Litchfield enquirer., 1829-12-03

UOOS He WOWIu COHNUtuUlCUtSS Ne S0 lnSt0nC or edifyng, conf0unding the understandinr of his andience. is wasting their at. tention, instead of inspiring their devotion
 Plain and unaffected language, which does no more than give the feelings of tho heart, is the proper language of public prayer. This is tho true eloquence of do- Votion.-When there Is no effort oftho un. dcrstanding to be eloquent, when tho hear, pours forth it's desires in terms appropriate, naturally flowing us a gentle stream from n living fountain, then are we cheerod and refreshed in waiting upon the Lord. If a person possess but a tolerable nueMcv of speech, and not strive Co be eloquent, but speak in perfect accordance with his feel ings; and if he feel as christian ought when in the audience of his Creator, he cannot fail to be both pleasing and edify- ing to all who unite with him in worship- ping his God and Father.
 Rapidity of pronunciation is tho third item to which we would request the alten- ton of the devout worshipper. When we address God at any time, or in any place, either in public or private, great delibera- ton becomes us well. To speak to God is no light matter. No person can exag- gerato the solemnity and deliberation did Solomon say, " Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thy heart be hasty to utter any thing before God. For God is in heaven, aud thou upon earth." But de- liberation is doubly necessary in public or social prayer: for if we do not speak slow ly it is impossible for others to unite with us. We ought 10 remember that tho de- sign of social prayer is that others should unite with us in every petition and every thanksgiving. Hence the necessity fgiv- ing sufficient time to the company to ap. prehend the full force and meaning of ev- cry word and sentence. have heard ma. ny prayers in which 1t was impossible for mo to keep up with the speaker, or to u- nile with him. And while was renecting on the sentence just finished, he had got to the close of the next ono. The subject was then lost, and even tho pronunciation of final AMEN was Ut random, insomuch as our judgmen. could not be fully made up on the correctness of the whole. The whole prayer appeared like the sound of a mighty rushing wind.
 To a r0pidity of pronunciation l would add speaking at random, as another de- viation fom the standard of propriety-I havo often heard, or thought l heard por- sons commence sentence before they knew what they were going to ask, while the words were still falling from his lips. If this ever be tho case with any christian,r ,rO- pcntance and reformation become him woll. If at any time we have few petitions to make, let us cease so soon as they are of- fered. It is better to pause one, two, or three minutes between every petition than to attempt one at random. We should al- ways have distinct and full view of what we are going to say before we pronounce a single word. This is necessary when, with due respect, we speak 10 men. How much more when we speak to GOd. Some appear insensiblc of the impropriety of this manner. They seem to feel nothing so much as to fail in the matter. They advance in hurry, as if they were anxious to appear fluent, and fly from ono thing to another without regard to connection, and as if without design. It would be well for the religious community-for hoth teach- CTS and taught-if every public speaker knew when he was done, and would jus, cease to speak when he had nothing to say. Whether from desire to say something great, or something better, OF correct something said amiss, ,I presume not to say ; but so it is, that many, both in their prayers and in their preachings, continue to speak long time after they are done. Our great teacher forbade speaking at random in our prayers, and this should be regarded as an authority without any further consid- eration, of sufficient weight'to put us on our guard against such a practice.
 But when these four defects are correct- ed. when we are perfectly free from the charge of a monotonous uniformity ot senil- ment and style, verbose redundancy ot expression, a confounding rapidty of p'o- nunciation, a thoughtless speaking at ran- dom :--stiIl the welghller matters may be overlooked, misunderstood, and neglected : mean the proper subject matter of prayer. GONE AND TWENTY"
 l With youth no period is looked forward to with so much impatience, as the hour which shall end our minority-with man. f hood. none is looked back to with so much regret. Freedom appears to the young man as the bright star in the Armament of his existence, and is never lost sight of until the goal for which he has beeu SD long travelling, is reached. When the