Cheraw gazette. [volume] (Cheraw, S.C.) 1835-1838, 1836-08-23
From NeyinS' Practical Thoughts.
HOW CANE IT TO PASS !

That three thousand were converted Oil
the dav of Pentecost-how came it to
pass! The truth as it is in Jesus was
preached and the power of God accom-
panied and made the truth eliec,ual. But
had no, the meeting for prayer, OF which
mention is made in Acts, |: II, a close
and influential connection with the glori-
Gus results of that day and that discourse?
Undoubtedly it had. But what was there
in that meeting of the hundred and twenty
disciples, to exert an influence to the con-
version of three thousand indviduals!--
Whence had it that power! | answer. it
was a prayer meeting-proteSScdtf and
nainly prayer meeting. If it had been
meeting for preachins, it would no, have
exerted the influence it did. even though
prayer had preceded and followed the
sermon. 1t was prayer mcetlng-a
meeting of Christians 20 express their de-
pendence on God; uni;edly to call on him
for his blessing; to plead tie promise, and
to wait for the fultilment of it. Those are
the efficient meetings, in which Christians
meet and agree to ask of God. wonder
they do not value them more. To III
prayer meeting Christians come, TO eNer-
else the high privilege OF intercession frc
others-to do good and to communicate
act the 'more blessed" part; whereas to
meetings OF another kind they 60 from the
far less benevolent purpose of receiving
good. Yet Christians value no meetings so
little ds prayer meetings! And, 0 shame! no
prayer meeting do they value 50 little as that
which Christ himself may be said to have
established in saying, "When ye pray, say,
Our Father which art in heaven; hallowed
be thy name: thy kingdom come" The
Monthly Concert, though it occur but
once month, and though our Savoir, in
the prayer he has given us, has expressly
instructed us to pray specially for the con-
r:rsion fthe worH, yet how ,hinly is it a,-
tended! Ipity the hea;hcn, that SO few are
disposed to meet to pray for them. For
the church, l blush that it should be 50.
But the influence Of that meeting OF a
hundred and twenty was not owing entirely
80 lis being prayer meeting. Many
meetings for PRAYER are held, and no such
effects follow. There must have been
something peculiar about that prayer meet
ing, to account for its efficacy. There
was much by which it was distinguished
from ordinary prayer meetings. The
mention of some of these pcculiarities may
be Of service. 1t may provoke imitation
in some churches.
!. AN the church attended that prayer
meeting. "These all continued" &c.
There were but hundred and twenty
disciples, and they were all present. Not
a member of the church was absent, unless
providentially detained. How different
is i, now! Now, if SO many as a hundred
and twenty can be collected in prayer
meeting, yet they represent perhaps
church of five or six hundred communi-
cants, and all the rest are with one accord
absent. They who meet may agree among
themselves to ask for an outpouriDg Of the
Spirit, but it is, after uli, but the agreement
of minority of the church. The Ma jori.
", by their absence dissent from their re-
quest.
3. IAsoU attended, of course the men at.
tended as well as the women. Yes, every
male member of the church was present,
and suppose the males We're more than one
half of the number. They did not leave
it to the women to sustain the prayer meet
ings. That prayer meeting had not the
aspect of many modern prayer meeting,
and in which almost all are of the weaker
sex.
3. The most distinguished members of
the church attended, as we'll as the most
obscure. There were all the apostles, and
MARY the mother of Jesus, and his breth-
ren." None of them felt above being at
prayer meeting. How is it now? Let that
question answer itself.
4. They were all agreed-"of one ac-
cord" as it is said. Not merely agreed
touching what they should ask, viz. the
fultilment Of "the promise of the Father
but of one mind generally-aye, and of one
heart. They thought and felt alike
They all loved one another. They obser-
we'd the new commandment. Such cor.
dial union among Christians has great
power with God. 1t does not always exist
in our prayer meetings.
). They perserered in prayer. "These
all continued in prayer" First they stirr-
ed themselves up to take hold on God,
and then they said, ave will not let thee
go, except thou bless u.s." They met Of
ten for prayer; and all met, and they linger-
ed long a, the throne of grace. There
were not some who came to the meeting
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