Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1863-11-18
Written for the Newsdealer.
EXCUSE FOR NOT GOING.

hACASE FUN MI uOiNSs
1an afraid to be called upon to pray,
Gays one, or | would 90 to the prayer meet
Ing. Why not pray? Are you too
proud, least you cannot pray as well as
others? Prayer is simply telling God our
wants; it is the cry Of felt needs. Have
you no wants. and if you have, can you
not tell God what they are? Can you
not at least pray as we'll as the Publ
can ? and that was far better than the
Pharisec. 1t is not the length nor clio.
quence of our prayers. that make it
great one, but its sincerity and faith. l
am afraid should fail, if l undertook it.
Suppose you should, would this insure
your reputation with any sensible person?
1t might hurt your pride or vanity, but
could not hurt your character. But are
you willing to be silent member all your
life--a dumb dog that cannot bark? Are
you willing to be a mere cipher in the
church? But you want to learn first to
pray we'll. The way, and the only way
to pray we'll, is by praying. just as the on
ly way to learn to swim. is by swimming,
or learn to write by writing or learn to
skate by skating. You may fall now and
then, but get up and try it over again.
But have not time to attend the prayer
meeting Who gave you all the time you
have? May not he have reserved enough
for your attending to a duty, which he re-
jedms7 Nothing is ever gained by rob-
bling God. Take time for attending, and
you will find it well spent. 1t is too dark,
or wet, or cold, to 60 out nights to the
prayer-meeting. But do you 60 out to
parties or wedding on such a night?
Did the badness of the weather ever pre-
vent your attending any place where you
thought pleasure or gain might be found ?
have seen people 60 to singing-school.
when if you had asked them to attend the
prayer-meeting. they would have made an
excuse in moment. and rather stay at
home than 60. God hears all your ex-
cuses, and they areregistered in his book.
He will settle with you at the judgement.
Would you not go any night twice as
far, if you only knew you could make
twelve dollars? And is not the prayer
meeting as important as business Or pleas
ure? You are neither sugar nor salt that
rain will melt Keep warm heart, and
it keeps of the cold. and prevents any
bad effects. But the praycr-meetings are
not interesting. There are 50 few who
pray, that it makes them less interesting.
Do you attend, and each member Of the
church attend, and be prepared to join in
every hymn, and in every prayer. the in
terest will increase at once. If the meet
ings are 80 cold, give them more fire.
Don't sit away off on the back seat and
scatter all over the room, but come up
near the stand, and sit close together. and
you will keep each other warm. If you
leave the pastor and few females and
one or two old men to attend alone, and
then report that the meetings are dull
and uninteresting. 1t is your own fault
Lay aside all your vain and foolish excus
Is, and just admit the true onc--that you
are cold and back.slidden---and rcpen,
and 10 your first work again, and you
vail be at the next prayer meeting
st.i .8efli .T PRESBYTERIAN.
sre johnson, Oct. 20, 1868. = Hoa
akN IT, 44l.-----A- --.>-.-S----l-----
Gov. SMITH's SrArF-Gov. Smith ha
appointed as his personal staff q a
Samuel w. Thayers Jr, Burlington.
Roswell Farnham, Bradford.
0. N. Elkins, Troy.
II. IT. Powers, Morristown.
.