore, proper that we con- 
 sider for a moment the duties of this presiding 
 member. I am constrained to believe, that 
 rightly and skilfully to conduct the exercises of 
 a prayer-meeting requires rare qualifications ; 
 more rare than is commonly supposed. Even 
 ministers more often fail here, than in any 
 other pastoral gift. They deem the thing so 
 plain and so easy thatt hey never learn to do it 
 well. 
 
 If we rightly judge, the great requisites are, 
 a nice and quick perception of times and cir- 
 cumstances, and a skill in drawing out minds 
 in such a way that they shall not feel conscious 
 of any external influence. 
 
 Much is said about using freedom in social 
 meetings, and all feel the value of it ; and yet 
 
55 
 
 this freedom, duly regulated, is seldom ob- 
 tained. We generally find formal stiffness, or 
 wild disorder. 
 
 The using of this freedom is urged by argu- 
 ment, and enforced by exhortation. Brethren 
 are invited, and coaxed, and scolded, to bring 
 them out, but they will not show themselves ; 
 and with a little insight into human character, 
 we might know they would not. The human 
 mind is not so moved. A man may be driven 
 to work with his hands unwillingly, but never 
 to engage in the work of mingling hearts. No- 
 thing is more freezing than artificial efforts, to 
 force men to glow with emotion, and to speak 
 with earnestness. 
 
 The thing is hardly to be defined, and yet 
 we apprehend the great secret lies in throwing 
 out the right thought, at the right time, and in 
 the right way, so that all shall at once catch 
 hold of it, as a suggestion of their own minds, 
 and feel an instant desire to hear and talk 
 freely about it. 
 
 A leader capable of fully doing this we may 
 not have always at hand, but with a correct 
 model before us we have a double advantage. 
 We know better whom to select, and the per- 
 son selected will know better what he ought to 
 do. We can thus approximate to correctness, 
 if we may not reach it. 
 
56 
 
 Of one thing we may be certain ; nothing 
 will so effectually draw out and cultivate all 
 the talent for edification that may be found in 
 a church, as the skilful conduct of its social 
 meetings. 
 
 A question propounded for inquiry, a topic 
 for discussion, an incident narrated, a theme 
 for prayer proposed, may give an impulse to a 
 meeting, which shall run through it and con- 
 tinue beyond it. 
 
 The leader should feel that he is sustained 
 by the brethren, and that as their organ he has 
 only to let his feelings act, and to give free ex- 
 ercise to good common sense. He should not 
 demean fiimself as anything more than an 
 equal, neither should he fear to say or do any- 
 thing which he may think ought to be said or 
 done. He should feel himself easy and at 
 home, like a father among his children. It is 
 plain from this sketch, that skill and tact in the 
 conduct of a prayer-meeting is not to be at- 
 tained accidentally by any one, whatever may 
 be his natural talents. It requires the study of 
 men, the study of the Bible, familiarity with 
 God. The work to be done requires not official 
 station, but it does require official qualifica- 
 tions. 
 
 The attendance of the pastor should never 
 be considered essential to a good meeting, but 
 
57 
 
 when he can attend, his presence will on va- 
 rious accounts be beneficial. Aside from his 
 better preparedness for presiding well, he will 
 in this way, form an acquaintance with the 
 character and talents of his people, of great 
 value in his intercourse with them, and one 
 which can be no where else acquired. No 
 general rule will, however, always apply, except 
 this, that the meetings should be made useful 
 and interesting, so far as this can be done. 
 
 The proper gift- of God bestowed on each 
 one should be turned to the best possible 
 account, whatever that gift may be. 
 
 CHAPTER 
 Manner in Prayer. 
 
 BUT while these things are so, it is also true 
 that the less of form and rule there is among 
 those who have assembled for conference and 
 prayer the better, provided there be no disor- 
 der, and no intervals of blank, chilling silence. 
 An occasional outbreak of indiscretion, even, 
 is no way so bad as stiff, stately, and cold for- 
 mality. 
 
 In some respects, the exercises of a prayer- 
 
58 
 
 meeting must be modified by the number and 
 character of the persons present, and the length 
 of time they can spend together. "Where only 
 a few can be collected, it is manifest that one 
 individual must perform what had better be 
 divided among a number. It will not be pos- 
 sible to give directions for all the varying cir- 
 cumstances and occasions which may arise. 
 Our instructions are designed for meetings 
 respectable in number and character, leaving 
 smaller assemblages to be regulated as best they 
 may be ; and where one has to do the work of 
 many, our advice to him is that he do one thing 
 at a time, doing that as though, for the moment, 
 it were his whole duty. If several topics must 
 be introduced into a single prayer, they may 
 be so arranged that each one of those topics 
 shall be presented entire, and in such a way 
 that all may know for what they are praying 
 and for what they are giving thanks. 
 
 It has been common to consider prayer as 
 consisting of three parts, supposed to be dis- 
 coverable in the Lord's Prayer. These parts 
 are adoration, supplication, and confession. 
 The examples afforded us in the Bible teach 
 that these parts of prayer are not always to be 
 used, even in individual exercises of devotion ; 
 and much less should they all be found in ev- 
 ery prayer that is offered. They may have a 
 
59 
 
 place in every meeting, but not in every 
 prayer. Their proper place is in the introduc- 
 tory and concluding prayers, which ought by 
 all means to be in reference to the meeting it- 
 self. If they be otherwise, they must antici- 
 pate or repeat the matter of other prayers, to 
 the gendering of confusion, and the destruction 
 of interest and profit. 
 
 The introductory and concluding prayers 
 admit, if they do not require, direct addresses 
 to God, in the way of adoration and general 
 thanksgiving. They admit of confession of sin, 
 and a deprecation of its awful consequences. 
 The presence and influences of the Spirit may 
 be largely invoked upon all the exercises of 
 the meeting, according as they have been or 
 are to be performed. 
 
 To the beginning and close of meetings, these 
 things in 'their general application most cer- 
 tainly should be confined. 
 
 The introductory service having been per- 
 formed, the other prayers should be direct to 
 the point in hand, whatever that may be. 
 Like the prayers spoken of in the scripture, 
 they should dispense with the parade of intro- 
 duction, or close, as such ; just telling the story 
 to God in the simplest and plainest language, 
 solemn. q,nd reverent, but not adulatory or 
 repetitious. 
 
60 
 
 We should not feel as though God onr 
 Father was to be propitiated by flatteries and 
 professions, before we can expect a favorable 
 response. Humility, and sincerity, and hon- 
 esty, and earnestness, are all that he cares to 
 see in us. His mind needs no preparation to 
 render him favorably disposed. The seeming 
 awe with which God is often approached 
 argues distrust rather than faith, and selfishness 
 rather than love. Why should there be more 
 solicitude to propitiate our Father in heaven 
 than our father on earth ? The idea that such 
 a direct and simple prayer, for just what we 
 want, and for nothing else, will seem too short, 
 or too naked, is altogether baseless and absurd. 
 What if it be two "minutes ? What if it be 
 one minute ? No matter ; provided the end 
 be answered. What if the thing we want lie 
 all uncovered and alone before God and the 
 congregation? That is just as it should lie. 
 That is the way to know where it is and what 
 it is. We need not cover it up, as if we were 
 ashamed of what we had done. 
 
 In so far as directness and explicitness are 
 concerned in our manner of approaching God, 
 the prayer of Abraham's servant, when going 
 to seek a wife for Isaac, is an excellent model 
 for our imitation ; indeed, such is the charac- 
 ter of almost every prayer recorded in the Bi- 
 
61 
 
 ble. If thanksgiving be offered, the cause for 
 it is distinctly stated ; if confession be made, 
 some sin is specified ; if supplications be ut- 
 tered, something definite and tangible is 
 sought. You find no flourish of vapid, un- 
 meaning ceremony, and hollow complimentary 
 expression. Just listen : (Gen. 24 : 12 14.) 
 "Oh Lord God of my master Abraham, I pray 
 thee send me good speed this day, and show 
 kindness unto my master Abraham. Behold I 
 stand here by the well of water ; and the 
 daughters of the men of the. city come to draw 
 water ; and let it come to pass that the damsel 
 tt> whom I shall say, Let down thy pitcher, I 
 pray thee, that I may drink ; and she shall 
 say, Drink, and I will give thy camels drink 
 also ; let the same be she that thou hast ap- 
 pointed for thy servant Isaac ; and thereby 
 shall I know that thou hast 'shewed kindness 
 unto my master." 
 
 "When Daniel, (Dan. 2 : 17, 18,) had a great 
 concern on his hands, in the matter of Nebu- 
 chadnezzar's dream ; how simple and direct, 
 was his manner of prayer. " Then Daniel 
 went to his house, and made the thing known 
 to Hananiah, Mishael and Usariah, his com- 
 panions ; that they would desire mercies of 
 the God of heaven, concerning this secret." 
 See the publican come trembling into the tern- 
 
62 
 
 pie, with down cast eyes afar off from the 
 holy place, striking his breast with his hand, 
 and now hear his tremulous voice cry out 
 " God be merciful to me a sinner." One such 
 direct, pointed prayer, is worth an hundred, or 
 a thousand, of those soulless performances, 
 which we sometimes hear and sometimes utter ; 
 filled up, with every thing, and really meaning 
 nothing, serving no purpose, but to try the 
 patience of the assembly. 
 
 It will tend greatly to the concentration of 
 thought and desire, if the subject of each 
 prayer be announced, before the prayer is 
 offered. And if in a brief address, the subject 
 matter be expounded, it will be all the better. 
 -All this, will in its tendency make us feel, that 
 we have an understood object in coming to 
 God ; and a corresponding expected result to 
 encourage us. We shall feel, as though we 
 have something to do, and we shall do it with 
 good will ; and whatever is so done, is likely 
 to succeed. The economy in time, by such an 
 arrangement, is also^ immense. No one, who 
 has not seen things done in this way, will have 
 any idea of the number of prayers, and other 
 separate services, which can be brought within 
 a single hour ; and all without any hurry or 
 confusion. Just have the motto, " one thing 
 at a time" before your eyes, and you will have 
 
63 
 
 time enough for every thing, that ought to be 
 done. 
 
 A great deal has been said about short exer- 
 cises, and especially short prayers, in social 
 meetings ; but hitherto with but little effect, 
 Nor is it likely there will be any essential and 
 permanent reformation, while it is thought al- 
 lowable to jumble every thing into a single 
 prayer. 
 
 While miscellaneous praying is practised, 
 the same things will, many of them, be repeat- 
 ed by every one who leads in devotion ; a 
 great many senseless expressions, will be in- 
 troduced, to supply the lack of thought, and 
 a so called prayer of fifteen minutes, will be 
 spun out of nothing, and end in nothing. You 
 may according to the proverb, as well wait for 
 u the river to run by," as expect a short per- 
 formance, from the man who has nothing in 
 particular that he feels, and nothing in parti- 
 cular to say. He takes no note of progress, 
 either from the amount of thought uttered, or 
 from the flight of time ; if he have any guide, 
 it is found in the exhaustion of his physical 
 strength, or the restlessness of the company. 
 Speak to such an* one about brevity, and he 
 will think you are commending him for prac- 
 tising it. 
 
 If the proposed change in conducting prayer 
 
64 
 
 meetings, can be thoroughly effected; there 
 will be no sense of tediousness, and no oc- 
 casion of protracting a meeting, to an unrea- 
 sonable length. 
 
 This definiteness, and singleness of aim, will 
 rise in importance before our minds, if we re- 
 cur to what has already been said, respecting 
 unity of heart, in all social approaches to God. 
 At the expense, almost of repetition, I must 
 here assert the great truth ; that in no other 
 way, can we gain the aids of our social feel- 
 ings, in moving and shaping our own minds, 
 or in meeting those peculiar promises of God, 
 made to hearts that are agreed in asking. 
 It is mockery, to talk about agreement in 
 prayer, where fifty, or a hundred things, how- 
 ever good in themselves, are jumbled together, 
 without any order ; being not only unknown 
 to the hearers, but as is often the case, unpre- 
 meditated, by the speaker himself. Christ 
 never meant such unpremeditated, multifa- 
 rious, miscellaneous praying ; when he said, 
 'If two of you shall agree on earth, as touching 
 anthing ye shall ask, it shall be done for them, 
 of your Father who is in he&ven." 
 
65 
 
 CHAPTEE XIV. 
 
 How to secure attendance. 
 
 I have another thought of no small conse- 
 quence, to urge on my readers. We have al- 
 ways heard from every quarter, complaints 
 that prayer-meetings are poorly attended, even 
 by Christians, and that they are all but desert- 
 ed, by the irreligious. 
 
 This general backwardness, is an evil of no 
 small magnitude ; and one for which an ade- 
 quate remedy, though long sought, has never 
 yet been found. The case however, is not a 
 hopeless one. Just let every brother, freely 
 speak out what he thinks, and what he feels ; 
 let brief direct prayers be offered in singleness 
 of heart, for one object at one time ; let there 
 be brevity, and variety, and unity, and ear- 
 nestness, flowing from deep piety ; and then 
 note the result. We are much mistaken, if in 
 this way, meetings for prayer, may not be as 
 interesting as those for preaching ; and if the 
 young as well as the old, the irreligious, as 
 well as the religious, will not be found eager, 
 to press into them. 
 
 There may be those, who are incredulous, 
 
66 
 
 and who say, that such a state of things cannot 
 in ordinary cases, be brought about. As the 
 objection is one purely practical, and only to 
 be obviated by manifest failure, after full and 
 fair trial ; I say put it to the test, rather than 
 talk against it. Make an honest, full, and 
 faithful trial, and then say what can, and what 
 cannot be done. You will have difficulties, 
 but my word for it, you will not after such a 
 trial tell us, that no such thing is possible, as 
 a " Reformed Prayer-meeting" But if you 
 will not make the effort, do not wonder if 
 the influences of the Spirit shall be withheld, 
 and zeal shall decline, and iniquity shall 
 abound, and the ways of Zion shall rnourn, be- 
 cause few come to her solemn feasts. One 
 brother cannot effect a general reform in any 
 church, but all the brethren can ; and there- 
 fore let every brother feel, that upon himself 
 rests the responsibility." 
 
 CHAPTER XV. 
 
 Specific faults in Prayer. 
 
 To render what I have written, more intelli- 
 gible, and to imprint it more strongly on the 
 
67 
 
 memory, and the feelings ; I shall point out some 
 specific faults, which are noticeable in public 
 prayers. I am sensible of the delicacy of the 
 undertaking as tending to hold up individuals 
 in an unfavorable light, possibly to expose 
 them to ridicule. But if I fail in drawing my 
 pictures so that they shall be recognized, then 
 of course no stigma is fastened on any one ; 
 and if I succeed, then the fault is in the original 
 and not in the portrait. I have fixed no mark 
 of disrespect on any one, but only revealed it. 
 
 I mean no personalities ; my object is not to 
 inflict pain or disgrace, but merely to point out 
 faults, in such a way, that they may be seen 
 and avoided. I do not speak now of the length 
 o prayers, nor of confused order, in the ar- 
 rangement of material, or of the multitude of 
 topics introduced, but of style and manner. 
 
 Perhaps the quintessence of what I have to 
 say, may be summed up in this ; that the per- 
 former is liable to think more of those who 
 may be present as hearers, than of God to 
 whom his prayer is, or ought to be addressed, 
 
 I begin with the HISTORIC PBAYEK, which is 
 by no means uncommon. 
 
 There is no objection, to some simple allu- 
 sion, to well known facts ; as a means of bring- 
 ing God, more distinctly and vividly before the 
 mind, and thus of raising it, to a higher tone 
 
68 
 
 of devotion. But we have all heard prayers, 
 which were more like repeating history than 
 addressing God. There was nothing of prayer 
 left but the name. Perhaps there was some 
 sentimental moralizing, on passing or past 
 events ; but no confession, thanksgiving, or 
 supplication to God as the dispenser of good. 
 These recitations, may have been a summary 
 of church history, general or particular; a 
 piece of auto-biography ; or the history of our 
 country, or an account of a hundred other 
 things, which in such a form have no place in 
 prayer, certainly not in the social prayer. 
 They were uttered to men, not God. 
 
 The Didactic or Doctrinal prayer ; is another 
 common and erroneous form. Some portion of 
 theological truth before the mind, helps the 
 soul to conceive of its own relations to ^ its 
 Creator and Redeemer. But this is a very dif- 
 ferent thing, from dealing out a whole system 
 of divinity, for the instruction and edification 
 of the hearers. 
 
 Instead of a prayer we now have a lecture, 
 so out of place, that it neither pleases or edifies 
 us. The time is worse than wasted. 
 
 SUGGESTIVE and ARGUMENTATIVE prayers are 
 not uncommon. These two qualities though 
 not the same are often in different degrees, 
 mingled together. One will suggest thoughts 
 
69 
 
 and considerations to God, as though they 
 must be new to him, and as if they must act 
 with him as a motive for granting favors ; 
 while another pleads and argues, as if he would 
 force conviction on the mind of God, that he 
 ought to do the thing sought. 
 
 uch prayer, must be displeasing as wanting 
 in humility, reverence and earnestness of de- 
 sire. Such persons press obligation on God, 
 rather than implore his grace. He needs no 
 such means of convincing or moving him. He 
 had rather see the broken and contrite heart, 
 pouring out its strong desires. 
 
 Some offer, what may be called a Meditative 
 Prayer. In a prayer of this sort, topics of 
 thought and reflection, are brought forward ; 
 such as perhaps, in some indirect way, relate 
 to God ; but which proceed from no particular 
 desire, and aim at no result. 
 
 We are treated with familiar meditations on 
 the character and attributes of Jehovah ; on 
 his works of creation, and providence and 
 grace ; on the beauties of nature in their varied 
 changes and departments ; on the creation and 
 fall of man ; on his recovery by the gospel. 
 Such a performance, may claim to be made up 
 of pious reflections upon all sorts of things ; 
 but it is not in reality a prayer to God. It 
 may begin any where, and be prolonged with- 
 
-70 
 
 out end. If the hearers are amused, they are 
 not profited. 
 
 I speak next of the PREACHING PRAYER. It 
 is all, or nearly all, made up ot argument and 
 exhortation 5 on points of doctrine or duty $ 
 really meant for the hearers, though in form 
 addressed to God ; and accompanied it may 
 be with a continued invocation of the divine 
 name. Sometimes, God is told how dreadfully 
 wicked men are, and how prone to harden their 
 hearts, and how dreadful it will be for them to 
 perish from under the gospel, and how free 
 salvation is, and how easy it is for them to 
 corne to Christ ; and much more of this sort* 
 Then you have requests made, that they may 
 look at this, that, and the other consideration^ 
 and repent, and believe in Christj and all in a 
 way which no one would think of employing, 
 if praying only to God himself. Now there is 
 to say the least, a degree of impiety in thus 
 preaching to sinners, arid calling it praying. 
 
 I have now to speak of what may be called 
 eloquent or poetic prayers. The same objec- 
 tion, lies against both these faults in prayer, 
 viz : they aim at effect, by means of ornament 
 and beauty of language. They are calculated, 
 rather to be admired and applauded by shallow 
 thinkers, than to have power with God. Poe-^ 
 tic flowers and figures, and nicety of diction, 
 
71 
 
 are not the natural language of the heart, cer- 
 tainly not of most hearts ; yea, we think they 
 are not the natural language of any heart, 
 when deeply solemn and awe struck, with a 
 sense of a present Jehovah. It is plain, that a 
 prayer offered in a public assembly, fails of its 
 end ; if the language used, be such, that it can- 
 not readily become a channel of thought, and 
 feeling, for those of whom that assembly is 
 composed. 
 
 The last specimen of faulty prayer, which 
 I shall introduce, is that of EXPERIMENTAL 
 PRAYER. Christian experience, may be con- 
 sidered entire, or in its parts, but in prayer, 
 the detail of particulars should be avoided, ex- 
 cept as there may be special reason, to insist 
 on the bestowment, of some one Christian 
 grace, as humility or zeal, or penitence for sin. 
 I would not be understood as objecting to any 
 thing, w^hich is expressive of the natural de- 
 sires of the soul ; but only to that kind of par- 
 ticularity, which must proceed from the head, 
 rather than the heart. 
 
 It is the same with Christian experience, as 
 with the health of the body. The common 
 and natural method of praying for a sick man, 
 is that his health may be restored, without 
 particular reference to the nature, or location 
 of Lis disease. But if a limb is to be ampu- 
 
72 
 
 tated, or tumour extracted, or if the brain is 
 diseased, the prayer will naturally become 
 more particular, and the malady, will be dis- 
 tinctly pointed out. 
 
 As now, every man would be ashamed, in 
 praying for the restoration, or continuance of 
 health, to specify his hands and feet, and his 
 sight, and hearing, and smelling, and tasting, 
 his digestive organs, his skin and bones, and 
 blood, and every thing ; so let every one in 
 praying for the completion of Christian charac- 
 ter, avoid naming pride, and sensuousuess, and 
 avarice, and indolence, and passion, and all the 
 minutia, of which a complete Christian charac- 
 ter is made up. In as far as these things are the 
 results of divine grace, and as the need of them 
 is felt, it is most certainly proper to pray for 
 them, and we here find the reason, for reject- 
 ing an enumeration of the whole catalogue. 
 
 Are any now ready to ask, " What have we 
 left of manner, or language, out of which to 
 form the exterior of our prayers, after such 
 large deductions from those forms of devotion, 
 which we have always been accustomed to hear 
 and to utter" ? 
 
 We answer, every thing, by which the heart 
 lifts up its voice. We have left to us, the en- 
 tire language of intellect, and feeling ; all the 
 material for appropriate approach to God, 
 
90 
 
 "We have nothing to hinder us, from drawing' 
 near to him, in simplicity and godly sincerity ^ 
 for every legitimate and proper end. All 
 these things, which we may dread to lose, have 
 never added anything to our prayers ; they 
 have been but so many excreseencies, and de- 
 formities. Let us prune them away, and wei 
 shall have altogether more of w T hat God re- 
 gards as prayer, when we come together into 
 one place. Again we say, do not decide that 
 no improvement is possible, till you have fair- 
 ly made a trial of what is proposed. 
 
 CHAPTER XVI. 
 A Prayer-meeting described. 
 
 I am aware^ that I may be thought repetiti 
 ous, but I am not only anxious to be under 
 stood, clearly and distinctly; I wish also to 
 present the same thoughts, from different points 
 of observation, that their use and force, may 
 thus be more fully realized* And although 
 averse to pattern meetings altogether^ so that I 
 would give no description, to " be servilely 
 copied out ; yet I think it not amiss to illus- 
 trate by a single example, my ideas of what a 
 prayer-meeting should be. 
 
Whether the minister be expected or not, 
 there should be no waiting. A dead silence, 
 for some minutes, is chilling in its influence ; 
 and miscellaneous, trifling conversation is still 
 worse. In either case, the brethren and sisters, 
 are liable before the meeting begins, to forget 
 that they have come together to pray to God. 
 
 It will be found a matter of no small conse- 
 quence ; that those who first come should take 
 the forward seats, without reference to age or 
 rank ; and that others as they come in, should 
 sit next them. Thus will the meeting be com- 
 pact, whether more or fewer be present ; and 
 those coming in later, will neither have to 
 create disturbance by passing others, or be 
 kept at an inconvenient distance. Such is the 
 influence of proximity, on our feelings, that it 
 is scarcely possible to have a spirited and 
 moving meeting, while those present are scat- 
 tered, one or two in a place, over a large room. 
 Let no one then say, we are trifling ; while we 
 insist on such compactness, that hearts shall 
 not be frozen by distance. Nothing which 
 helps to give interest and influence to a prayer- 
 meeting, is a trifle. Getting into the same 
 room, is not necessarily, " coming together in 
 oneplace," as the scripture hath said. 
 
 W ithout waiting for a minister, or deacon, 
 or elder, or moderator ; some one may strike a 
 
75 
 
 verse of a familiar hymn, or make a few brief 
 remarks, or propose prayer. This can be done, 
 while the number is small. This freedom, need 
 not be superceded by the coming in of the 
 pastor, or any officer of the church ; though 
 very likely it may be somewhat modified, by 
 such a circumstance. Some brother having a 
 hymn that harmonizes with the state of his 
 mind, now proposes taat it be sung. Another 
 suggests a passage of scripture, which he deems 
 appropriate, whether he be, or be not, the 
 leader of the meeting- 
 Prayer, and exhortation, and singing, and 
 reading short passages from the bible or other 
 books, may with advantage be sometimes 
 spontaneous ; and at other times by the leader 
 or at his request. 
 
 Requests for prayers, whether, oral or writ- 
 ten ; local, personal, or general ; may with very 
 considerable latitude, be safely admitted. A 
 brother may say, " I have met with unexpected 
 and heavy reverses, and I beg your prayers, 
 that I may be enabled to bear them as a Chris- 
 tian, and that I may pass through my trials, 
 without dishonoring religion. 
 
 Another says, " my wife, or my child is sick, 
 and we should prize a remembrance in the 
 prayers, of the evening. Another says, * c my 
 neighbor is deeply afflicted, and he has not the 
 
EdiisDlation of religion ; will you join ine ill 
 praying that his heart may be turned to God 
 for support ?" 
 
 Another still says, ""We haye good news 
 from our son abroad, and trust he, has found 
 the Saviour, will you unite with us in praising 
 God ?" Another, " My wife and myself, de- 
 sire your prayers, in behalf of our children, 
 some of them are in an anxious state of mind^ 
 %e feel their condition to be critical, and desire 
 to be guided aright in dealing with them, and 
 that God would renew their hearts." A brother 
 now rises, and says, " Let us have one prayer, 
 Entirely for our minister. He is a man, and feels 
 human frailties. His labors are arduous, his 
 reponsibilities are vast, and he is often readyto 
 faint; "We cannot expect him to profit us, unless 
 we pray for him. He greatly values the pray- 
 ers of his people. We will not make our 
 prayers, the medium of expressing sour and 
 censorious feelings, nor yet of fulsome adula- 
 tion. We do not wish, to be lugging him into 
 every prayer, as a dead formality, but we 
 shall be wanting in our duty to him, and to 
 ourselves, and to God ; if we do not appropriate 1 
 one short, but earnest pr ayer, for his especial I 
 benefit." Another says, " Let us pray for our ' 
 Country," another, " for the world." 
 
77 
 
 Thus as the time and occasion permit, the 
 hour is all occupied, with brief and pertinent 
 exercises. In the carrying on of such a meet- 
 ing, there can be great freedom, and great va- 
 riety of exercises, without any breach of order 
 or decorum- 
 
 I would respect the well mean endeavors 
 of good men, however injudicious they may 
 be ; but for the cause of truth I cannot refrain 
 from requesting my readers, to compare such 
 a meeting as now. described, with one, where 
 twenty or thirty persons, are scattered over 
 every part of a room, that will hold three 
 hundred ; where the people wait fifteen min- 
 utes for a minister, or elder, or deacon ; where 
 every meeting begins and ends in the same 
 way; being made up of a long chapter, 
 three long hyms, three prayers of fifteen minu- 
 tes each ; two or three exhortations, repeated 
 for the hundredth time. Which will you pre- 
 fer ? Which will God most delight in ? Am 
 I then unreasonable, in using an effort at re- 
 y in our frayer-meetings? 
 
78 
 
 CHAPTEE XVH. 
 
 Monthly Concert of Prayer for ike Conversion 
 of the Warld. 
 
 The following remarks on the Monthly Con- 
 cert have mostly appeared in another form. 
 They are inserted as an appropriate part of this 
 MANUAL, for which they were originally de- 
 signed : 
 
 On the first Monday evening of the first 
 month in the year, I had calculated on meeting 
 my brethren, to pray for the coming of Christ's 
 kingdom in the world ; but circumstances de- 
 taining me at home, I felt constrained, in place 
 of attending a public meeting, to write out 
 some of my long-cherished thoughts respecting 
 Concerts of Prayer in general, and especially 
 respecting what is now familiarly called the 
 " Monthly Concert of Prayer for Missions." 
 
 The Monthly Concert in its origin, was \ 
 adopted for a specific purpose. "When the first 
 Baptist missionaries went to India, they said to 
 their brethren who staid at home, "We are 
 going down into the cave, and do you take care 
 and hold on upon the rope" In carrying out 
 this significant emblem, they mutually agreed 
 
79 
 
 to observe a concert of prayer for success in 
 this then novel undertaking. The idea was, 
 that at or near the same time they should think 
 of each other, though a hemisphere apart, as 
 praying to the same great and glorious Being, 
 and for an object alike dear to all their hearts. 
 
 This idea was so pleasiug, and so rational, 
 so calculated to "stir up prayer and excite to 
 hearty effort, that when other missionaries were 
 sent forth, the same agreement was entered in- 
 to between them and their patrons. The mis- 
 sionaries were thus assured, that on the arrival 
 of the first Monday in each mionth, they should 
 have special and personal remembrance in the 
 prayers of their brethren and sisters at home ; 
 while they in turn would reciprocate the act 
 and send up their own prayers in concert ; in 
 order that all might mingle together as a cloud 
 of incense before the eternal throne. 
 
 But since this concert was thus agreed upon, 
 great changes have come over the face of the 
 world, and the work of missions now is a far 
 different thing from what it was forty years 
 ago. There can no longer be that reciprocity 
 of personal feeling and interest between the 
 missionaries and the churches, which at first 
 was the great moving spring to action in these 
 agreements. Whatever may be true in regard 
 to single churches aud small sections of coun- 
 
80 
 
 try, from which some of their own number 
 may have gone forth as missionaries, it is 
 manifest that as respects the churches at large, 
 the very names of foreign missionaries are, 
 quite unknown to them. The majority of the 
 present generation have grown into active life, 
 since some of the missionaries have been in the 
 field ; and the younger missionaries cannot be 
 personally known to one *in ten thousand of 
 those who are expected to contribute to their 
 support and to pray for their success. To the 
 hundreds who have gone from our own shores 
 must be added a multitude of others, who 
 are converts from Paganism, orf rom a Chris- 
 tianity so corrupted jis to be little better. The 
 localities also stretch around the globe. We 
 shall therefore greatly misjudge in reference to 
 the moving springs of the human mind ; if we 
 make much account of personal sympathies, 
 in giving interest and effect to the monthly 
 concert. 
 
 The same facts also establish the futility of 
 a practice, which, in the early days of mis- 
 sions, had great power. I refer to the extend- 
 ed communication at each concert, of intelli- 
 gence from missionaries and stations. This was 
 then like the reception of letters by the family 
 circle, from children and brothers and sisters 
 abroad. At times such intelligence has been 
 
81 
 
 electrifying. It made us acquainted with the 
 condition of dear brethren and friends, whose 
 feelings and interest were identified with our 
 own. But now that the missionary field has 
 become so extended, the day has gone by for 
 taking advantage of any such general state- 
 ments as can be made respecting it, during the 
 brief hour allotted to a single meeting. We 
 cannot keep ourselves minutely informed re- 
 specting our missionaries and their work, even 
 by reading ; and how can we expect to do it, 
 by any statements for which a few minutes 
 only can, be spared ? The truth is, in this day, 
 missionary intelligence is just as good as any 
 other intelligence respecting the progress of 
 the G ospel, and no better. A personal or local 
 fact may be thrilling in its character and pow-? 
 erful in its results, but not because it is an item 
 of missionary intelligence ; it must be so be- 
 cause of its own intrinsic qualities. It makes 
 no difference to us in our feelings, whether 
 such thrilling incident comes to our notice, 
 dated Ceylon, Chicago, or California. 
 
 Another reason for remodeling our prescrip- 
 tive views of the monthly concert, is found in 
 the fact that foreign missions can now hardly 
 be said to hold even a prominence among the 
 various objects of Christian enterprize. We 
 do not mean tliat the ' mor^l dignity of the 
 
82 
 
 missionary enterprise," in this respect, has in 
 any degree retrograded, but only that a host of 
 other moral movements have sprung up around 
 it, some of them doubtless its own offspring. 
 For example, no rational man can look on the 
 map of these United States, extending now 
 literally from ocean to ocean, and offering to 
 our seamen a " coasting voyage" longer than 
 any other sea voyage they can ever make, and 
 say that foreign missions, are not equalled in 
 rank and consequence by what are technically 
 called home missions. I need not go into fur- 
 ther specifications of what is familiar to every 
 mind. I only wish to show that in the multi- 
 plication of enterprises, kindred in design to 
 foreign missions, we find an overpowering ar- 
 gument for remodeling the original design of 
 the monthly concert. 
 
 As a first thing, the concert must have a 
 wider range. If we do not give a wide and 
 general scope to its topics, we must do one of 
 two other things, either of which is too prepos- 
 terous to find an advocate. We must either 
 give to foreign missions the exclusive benefits 
 of concerted prayer; not even attempting in 
 this way to pray for anv of those things equal- 
 ly demanding our prayers ; or we must have a 
 separate season of concert for every object 
 claiming our attention. We have then left us 
 
83 
 
 the only other alternative, a concert for the 
 evangelization of the world. 
 
 This term, ' the conversion of the world," 
 has indeed, by common consent, become fami- 
 liar to our ears, in connection with the monthly 
 concert ; but the concert itself remains without 
 any correspondent change. With the change 
 iu the grounds on which the Monthly Concert 
 of Prayer rested, we are reduced to the neces- 
 sity of abandoning it altogether, or shaping it 
 to the exigencies of the times in which we live. 
 That we are bound to pray for the universal 
 subjugation of the world to the spiritual reign 
 of Christ, we know." Thy kingdom come ; thy 
 will be done on earth as it is in heaven," is a 
 petition which we are to use, in the spirit of it, 
 not monthly, but daily, and this manifestly is to 
 be done in the way of concerted, social prayer. 
 And that is the best method of carrying out 
 this design of Christ, which in the aggregate, 
 calls forth the greatest amount of earnest, hum- 
 ble, believing, self-denying and self-devoting 
 prayers. If this great object may be promoted 
 by the setting apart a monthly season to pray 
 for it in unison, whether as a whole or in its 
 details; then such a season is useful; but if 
 such a season shall come to be regarded as a 
 substitute for all prayer, to the same end, then 
 it is an evil. We gain nothing unless the 
 
spirit of prayer is increased. Whether the 
 Monthly Concert of Prayer, as now generally 
 observed, is on the whole serviceable to the 
 cause of Christ in the world, is, to say the least, 
 questionable ; that it may be made useful there 
 is no donbt. 
 
 In favor of the concert it should be remark- 
 ed, that the first Monday of- each month, hav- 
 ing already grown into a sort of consecrated 
 season of prayer for the heathen, that they may 
 be converted to God, is a thing of some weight, 
 "We do not tear down a building erected for a 
 valuable purpose, because, for some reason, 
 that identical purpose cannot be longer well 
 pursued; but we set about converting the 
 building to some other end equally useful. So 
 in this case, the fact that a day has been re- 
 served from other days, for purposes connected 
 with the conversion of the world, is not a thing 
 lightly to be thrown away, because through 
 change of circumstances, we cannot use it ex^ 
 actly according to its first designation. 
 
 Again, the coming of Christ's kingdom in 
 the world, is a work so great, so multitudinous 
 in its different departments, so truly both the 
 work of God and the work of man, that it de- 
 mands much time, much thought, much feel- 
 ing, much labor, much treasure ; and all these 
 things demand Tnuch prayer, The wjiole and 
 
85 
 
 every part, as occasion and opportunity may 
 be offered, should fill the soul and lift it up to 
 God. We should expect great things, attempt 
 great things, and pray for great things. These 
 are the things which, in the eyes of God, give 
 importance to this' world. Take them away, 
 and he could have no more pleasure in the 
 works of his own hands. And while we can- 
 not, on the one hand, plead any Divine com- 
 mand for this monthly observance, we cannot, 
 on the other, find any impiety in it ; and we 
 seem instinctively, to feel a persuasion that to 
 such an object, so great and so good, we ought 
 to give the beginnings of our months. 
 
 We are so apt to shrivel up and sink down 
 to ourselves, like the snail into his shell, that 
 it is good to have a statedly recurring season, 
 into which we may stretch upward and look 
 abroad, and think of something else beside 
 those puny objects, made up of our conveni- 
 ences and little personal delights and wishes, 
 which are so apt to become the boundaries of 
 our actions, and consequently of our prayers. 
 And may not God himself, have had some- 
 thing of this kind in view, when he said by 
 Isaiah 66: 23, " And it shall come to pass, 
 that from one new moon to another, and from 
 one Sabbath to another, shall all flesh come to 
 worship before me, saith the Lord? Who can 
 *6 
 
86 
 
 point out any specific difference between these 
 new-moon gatherings of all flesh to worship, 
 before the Lord, and our monthly concerts, 
 except that the one is the seed hardly begin- 
 ning to germinate, and the other is the same 
 seed grown into the majestic tree, with its 
 monthly seasons of fruit-bearing, and spreading 
 forth its leaves for the healing of the nations ? 
 
 It does seem that if we could only get into 
 'the spirit of the thing, these monthly convoca- 
 tions, instead of making us feel that we had 
 done up all our praying for the conversion of 
 the world in the beginning of the month, would 
 only make us feel, that we had but begun, and 
 that through the whole month, our hearts 
 would be larger and warmer, and throb with 
 stronger pulsations. 
 
 But let it be remembered here, that God 
 seems not to recognize any difference between 
 mission labors and other labors. " The field is 
 the world ;" the commanded prayer is, " Thy 
 kingdom come ;" and the God-honored result 
 is, " All flesh" shall come to worship before 
 the Lord. 
 
 While in the observance of the monthly 
 concert, the great theme of the world's con- 
 version, as a mighty unit, should not be lost 
 sight of ; the number of topics bearing upon it 
 are almost infinitely diversified. Not only do 
 
87 
 
 they include every thing connected with what 
 are called, Foreign Missions, such as the mis- 
 sionaries in the field, the supply of more labor- 
 ers, native churches, schools, printing-presses, 
 translations, the preparation of heathen and 
 deluded minds to receive the world of life ; to- 
 gether with the revival of the mission spirit 
 and liberality in giving among the churches 
 at home ; but we have connected with the 
 Monthly Concert, all that belongs to what are 
 called Home Missions. 
 
 Home Missions, in their full sense, embrace 
 not only preachers and preaching, but the dis- 
 tribution of Bibles and Tracts, and other reli- 
 gious books, Colporteus, Sabbath mission 
 schools, seminaries of learning, and other kin- 
 dred institutions, and all the destitute portions 
 of our own land ; but as more important than 
 everything else, the religious state of the 
 churches. On the spirituality, purity, activity 
 and liberality of the churches, everything un- 
 der God depends, as to the future prospects of 
 this world. 
 
 As a portion of Home Missionary labor, we 
 have in the same connection the reclaiming 
 by gospel culture, those spots larger or smaller 
 now given up to wickedness. Especially must 
 our cities, be reclaimed from that worst species 
 of heathenism, in which we see more than 
 
88 
 
 half their population involved. And then 
 again, there is the canse of education, in all its 
 branches, the abolition of war and slavery, 
 and despotism, and superstition ; together with 
 the abrogation of struggling sects and parties, 
 in the one church of God. Human govern- 
 ments the best of them, must be made over 
 again ; and legislation regenerated. In short 
 we have but begun to tell the things, which 
 have to be gained by prayer and labor, before 
 this world can be converted to Christ. 
 
 Now while we should still hold fast our at- 
 tachment to the wholesome proverb, "one 
 thing at a time," we ought to know, that all 
 these things are in their turn, to be made the 
 subjects of brief remark and special prayer. 
 How then can there be any want of employ- 
 ment for the concert hour ? And how can the 
 right observance of this hour, fail of furnishing 
 matter of prayer for every day, till the month 
 shall again come round? It was in view of 
 scenes like these, that the Psalmist uttered 
 that most wonderful prayer, with which I close 
 this article, as you find it in the T2d Psalm. 
 a Let the whole earth be filled with his glory, 
 Amen, and Amen. The Prayers of David the 
 son of Jesse can grasp no more," are ended, 
 or have their limit. 
 
89 
 
 OHAPTEK XYIIL 
 Frequency of Prayer-meetings. 
 
 The benefits of Prayer-meetings are vitally 
 affected by a consideration not yet attended to. 
 
 It is a matter of some delicacy and some 
 difficulty, to decide, how often it is advisable 
 for the members of a church to meet for social 
 prayer. Some in their zeal may say, it is im- 
 possible to meet too often ; for as prayer is the 
 most important business of life, there is no 
 danger of praying to much. This is indeed, in 
 a qualified sense true, and yet in such a way, 
 as in no manner to decide the question pro- 
 posed. 
 
 It is not to determine, how much prayer is 
 desirable, but how many meetings for the pur- 
 pose. It is a point not difficult of proof, that 
 the frequency of meetings, may diminish the 
 amount of prayer. 
 
 We are interested to know, how frequently 
 at what times, and for what length of time, 
 Christians generally can leave their regular 
 business and their family arrangements, and 
 assemble for social prayer. 
 
90 
 
 If prayermee tings and seasons of brotherly 
 conference be holden too seldom, the members 
 will lose the spirit, and remembrance of them, 
 and their habits will become so entirely world- 
 ly, that they will either neglect attendance, or 
 come without preparation, for profiting others, 
 or being profited by them. This, however, 
 will depend very much on pains taken to keep 
 up attention to the subject, on the part of the 
 pastor and others. 
 
 But if too frequent, these meetings become 
 inconvenient to many, interfering with their 
 necessary concerns, or leaving them no time 
 for any other social intercourse ; so that they 
 will be neglected by many, and attended by 
 others with reluctance, as a matter of duty. 
 
 These extremes should be avoided, so that the 
 remembrance of one meeting, may be retained 
 till another arrives ; and yet, that the recur- 
 rence should not only be welcome but waited 
 for. Something less than half the members of a 
 church, it is believed, ordinarily attend the oc- 
 casional meetings of the week, and those who 
 do attend, are generally the same individuals. 
 It is worthy of enquiry now, whether in some 
 cases, one meetiug in a week, instead of more, 
 would 'not secure a better attendance; and 
 whether the gain to those who now absent 
 themselves, would not be greater than the loss, 
 
91 
 
 if any loss there would be ; to those who are now 
 constant in their places. This point has been 
 introduced, not with a view of finding some 
 uniform rule ; but rather for the purpose of in- 
 ducing inquiry, on the subject, and efforts 
 every where, to give to prayer-meetings, their 
 largest and best influences ; as well by regula- 
 ting their frequency, as their management. 
 It is sometimes an excellent plan, to have a 
 weekly lecture, introduced by a short prayer- 
 meeting. As to the length of time a prayer- 
 meeting should continue, a word is enough. 
 In all ordinary cases, if such a meeting has not 
 answered its end, by continning an hour, it is 
 in vain to prolong it. If it has produced its 
 end, then it is time to stop. 
 
 It is worthy of remembrance also, that in 
 some instances, if stated public weekly meetings 
 were less frequent, there might be more, pri- 
 vate neighborhood and family prayer-meetings, 
 some of the best meetings in the world. Pro- 
 bably these interviews, have a greater influ- 
 ence, in causing brotherly love and spiritual 
 acquaintanceship, to abound, than any other 
 means, that have been employed. They seem 
 to render religion an every day, home concern. 
 We are greatly mistaken, if the seeds of revi- 
 val, are not often sown and nourished here 
 unseen by the world ? till they make their ap- 
 
pearance on some more public arena. For in 
 regard to revivals, it is to be noticed, that 
 many who figure in them largely after their 
 developments were not found among those who 
 mourned and wept, and labored and prayed in 
 Zion's days of darkness. 
 
 It will be well for us also with unprejudiced 
 minds, to look at another fact, viz : That meet- 
 ings are likely to be much neglected, in a time 
 of religious declension, and too much multi- 
 plied, when the public mind becomes awaken- 
 ed to spiritual things. By looking at such a 
 fact before hand, we may learn to exercise 
 proper caution in the avoidance of these ex- 
 tremes. 
 
 Feeling will and must have much to do in 
 these matters, but Judgment should always 
 hold the reins. 
 
93 
 
 % 
 
 CHAPTER XIX. 
 
 Female Prayer-meetings. 
 
 I am strongly tempted to give the caption, 
 and leave the chapter itself a blank. 
 
 For really what can be said about Female 
 Prayer-meetings, but just this, that they are 
 good and profitable ? If we reason about them, 
 they stand approved, just as other prayer- 
 meetings do, and if we appeal to experience, 
 that also testifies in their favor. Argument 
 and reason appear to be all on one side, and to 
 urge their culture. Nothing appears against 
 them but the too common consent of Christian 
 females to neglect them. 
 
 We hope that those pious women who may 
 read the foregoing treatise, will be led to en- 
 quire, whether they may not render some ser- 
 vice to the cause of Christ, by doing more in 
 the way of meetings among themselves, than 
 they have done. 
 
 It may be, dear sisters, that you have not met 
 at all for prayer, or if this be not so, it may be 
 you can make your meetings more attractive 
 
94: 
 
 more instructive and edifying. You should re- 
 member that your sex comprises a very large 
 majority of the members of Christ's church that 
 you are free from many of those cares and per- 
 plexities, which often hinder men from attend- 
 ance on weekly meetings ; and besides, that 
 when by yourselves, you can properly converse 
 and pray, on topics of vital interest to reli- 
 gion, which cannot well come into a meeting 
 of both sexes. 
 
 We only ask you to seek guidance from 
 above, to give the subject all proper attention, 
 and whatever you think you can do, for the 
 cause of Christ, to do it without delay. 
 
95 
 
 CHAPTEE XX. 
 
 Tilings which destroy Prayer-meetings. 
 
 No one part of religions duty, will ever be 
 done alone, or neglected alone. Perfect sym- 
 metry, in the Christian character and life, we 
 must not look for, in this imperfect state ; and 
 yet, though its p^rts may be sadly out of pro- 
 portion, and mal-formed, character will always 
 be a whole. 
 
 Every thing in religious dnty may be regard- 
 ed, both as a means and an end. Action and 
 re-action are always to be found there. The 
 same fire that warms and vivifies, the closet and 
 the family worship, will also warm the social 
 gatherings. The keeping of the heart by each 
 one, is guarding the sanctuary ; and so too neg- 
 lect in one part, causes loss and decay in every 
 other. 
 
 These things, Christian friends, you can but 
 know, and yet it may not be amiss, "to stir up 
 your pure minds by way of remembrance." 
 
 Terms relative to the heart are general in 
 their significations, and while they may be 
 
96 
 
 known and believed, and even felt in the ag- 
 gregate; they may be strangely overlooked 
 and neglected in their parts. A man for ex- 
 ample, may be very careful for a season at 
 least, in keeping his heart religiously as he 
 thinks ; viz., he may be exact in secret prayer 
 and punctual in reading his bible and attend- 
 ing meetings and going over all the forms of 
 religious duty, and perhaps may take great 
 pains to be prepared for these things, while 
 some unthought of sin is holding his soul in 
 bondage. He may be harboring feelings of 
 revenge for an injury, or planning a hard bar- 
 gain, or striving through envy to supplant a 
 rival, or giving currency to slander, or laying 
 the reins too closely on his appetites, or shun- 
 ning some known, but painful duty, or doing 
 a hundred other things which the Christian 
 should not do. 
 
 The psalmist has set such evils, in their true 
 light as regards prayer. " If, says he, I regard 
 iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear 
 me.?' How easy then for a man to disqualify 
 himself for secret converse with God, and so to 
 become a useless member of the prayer-meeting 
 and the church ! 
 
 Any thing which keeps the members of a 
 church from coming together, with confidence 
 and affection unbroken, goes, to break up 
 
97 
 
 the power of social prayer. There is in that 
 case no such thing as being of one accord in 
 one place, and of fervent charity among them- 
 selves. Unkindness and ill temper in the 
 family, a refusal or neglect of a needful favor 
 to a neighbor, especially in time of affliction, 
 unexplained and unsettled differences about 
 business, undue officiousness in the private 
 concerns of others, unfriendly remarks, disaf- 
 fection with the minister, and how many other 
 things we cannot tell, may keep brethren from 
 meeting together, or if they meet, may keep 
 them from gaining any advantage thereby. 
 And to all these things, the. unclassified and 
 undefined influences of what we call worldli- 
 ness in its various bearings, and tell us, whe 
 ther there is no danger that our prayer-meet- 
 ings may without our knowledge, become nu- 
 gatory. How forcibly are we taught, not only 
 that we must pray, but must watch and pray ? 
 One reason, we apprehend, why these dan- 
 gers are not more readily perceived and 
 promptly met, may be found, in the general, 
 confused, and pointless manner in which the 
 exercises of our prayer-meetings are often cou~ 
 ducted. If we were accustomed to see every 
 prayer, and exhortation, having an intelligible, 
 well defined, and single aim, the whole life and 
 $oul of devotion could xiever depart without ob- 
 
servation. An alarm would be given, and the 
 latent cause of the mischief would be searched 
 out. 
 
 CHAPTER XXI, 
 
 Concluding ^Remarks. 
 
 After reading my little book, some will most 
 likely, in not very good humor, say, " We can 
 never submit to such sudden and revolutionary 
 changes as are here contended for. If we at- 
 tempt any thing of this sort, we shall just 
 break up, and destroy our prayer-meetings on 
 the old and tried plan, and have nothing left 
 in their place. We must have our own way of 
 praying, or we cannot pray at all, " We do 
 not know what right any one has, to teach us 
 what we shall pray for, or how we shall pray, 
 and other things of the like sort." 
 
 Others again may say, they find nothing 
 new. That they do not see, wherein a prayer- 
 meeting conducted as we propose, will differ 
 from other prayer-meetings. u We do not ex- 
 pect that meetings will be all made just alike, 
 rather than other things, but we see nothing 
 peculiar." 
 
To the first class of objectors we only say, 
 "Keep to your old ways, till you are convinced 
 there may be better ones. The author would 
 fee the last man to dictate to you, or control you 
 in any way, but by convincing your judge- 
 ment. 
 
 If you are praying men at all, you must be- 
 lieve the subject worthy a very careful and 
 candid consideration. This then, I hope and 
 trust you will not refuse, and to this I am will- 
 ing to leave you. It is not to be expected, that 
 an entire and universal, and immediate change 
 will take place. This is no reason however, 
 why you should not read, and consider, and 
 judge; and whenever you may think your 
 prayer-meetings, susceptible of any improve- 
 ment, let that improvement be instantly made. 
 Make a beginning, even if it be a smull one ; 
 and others will naturally follow in the train. 
 
 To those who love Zion, and prayer, and 
 prayer-meetings, for her prosperity ; and yet 
 find nothing new in the present treatise, if 
 there are any such, we tender our sincere con- 
 gratulations, and hope they will be zealous, 
 and efficient co-laborous in endeavors to bring 
 about a better way of doing these things. 
 
 We have not designed our little book, as a 
 book of rhapsodies, but of truth ; not so much 
 a recommendation, of prayer-meetings, as a 
 
ioo 
 
 means for making them, recommend them* 
 selves. 
 
 If any great advances shall be made during 
 the life-time of the author, they must be speedy; 
 but he fully believes such advances will be 
 made, and that a glory now unknown^ shall 
 hang over the prayer-meeting hall, and that 
 heaven and earth, shall hold more familiar and 
 endearing converse. 
 
 It is his desire before closing his earthly 
 labors, to do something, that may help forward 
 the desired change. Though he has gained 
 no earthly reward for his labors, he trusts they 
 have not been in vain in the Lord ; and gladly 
 would he leave a legacy for those who may 
 survive him, which shall have a value, long 
 after gold and silver, and gems, shall be worth- 
 less. Of one thing he is perfectly sure, that 
 to whatever degree he may lend an influence 
 in the reformation of prayer-meetings, he will 
 to the same extent lend an influence for the 
 salvation of the world, 
 
TOPICS OF PRAYER. 
 
 Some topics for prayer and remarks are here added, as 
 a guide to those who may desire such aid. 
 no harm to any if they are not used, and the number we ap- 
 prehend is small, who will not find them occasionally con., 
 venient. If made familiar to the mind of any brother, by a 
 little sturdy, such a list of topics, may prove a remedy for 
 that vacurity which all feel more orl ess when speaking in a 
 public meeting. No man has perfect and constant com- 
 mand of his own thoughts, and few, if any, are strangers to 
 the feeling of dread, lest an effort to speak or pray, prove 
 an entire failure. This may be one reason of those long, 
 prosy, common-place introductions to a prayer, which are 
 often so tedious. It is something to have at hand a remedy 
 for so great an evil. 
 
 It is not principally, however, as a remedy for a barren 
 state of mind, that we introduce this catalogue of topics. 
 We think when the mind is active and fertile and the heart 
 warm, such aid will be more especially useful. 
 
 One may be called to lead a meeting, hurried in from the 
 noise, and bustle and confusion of the world, when he hard- 
 ly dare trust his own thoughts, or the same thing may oc-> 
 cur from the power of disease in deranging the nervous sys- 
 tem. In such a ease, the very idea of having something to 
 fall back upo, will give a man vigor of his own, and help 
 him to draw from his own resources. At any rate we think 
 it best to give the arrangements not claiming for it any 
 thing like completeness, 
 
102 
 
 TOPICS SUITABLE FOR AN ORDINARY GENERAL 
 PRAYER-MEETING. 
 
 ADORATION OF Gop. His greatness ; 'majesty ; justice ; good- 
 ness ; works; forbearance; bounties; mercy, and grace. 
 
 INVOCATION OF THE SPIRIT. That his presence may be felt j 
 that he would inspire awe ; unfold scripture truth ; warm 
 the heart ; subdue the soul ; give ready utterance. 
 
 CONFESSIONS OF SIN. Rejection of God; breach of a good 
 law ; contempt of Christ ; injury to our fellow men ; de- 
 serving wrath. 
 
 THANKSGIVINGS. God's goodness in creation; redemption 
 bounties of Providence ; health ; peace ; blessing of edu- 
 cation ; national blessings ; spread of the Gospel ; revi- 
 vals, &c. 
 
 PRAYER FOR THE CHURCH, Spirituality of its members j 
 purity of life ; activity ; liberality ; brotherly love j 
 kindness, &c. 
 
 CHRISTIAN FAMILIES. Instruction ; government ; dutifulness 
 of children ; parental love ; conjugal harmony ; family 
 worship ; observance of sabbath ; attendance on religious 
 worship, &c. 
 
 IRRELIGIOUS FAMILIES. That they may give themselves to 
 reading and reflection ; may attend religious meetings. 
 
 OLD PEOPLE, that they may retain health ; activity ; eye- 
 sight and hearing ; reason and memory ; may be cared 
 for and comforted ; may have patience ; cheerfulness , 
 that they may be getting ripe for heaven. 
 
 MAN IN MIDDLE LIFE. As parents ; men in business ; men 
 
103 
 
 men in influence ; use of their property ; church members j 
 civil officers . 
 
 THE YOUNG. That they may be considerate ; studious; so- 
 ber; industrious; peaceable; honest; prudent ; dutiful ; 
 pious. ^ 
 
 THE MINISTRY. With kindness ; with respect ; with appro- 
 vals ; for strength ; courage ; wisdom affections ; com- 
 munion with God ; sympathy and aid from the people- 
 
 DISABLED AND UNSETTLED MINISTERS. Comforts; opportu- 
 nities for doing good ; that they may not be forgotten 5 
 may be resigned ; large heavenly blessings. 
 
 SABBATH SCHOOLS AND OTHER SCHOOLS. Teachers ; pupils; 
 progress; piety. 
 
 OUR NATION. 
 
 OUR RULERS. 
 
 PUOFESSIONAL MEN. 
 
 THE SEASONS. 
 
 THE POOR. That they may be willing to help themselves - 
 may be assisted and taught to do so ; may have needed 
 comfort ; may be kept from envy and complaining j may 
 be laying up treasure in heaven; 
 
 THE RICH. That they may be humble; generous; kind 
 and affable ; grateful ; prayerful and exemplary ; holy 
 and happy. 
 
 THE HEATHEN. At home and abroad. 
 
 THE SICK, } 
 
 THE BEREAVED, > Generally, or individually. 
 
 THE UNFORTUNATE. ; 
 
 A REVIVAL OF RELIGION. This though embraced in the 
 other topics, may sometimes be made a distinct subject of 
 prayers, as such. 
 
104 
 
 Reasons of Prayer for particular otyeds. 
 
 When a day or part of a day, or a single meeting may be 
 'designated for a particular cause, as the prevalence of sick- 
 ness, drought, a destructive fire, or flood, the low state of 
 5religion, or any thing else in particular 5 the prayers and re* 
 marks, should be restricted mostly to topics directly related 
 to the main design of the observance. These in such a 
 case may be dwelt or very fully, and some repetition is per* 
 fectly admissible. 
 
 This schedule might be easily enlarged, but this must be 
 sufficient for practical purposes. It is sufficient to shew 
 that the material for a prayer-meeting is always abundant 
 &nd available. 
 
INDEX. 
 
 I. The value of Prayer-meetings. 3 
 
 II. Dignity of the Subject - - - . 9 
 
 III. Things common to all Prayer -Spiritual 
 
 blessings The Purposes of God * 11 
 
 IV. Manner of approaching God in Prayer - 21 
 
 V. Individual Preparation 26 
 
 VI. Our Social Nature >' - - ^ ~- 27 
 
 VII. God to be approached with reverence - 34 
 VIII. A present God - 36 
 
 IX. God will hear and answer Prayer 39 
 
 X. The Conduct of a Prayer-meeting - 45 
 XL Topics of Prayer, how introduced 49 
 
 ftH. The Presiding Member of the meeting - 54 
 
 XIII. Manner of Prayer 57 
 
 XIV. How t'o secure attendance on the Prayer- 
 
 meeting * :. * * * 65 
 
 XV. Specific faults in Prayer 66 
 
 XVI. A Prayer-meeting described - i 73 
 
 XVII. The Monthly Concert of Prayer, for the con- 
 
 conversion of the World * 78 
 
 XVIII. The frequency of Prayer -meetings . - 89 
 
 XIX. !Fem,ale Prayer-meetings ... 93 
 
 XX. Things which destroy a Prayer-meeting - 95 
 
 XXI. Concluding Remarks - 93 
 
 : 
 
 WIX7BRSITY 
 
 * ^t 
 
UNIVERSITY OF CALIF 
 BERKELI 
 
 Return to desk from wl 
 This book is DUE on the last 
 
 
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 JUH 22 1956 
 
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