New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-11-21
THE PRAYER-GAUGE.
NOVEMBER MEETING OF THE BOSTON RADI-
CAL CLUB.

LEWIS, WIN. LLOYD GARRISON, AND OTHERS
IFRoM REGULAR CORRESPONDENT OF THE TRIBONEl
BosToN, Nov. 19.-In spite of the ruins when
smodered on the side Of Boston, the West side was
bright with sunshine yesterday, and saw no change
in the quaint Old-fashioned parors at Dr. Bartols'
where the November Radical Club assembled itself to-
efher consider the meaning and usefulness OF prayer
Dr. Barto himself the essayist and his subject was
"The Prayer Gauge" suggested by Prof. TyndalTs
rnuchtalked-abOut proposition to subject the use OF
prayer to an experimental scientific test.
Does PRAYER, asked the good Doctor. make any ar,
Shall we have more or other for asking some belng
we soS S GSa ot by pra 19nK against law That ask
inc God 20 deny himself; for what rs Jaw 9ut 1Ou ~
my friend NV race. NV land also demands cOntradic
ton OF Gods nature which Is E Id Tho rain or
call that prayerf It is teazing How cOuu VIZ 1 oa
dTouth cease, the morning come sooner TO my weary
child from dToVpng the horse plague TIL Il has
had its course, save by repeal OF Jaws O O w,
chaos while the and moon keep their places and
the basin Of the sea remains II were a ee be %
or make the streams run up hui. 10 Deseech Goa 10
PRAYER has been dciied as desire. But then how
shallow 10 must be- and how transitory What we desire
to-day do not desire tomorrow In the advance OF
oharactcr'our wishes fan from US as we go on until we
no longer say wish - hut conform 20 the plans
marked OFT for us as the planets move IN their appointed
pathswlthOut seeking 70 escape longing only to give
OF the endless servceppe through which flows the
lasting purpose Is not this then the true prayer-thls
world were arrested development but for the appear
OF the human actor, TO dominate the rest he
brings into existence new species OF plants by bis roster
ing; OF animals by his breeding He builds houses-he
sails he the exponent Of the uses OF the
world. the illustrator Of its beauty It Is man who
makes az pigments, pictures of marble statues; ne is
co creator ana IN me aeconplshmeht OF MS Designs
10 have abored is to have prayed. The whole OF Ma
higher what is this perpetual aspiration but per
petual prayer This instructive yearning OF a spirit
horse, and with but little longer tether in the man,
conscious of wings to unfold and mount upward 10 INC
Cherubim. is silent suppicatOn, which matches that
graudes spoken petition, Thy viii be done" the Will
Of something rise toward not to bow TO- Itmeans
ransfguration Christ mountain Jacobs Ladder Fa-
ther forgive them" know not the heart of OmnipO-
told what It feltproved the heart Of the universe not
wrathfu reyengefu though doubtless the crueihers
suffered the penalty Of their deeds. Science OF stop
prayer because there is no final statement OF laws and
scicntE is hut provisional bishop, even in his own
realm. Mr. Mill thinks that not only morals but mathe
MATES may be different in some other world we are
S Hs ~ WHOM mndwt6oat seeing no
light, without hearing no sound-the sun ana moon are
our servants, to be dismissed when we can pc better
served and own ann at perfection Is as much law
OF Orion be loOsed. Every struggle atter purer
ia prayer But prayer that is not a want
but wish Tor private gam n9t pHO goOI sPenS on
regards The real appeal to the Most High is i'm
are Himself motion It is a reaching toward Him, to
1Out whchon the ground Of an everlasting title IN the
Of the universe the part Of shallow BRAIN No prayer
IS an act OF fath WHICH mas warrant 70 act as much as
any organ. IL rs an experiment according TO
q noWef that conSfrains God were not his law his
frCdOm. With prayer God has completely u IS an ad-
dress 20 the throne moved by the king.
Ills bad 10 see how IL eoud be instituted ike chemi-
cal one all the conditions requisite TO an infubta-
laws Of health disease concusiyely 10 exclude
the possibility that part and parcel OF them not be
that mixture Of divine and human will which we cal
prayerthOugh any attempt 10 appropriate or peryert
and impions offer Of SIMON Mac1s to buy the Holy
Ghost The Lords PRAYER has been as real power
in the world that which raised the Alps
without consideration o. the nature of the
Being TO whom we pray there be true prayer.
Hath not the potter Dower' said Cavinstic mother
SesscI 70 honor and another 70 dishonori7 Madam"
the reply God Is cot potter" Neither is He a
trader, selling much blessing Tor so much enteay.
No deusiOn Is blessed Fear az the truth is unbelief
Gn the Confessions OF Beautiful SOul" Goethe writes
shat champions ot religion require examples OF
prayer actually heard But the Fair Saint as Car
the true feeling Doe! I mover returned empty when in
Itrats and oppres SION / called on Gods.
The discussion which followed quite animated
,1e. The Rev. Samuel LOHgiellow thought that the
Prayei-Gauge proposition referred only prayerEfOr
physical results, and this seemed nOt TO be at all
20 those who underst0odrhe word IN its deeper meaning
pf spiritual aspiration. We can each Of US tell what
prayer as. and know whether not 1t is
aeed OF our natures The truest PRAYER that which
,fers ourselves channels for the divine will. Our
English friend, M Lewis, spoke with much feeling in
avOr Of actual 1ii0n-t0r direct and cognzable ends
10 dsbeeve IN The efficacy Of such prayer would be, he
thought to abandon ourselves 20 atahsm. He used by
way Of illustration the prayer Of the mother at the bed
dde OF her dying child. IneXOrabe RadicalClub logic
IL the person OF Mr.. Whpple. here reminded
aim that the diving children, whose bedsides the pray
srs were offered, did But If the child were
out kept alive one hour longer by praying Mr. Lewis
reoined surely the prayer lost IL should not
DC the descendants Of the Puraus, who settled these
shores that they might pray here in such wise as IL
pleased them, who should esteem prayer of small &C
count Had the who had accomplished great things
the world been praying men, or had they notf VIM
LloydGasOh said the old notion Of prayer seemed 10 him
libel on GOd-8s If He needed something TO stir Him up
-asifIt was not enough for Him to needs. He
had never In his long struggle against American Slavery
thought Of praying to God 10 abolish itthat task be-
longed to the American people. II there is danger Of
fataism on the hand there not danger Of super
stiton and creduBty on Is there anything
uncertain in God, that should ask Him to change His
appointments How dare the mother pray that her
child may live Why her child more than anOther's
Why not accept scknc ss-lcccpt death-accept loss
This to-day another tomorrow seems good to
the Great Teacher. Assuming that God is infinitely
good, infinitely wise why not assume that uncon
strained by eureates, He viii, Of Himself, do the
best He cant What have we to ask save the good
will, OF which already assuredi II God
be omniscient aud Omnipresent, what Ia there
Of need Of desire which can communicate to Him
Just in proportion sit in darkness do we indulge
u vain repeiitOns II we have already received the
power OF ocomOtOn do need 20 ask God to enable
10 walki To tits the Rev. Mr. Wilson made answer "n
II rain If it pour and my cup is bottom eide up, with
what draught shall quench my thirst Prayer is my
struggle 20 get my cup right side up" And so the ball
Of discussion was tossed 70 and fro but STILL fancy
prayer will be ruled Of court and the mothers
Sod bless YOU" and the friends God help you, win
be- a. long as humanity lasts the souls instructive cry
IN i'm IN