Vermont telegraph. [volume] (Brandon [Vt.]) 1828-1843, 1842-07-27

risy. And believe that those who habitualy-
indulge in these sins. greatly hurt their own souls
and impair their ability for usefulness On whose
mind does not the conviction rest that very large
proportion Of public vocal prayer is made to be
seen and heard of meni-a thing which Christ
expressly condemns. IF 1t be not to be seen and
heard Of men, aOhg is 1t made vocALLY, NTH a
parade before men? Understand me. Any sin
that may attach to vocal prayer, does not come
from its being FOCAL, Ior from its being heard of
men. The sin of the thing, as il is commonly
used, consists in its being made to be heard Of
men. What is there in the record u Christ's
life to show that he once stood up or kneeied
down before men, in public assembly. and offered
up vocal prayer, as is now done so extensively!
! Nothing nothing. On tlecontrary, his recorded
teachings 60 to forbid t in his followers. Matt
/ vi: 5-13: ttAnd when thou prayest, thou shalt
not be as the hypocrites for they love to pray
standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of
the Streets that they may be seen Of men. Verify,
| say unto you, they have their reward. But
thou, when thou pTayest, enter into thy closet,
and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy
Father which is in secret; and thy Father, which
seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly, But
when We pray, use not vain repetitions, the
heather do: for they think that they shall be heard
| for their much speaking. Be not We therefore
like unto them: for your Father knoweth what
things ye have need of before ye ask him. After
this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which
art IN heaven ,hallowed be thy name: thy kingdom
come: thy will be done in earth as it is in heaven
give US this day our daily bread: and forgive US
our debts, as we forgive our debtors: and lead us
not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for
| glory, for ever Amen 1t should be particu-
larry noticed that the brief form of prayer here
given is given in connection with the command
TO pray Gin secret" when they prayed-that they
should "Lot be as the hypocrites," who Glove TO
pray standing in the synagogues and in the cor
ners of the streets, that they may be seen of men,
The evidence in the case goes 10 show that even
this short form was to be used in secret, and not
openly 1t is evident that his disciples so under
stood it. There is not the least evidence that
before men, while under his personal tuition.
go further, and say, there is no evidence that the
primitive Christians made any such thing of vo- |
cal prayer as is now made of it. -< 49,
Isay again, understand me. It is FOCAL prayer |
that am speaking Of and it is such use of it
as is now made, that object to. To those whose
consciences require them to use vocal prayer, I +
RI1fS To hat L
use of it as to come under the condemnation of |
those who pray q that they may be seen of men"
am not prepared to denounce as hypoerites all
who use vocal prayer. believe there is, con-
nected with the use of it, an awful amount of
blindness, 6elusion, carelessness, and mockery.
heard sermon, not long since, on the sub
ject of prayer, from the text--"I will there
fore that men pray everywhere, lifting up
holy hands, without wrath and doubling"
The speaker began BY defining prayer TO be
the lifting uRof the desire Of the heart to
God. He was not sufficiently distinct in
defining as to how far he considered it me-
cessary to use words before men. He did
confess, however, that he believed great
part of the prayer used to be solemn mock
cry - performed as task which must be
gone through with. He alluded to the heart
less practice Of praying all over the world
and for everything, manifestly without the
slightest expectation Of an answer, or any
preparation for it. He believed that, in re-
gard TO large part of these general PRAYERS,
ii they should be granted, those who offered
them would be disappointed and overwheln,-
ed. l admired the mans readiness to make
these concessions. But when heard his
own prayer in connection with the discourse
could not admire his consistency. Ii ap. 1
peared TO me that he was living down his
preaching by his practice He labored much
In his discourse TO enforce the ida that we
must pray with the spirit and with the un-
1erstaLdtng - that we must have specific
objects and pray honestly, earnestly, and in
aHh. But It did appear to me, and does
still, that there IS very much in the practice |
81 using stated and periodical vocal public /
prayer, as il IS used by those who use ii t
most, necessarily tending to produce the
'ery results he was deprecaring. / looked !,
lround on ihe audience. There were MANY :
minister's present, and many females. The :
question that arose in my own mind was,
whose praying was probably more accepta-
lie before God = that of the ministers who y
lsed 50 many words in prayer publicly-or Il
hatof the sisters, whose communion with b
ne Father OF their spirits was chiefly inl
Hence, and much Of it in secret9 Which Il