Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1870-11-08
The Fulton St. Prayer Meeting.
THE GREAT WANT.

The Fulton ST. prayer Meeting.
THE GREAT WANT.
1t is dwelt upon in the meeting. 1t is
breathed in the prayers which are offered.
II is spoken in the remarks which are made,
that the great want now of all christians
and all churches is, the outpouring of the
Holy Spirit. This is the great want. We
must have it. The land is prepared-the
seed is sown. The heavenly rain tarries,
and while it does, all comes to desolation.
The heavens are brass and the earth is iron.
We, as christians-ou families, our Sab
bath schools and our churches-need that
the windows of heaven shall be opened,
and the rain of the Heavenly Grace shall
be poured down upon us. Shall this bless
ing be bestowed?
1t never will be, unless we feel our need
of it-never till we pray for it-never till
we appropriate it as the greatest blessing
which could be bestowed. And how ready
is God to give the Holy Spirit to them that
ask him ?-more ready than we are to give
good gifts 10 the children we love. What
father does not love to give?
81 have church," said a clergyman
with whom am holding a season of pro-
tracted religious services, and so far with
no satisfactory results. We see no fruit
of our labors thus far. The members of
the church are cold and dead. Infdelity
and irreligion abound Two littleSabbath
school scholars arose for prayers on a late
occasion, and four or five still later; and
all the feeling we have seen manifested has
been in the Sabbath school. Will you pray
that God in mercy shall pour out upon us
his Holy Spirit?'
An elderly clergyman arose and prayed
earnestly for the minister of the Gospel,
who Lad just taken his seat, that his own
heart might be greatly revived and strength
ened and be filed with the Spirit, and be
able so to preach that his people must fee
and could not misunderstood. HI thank.
ed God that two and more of the Sabbath
school felt their need Of An interest il
Christ He prayed that God would open
window in heaven and pour down the rail-
of his grace from on high. He prayed tina
all the members of this church might b.
greatly revived, and that mercy and peac
might be greatly multiplied among them.
Another said-"This great want must b
satisfied in answer to prayer. We mus
ask and we shall receive; we must see
and we shall find; we must knock and
shall be opened unto Us.
"Prayer makes the darkcned clouds withdraw
Prayer climbs the ladder Jacob saw,
And Satan trembes when he sees
The weakest saint upon his knees
''Shall we have anotherlpentecostaI We,
such as we had in 1857 and 1858? Sha
we cry for it unto God, and give him Il
rest til! he rain righteousness upon US
Who does not see that our great need
this mighty baptism Of the Holy Ghost
We must have it p
CALL TO PRAYER.
"What is the urgent duty of the hour
said one, rising instantly to his feet. at
prayer-prayer such as prevailed in Il
prayer meeting which preceded that mig
ty outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the d.
of Pentecost. Prayer will lead US to fe
our need of it. Prayer leads us to knc
how to pray-just as it required saved nj
to save men. Prayer leads TO the true spi
itual perception of the great want viii,
is upon us. We must pray more. We a
dying-famishing for the rain of heave
We must have the blessed shower, and '
may have it, not as in 1857 and 1858, b
as never before. Why not? The heave
are full of the mercies of the Lord-ou
for only the asking. Ask, that We may r
ceive and that your JOY may be full, is o
divine warrant from our divine Head. r
vivals, such as the world has never see
are in store for us, if we will only pray
them. Think Of the thousands of souls IT.;
around us ready to perish. No humi
power can save them. Prayer will secu
that mighty and mysterious agency tn
can save our friends and our neighbC
from the jaws of eternal death. All o
prayers will be in vain, if we rely on the
If we rely on any save the Spirit Of God
sanctify and save, these souls will contin
to be as hard as the neither milestone. I
the Spirit of God can break the finty he
in pieces. In moment all this indifl
ence can be scattered.
Come, all we that fear and believe
Lord, let us cry nightly to him for Il
greatest of all blessings-the outpouring
the Holy Spirit. There are good promi
for us to lay hold Of Over all the ca
our prayers should go up to God to h
us.7-N J. Observer.