Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-06-07
AIayman on Prayer MEETING.

Exceptions may fairly be taken to one
or two points made by this correspondent;
as, for instance, that preparation for the
meeting in the case of those who propose
to take part is generally impossible"-for
where is the christian who cannot find
some chance to collect his thoughts and
kindle his soul for the prayer meeting p
or that "all the brethren should be active
participants for even good people may
be intolerably tedious and stupid. But he
shall be heard, for the most that he says is
excellent:
When the prayer meeting becomes the
organ of the few, the time is at hand when
it will be dead even to them. And yet
there are multitudes of such among u.s.
Without great watchfulness and care the
meeting will be handed over to the minis
ter and deacons, and cease to manifest the
life and minister to the needs of the great
body of the church. Ministers, no doubt,
sincerely regret this state of affairs, but are
they careful enough to draw out and en-
courage the weak, the halt, the slow of
speech, the ignorant, the little ones" of
their hocks? Those having ten talents
are encouraged to use them, but are not
those who have but one allowed to hide it
in a napkin?
We believe that ministers are apttO look
at the matter from a professional stand
point. 1t is teaching, they think, that peo-
pie want facts, explanations, doctrines,
commentaries. But the real need is exer-
cise-use of such material as they already
possess. The sermon is the proper place
for religious teaching, the prayer meeting
for religious practice In the latter, peo-
pie should meet to compare notes, to relate
experiences, to discuss plans OF christian
work, to cultivate christian fellowship, to
strengthen and quicken their sympathies,
to unite their hearts in desire and suppl
cation for common and especial blessings
and needs. No culture, no thought, no
patient endeavor, no earnestness of pur-
pose on the part of the pastor can do much
for a church. Its growth is as much from
within as is that of tree
The great need of prayer meeting is
naturalness, spontaneity, life. If a few
members monopolize the meeting, as we
said, that is a morbid condition whose only
result is death. If the pastor takes the
time which belongs to the brethren, the
meeting is just as effectively killed. It will
avail nothing that the leader invites all tC
participate, and quotes, "Whcre the spirit
of the Lord is, there is liberty There
can be no liberty Of utterance unless there
is genuine thought and emotion to utter
This can be had in one of two ways. Eth
er by careful preparation and forethough
on the part Of members, or else through
the rapid exchange of ideas The first i
generally impossible. The second is tn,
way the enthusiasm of a crowd in the stree
is stirred up, each one helping to fire hi
neighbor 1t would seem then that th
pastor should not habitually lead the meet
ing. In any case he should not claim NOR
time than others should properly take
The leader should not allow any one to cx
coed the understood limits. 1.-THE time
not occupied, let him promptly close tn
meeting. This will not happen man
times. If an hour can't be proftably pass
ed, use half an hour, or even less. LC
d. people 90 with a little unsatisfed appetit,
They will come next time hungry. At a
events, at all hazards, throttle these stupiC
stereotyped affairs, called whether in tn
spirit Of pleasantly or of bitter satire, ''sc
' cial meetings. III. E. W. in 1dr1ncl.