Lincoln telegraph. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1836-1846, 1841-09-16
1floroI anG Religious.
From the New York Evangelist.
A DREADFUL PRAYER MEETING.

A DREAlpE'glI FRA t1lE lhGIEI ARNSEs
Some prayer meetings are spoken of as ami
mated, interesting, affecting, &c. Bat the one
now in question must have some stronger appela-
,ion 1t has not yet been held, yet we have the
best authority concurng what its character shall be-
1t may be some time be fore ii takes place, but it
will certainly occur, and every one of my readers is
personally interested in having acquaintance
with it beforehand, The account of it may be found
in the vi chap. of Revelation "And they said to
the mountains and rocks, Fall and hide us
from tho face of Him that stteth on the throne, and
from the wrath of the Lamb This is the prayer
that will be offered
And there will be great multitude at that pray
er meeting. Many prayer meetings are thin, very
thin. Few are present Not so the one before us,
II that have ever treated the Lamb of God unworth
lily and persisted in it, will be present. Millions
have done this. Millions more will probably do ii,
They will all be at that meeting.
Distinguished persons will be present. Those
who ride upon the high places Of the earth usually
have little or nothing to do with prayer meetings
They above such things. They leave such
learned, the low in life But they will come to this
meeting. We have express mention of this,
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and
the rich men, aud the mighty men, said Fall on
u.s." &c. They may never have been in meet
ing where there was prayer before. But they can
not stay away from this.
There will be great emotion in that prayer meet
ing. 1t will not be dull, and drowsy and formal
There will be feeling the deepest feeling. Men
must have the most terrible emotions, when they
are led to ask the rocks and mountains to fall on
them. How dreadful must be the sight of Him that
stitch on the throne. and the Lamb, when the fear
of them inspires such prayer as this There will
be stupidity in that meeting.
They will all pray. Some prayer meetings have
hut two or three, few at most, that take any part
in them. The mass often take little decided
interest in the oh jecl Of the meeting Not so of this
meeting The record runs that no, only the great
men aforementioned shall pray, but "every bond
man and every freeman" And then the nature of
the object before them decides that all viii pray,
viz: God on his throne of judgement, and the Lamb
in his wrath The whole assembly being inspired
with the terrible emotions of dread, Will be
constrained to offer the same prayer.
And achat a prayer! 1t is not addressed to God
or tho Lamb. They never received any spiritual
homage from the multitude present at this meeting
They so lily treated the blessed God, and carried it
to such desperate length, that they despair,
they well may, Of any mercy. Hence the dreadful
prayer before US. They would have anything but
an interview with God. Glide US from the face of
Him that sttteth on the throne They begged to
be crashed beneath the mountains, rather than meet
the frowning face of God They chose that the
rocks should fall on them and grind them to powder,
rather than encounter the wrath ofthe Lamb To
wha, desperate misery must men be driven, when
they can offer SO dreadful and mprecation upon
themselves
The attendants upon this meeting are all from this
world THE kings of the eart." sc. We have
divine assurance that all who persist in treating
Christ unworthy, are on their way to this meeting
The muttudes no are now doing this, think little
of this matter, yet every day spent in SIM is hasten
ing them toward it. Most of them have little to do
with prayer meetings in this world, and none Of
them have anything to do with the spiritual service
of God. They restrain prayer now, bat they will
pray at this meeting. Gods character and claims
had few thoughts here, but there will be no want of
emotion in view of them there.
Reader, are you on your way to this meeting
You hope not. But is your manner Of life, and
not your hope that determines this. If you have lit
tie OF nothing to do with prayer in this world, if no
domestic secret altar is fragrant with the incense
of your applications, if yon are now averse to
drawing nigh to God, you are certainly on your way
to this meeting lfyou do not pray here, you as
suredy will pray there.
Be persuaded to avoid that meeting. There will
DO enough there without you. Let the blessed du-
ty of prayer he your joy here, from day to day
Love it. Watch unto it. Persevere in it. In faith
and humility carry it Let nothing but death stop
YOU Then, while others pray for the rocks and
mountains to hide them from the face of Him that
stitch on the throne, you will sing, "Woby is the
Lamb, that has redeemed me unto God, by his
blood - PASCAL