Washington telegraph., 1854-05-10
Appropriate PRAYER,

We give below the closing part Of the
prayer, made at the opening Of the last
session of the Indiana Legislature, BY the
Chaplain Of that very pious body. There
is much good sense in It; and if it should
be answered from above, it would be the
best thing that ever happened for Indiana
The gentleman who offered it, did 80 doubt
less from the bottom of his heart and
thought less Of his per diem than he did
of the State of Indiana He was. to say
the least Of It, plain spoken man. and
very righteous withal SO much SO, that
We fear he will never again be permitted
to pray, ogicially. for another Car nal As
sem5ky. We have long needed such
Chaplain at Little Rock for such prayer
as was made before the Indiana Legislature,
could, with great justice and propriety, have
been made at every session Of the Arkan-
sas Legislature T; and at its conclusion, eve
ry intelligent man would have sent up
cdTtN-dfucE.
But when, we would ask, did the prac-
tice of having Chaplains to Legislative
bodies first obtain and whence do Minis
ters derive their authority. to pray daily
before impious, irrcligious assemblies, and
that, too. for pay? There is no authority
for it in the Bible, and the practice i only
defensibe on the ground that it is cuStom-
arg and fdshiondble 1t is not an un-
common thing now, for well-fed, pampered
Ministers in Paris and other cities to open
6atls, fairs, tea-parties, horSe-TGces, and
political nao5s with prayer, Even in
our war with Mexico, Chaplains went forth
with our army,-and for what To pray,
We suppose, that our troops would fight va
liantly. and slay their beings By the
hundreds instead Of by the tens, and make
the more widows and orphans Ii fact the
most solemn ordinances Of Heaven are made
unmeaning in this age Of ''proeycss and
improvement" Men may well pray ID
Just cause and in a just war, for in such ca
scs there is PROMISE When General
WASHfNGToN was at Valley Forge with
his army, he was observed by his men to
20 forth every morning and evening to an
unfroquanted spot. This excited their Gu
riosity, and some Of them concluded to
watch him the next day, when he went on
bis accustomed ramble. They followed
him unobserved, and when far away from
human observation, the great and pious
and pray to Heaven. That was a sublime
spectacle-a spectacle worthy Of General
WASHINGTON and the cause Of civil and
and religious liberty. But how many Of
our commanders in Mexico, went forth dai-
". into the silent woods, to hold converse
with, and pray 70, the Ruler Of the Uni
verse? How often did ScoTr and Wool,
and HARNEY and Pillow, and others, 90
forth, as did General WASHINGTON, morn
Ing and evening? We suppose they did
their praying by proxy. We suppose their
Cbaplains, clothed, as they doubtless were.
il their long black robes, and with broad
phylacteries, would call up all the chief
men, and soldiers every day. and make
long prayers IN their presence. 1HeyAare
fheir re,rdrd.
But read tie extract from the Indiana
prayer:
And, 0 Lord. have mercy ON our legis-
lators BE with them and bless them even
if they know Thee not Spare their lives,
and teach them to glorify Thy name Has
ten them to their homes where they may
direct their attention to good works and
general usefulness among their families and
neighbors. May the people resolve to keep
them there, and in the future elect men Of
sound morals and temperate habits, 50 that
good may hereafter result from legislation
Save the good people of the State from the
disgrace which must follow if this same
crowd should again come here to make
laws. Hear us, Lord. and grant our prayer.
Amen"