Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-02-22
The Prayer Meeting.

Whoever leads the meeting-whether |
minister or layman-strikes its key note /
1t is obviously important that heshould be |
in right frame OF mind. That man is pre-
sumptuohs who thinks of conducting the
prayers Of a congregation without suitable
preparation. This is scarcely less necessary
for the prayer meeting than for the pulpit.
There ought always to be plan, only it
must never appear. do not mean that
any fixed and arbitrary set ofgules can be
laid down for the government of prayer
meeting. We may not hope or desire to
control the movings of Gods Spirit, any
more than we can compel the currents of
the air, the waves of the sea, or the rustling
of the forest leaves. Yetwe can and ought
to study to acquire skill, tact in shaping
the direction of thought and feeling, and
be quick to seize and improve every pass
ing circumstance and suggestion. But
whatever would impair in the least degree
the naturalness and spontaneity of the
meeting should be carefully avoided. I'm
less they are natural, our prayer meetings
cannot be social. We are accustomed to
call them social meetings" Alas the
term is often a sad satire. Not seldom
they are unsocial, formal, precise and prop
er. There is no ease, no naturalness, no
freedom. The instant that meeting is
OUT people draw a long breath, form lit
tie groups, or gather around the stove,
shake hands, and have good time. Every
body breathes a genial atmosphere of soc-
atty which was utterly absent from the
service. Now there is no real necessity
that this should be the case. And it would
not if our prayer meetings were so conduct.
ed as to be more simple, informal, and con.
servatiye in their character.
The tendency of prayer meetings is t.
run in ruts, and these are so deep and vel
worn that it is almost impossible to get ou
Of them. The same voices are always heard
frequently the same cut-and-dried prayer
are heard, the same hymns are sung to tn
same tunes, the same stereotyped phrase
are employedin the utterance of exhortatiOl
or experience, and the entire meeting
by monotony as dreamy and tiresome a
the grinding Of a hand organ. Now GU
prayer meetings should represent the col
lectiye gifts and graees Of the whole broth
erhood, and sisterhood also. l believe i
woman's rights to pray and speak in tn
social services Of the church. Never is sh
more truly in her sphere than when he
voice is heard in gentle but powerful plead
ings with the Almighty, or in the low, so
breathings of the souls richest experienc,
And our sisters ought to be encouraged an
even entreated to take their share in tn
duties and privileges of the prayer meetin
So, also, the young, the timid, and the r
firing should be called out. They need
be urged forward, as much as certain OF
ers require to be restrained. ! think
would be well for those very willing pc
pie who are always ready to take up the
cross, by speaking and praying occasion;
ly, to take up another cross and keep sti
Possibly the latter would be the heavier
the two. As in the family gatherings,
love to listen to the tremulous tones of t
aged grand parent, and the round, Fl
voice of mature manhood, but are not t
less pleased with the pratt!e of the childr
and even the lispings ofthe baby; so shol
IL be in the social religious gatherings
the household of faith. The stammer
words of the "babe in Christ" mingleswe
" with the triumphant shout of the EXP
fenced veteran of the cross.