The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-10-26
PnAIsE mnnr.

DIR. NEyINs ol Baltimore, oneo wrote
an article with this heading, which had
awide circulation, and stirred many
Christian hearts to praise. Some parts
of it arc well worth republishing. as
setting forth q Christian duty too often
neglected. lie says:
| strikes mo that We ought to
PRAISE more as well as Pray more. l
do not know that have great deal
for which TO be thankful and to praise
God. Ifcel that it will not do for me
70 spend all my breath in praying. /
Should thus, it is true, acknowledge
my dependence on God; but where
would be the acknowledgement Of his
benefits conferred On me ? L must
spend q part of my breath in praise.
God has been very good 10 me. Yes,
He has exercised goodness towards me
in all its various forms of pity, for
bcarance, care, bounty, grace and
mercy; or to express all in one word,
God is love" and He has heon love
TO me.
| do not know why he should have
tredted mo 50 kindly. have sought,
but could find no reason out. Of him
self. / conclude il is because he "de-
ligbteth in mercy" l think shall be
able, without wearincss, to spend eter-
nifty on the topic Of ivfhe love and
goodness.
Shall VIC not PRAISE God2 Shall
all our devotion consist in prayer p
shall VIC be always thinking of our
wants and never oi His benefts-al-
ways dwelling on what remains to be
done, and never thinking Of what has
been done for us-aIways nttering de-
sire, and never expressing gratitude
eXpending all our voice in suppliea-
ton, and none Of it in song? Is this
the way to treat a benefactor? No!it
is not JUST so to treat him; neither is
ii WISE. 1t is very bad policy to
praise no moro than Christians in gen
eral do. They would have much
more success in prayer if ono-haf the
time they now spend in it were spent
in praise. ] do not mean they pray
too much, butthat they praise too lit
tie. / suspect that the reason why
the Lord did such great things for
the Psalmist, was, that while he was
not by any means deficient in prayer,
he abounded in praise. The Lord
heard his PSALMS, and while he sung
Of mercy shown, showed him more
And it would be just SO with us,if We
a6oqnded more in praise and thanks.
giving. 1t displeases God that we
Should be always dwelling on our
wants, as if lie had never supplied one
OF them. r- assa
How do we know that God is not
waiting for US 10 praise Him fora BEN
eft he has already conferred, before
lie will confer on US that other which
we may now be 50 earnestly desiring
OF Him. For one who Offers genuine
praise, there may be found ten who
pray. Ten lepcrs lifted up their
voices together in the prayer, Jesus,
master, have mercy on u.s." but only
one of the ten returned to give glory
to God. The rest were satisfied with
the beneft-this one only thought
gratefully OF the benefactor,-
Praise is altogether the superior ex-
ercise of the two. Prayer may be al
together selfish in its origin, but praise
is ingenious. Praise is the employ
mcnt of Heaven. Angels praise; the
spirits of the just made perfect, praise.
We shall BotaIways pray, bntwe shall
ever praise. l charge thee, my sonl,
to praise Him, and He will never let
thee want matter for praise. while
l live l will praise the Lord: | will
sing praises unto my God while lhave
any being"