The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1860-05-17
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IS a Patriotic Prayer"--"A Nest Eisssen'
rrayer.v

"a Patriotic Prayer"--sA Nest Eissse"'
rrayer.v
Such are the headings which we have 'a'ev
seen heralding recent prayers 1e"ve~
fore political Con ventions We once ns1su =. %
a prnver In Massachusetts, which was oe-
scribed in the sewspapers ~ "she most eso-
ouent prsyer ever addressed TO boston au-
dfencs." This was not 30 strange, perhaps, ~
A region where Il is the received idea that
praver was IN invocation Of the Pilgrim Fa-
theirs. and where is general character in that
of an exhortasion 70 the by-standsrs instead
OF duplication to The Almighty.
IL strikes Us that the custom Of pufting and
publishing prayers IL not In the best possible
taste, nor exactly in accordance with the COM
mon idea Of religious reverence. The clergy
men who delivered The prayers before the late
Conventions At Charleston and Baltimore,
were no doubt greatly shocked to see those
devotional productions in the papers, and to
hear them heralded In terms Of panegyric
more suited 70 ambitious political speeches
than acts Of religious worship. II there Is an
exercise of religion. which more than any
other requires the deepest humility OF the
soul. and to, which the slightest reference to
any other appreciation than that Of God is a
death blow, it is that Of prayer. To enter into
the closet and shut the door, as not even TO
be seen Of men in prayer. is the direction of
Him who knew the human heart to its core,
and who knew that spiritual pride was one of
its most insidious enemies. And, in those
places which have been set apart for public
worship, all the models Of prayer that have
received Divine approval, from that of the
powerful monarch, Solomon, in consecratins
the Jewish temple, to that of the publican,
standing afar on, aud not SO much as lifting
up his eyes TO Heaven, are characterized by
simplicity, humility and penitence. Who
would think OF describing the Lords Prayer
as eloquent. Yet it is the model Of all prayer,
brief and comprehensive, and sublime in its
simplicity.
Let us not be misunderstood We are not
undertaking to criticise the prayers delivered
at the late Convention, nor the ministers by
whom they were offered, one of whom, the
exemplary and distinguished clergyman who
opened the Baltimore Convention, we have the
pleasure Of knowing personally, and who Is
an ornament TO the pulpit OF the Monumental
city. 1t is the publication and the putting,
with which OF course they have nothing to
do, and which no doubt aye kindly intended
by those who thus praise them.) that seem to
us in bad taste. Indeed, we consider the prac
with public prayer one which has more the
appearance than the reality Of religious wor-
ship Except the clergyman himself, few of
his auditors and the reporters, not one man in
a thousand is paying anything but an outward
appearance Of attention TO what he says, and
not only the thoughts, but the words OF many,
are busy with subjects OF any thing but sacred
character. Yet i. has been the common custom
at agricultural fats, political Conventions, and
legislative a.semblagss,t TO open the proceedings
with formal prayer, to which no one could
object, were it not, with the solitary exception
of the clergyman himself mere form and
nothing else. II the immense assemblages
before whom these supplications are delivered
would 60 to church on Sunday, and say their
prayers in the proper place and time, We dare
say the officiating clergy man would he much
more comfortable, and they themselves as
likely to be benefited. as by the present mode of
mixing up prayers with prize cattle and poll