The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1874-04-17
STREET PRAYING.


EdIt9nottho lntsligencCr. .
1t seems that at least three writer
have taken In hand 10 reply 10 my article
IN the INTRLLtGBNCER oI Monday last
AS the general tone Of these writers Il
respectful and courteous, shall endeayoi
TO deal with them In q like spirit. What.
ever | may think Of their reasoning,
readily grant that they are deeply In ear.
nest, and so far OF least, feel bound ia
treat their ulterRnCes with the greatest
respect Nay, It Is with much regret that
! ieel constrained 10 ,litTGt With them at
all, l hone, therefore, that no harm, but
good, may growout Of this discussion; and
II IN the end should prove to BIO III the
wrong, l trust that ! shall have the mag
nanimity. openly and franklyto acknowl-
edge It. But | cannot see the matter in
this light at present. =
As TO tho correct Interpretation OF the
9th chapter Of 81, Matthew, '5th and On
verses, ! presume that there need be but
Hlueditheulty with any one not under a
previous bidS 10 understanding ia true
meaning. 1twill be understood thai these
words were addressed 10 the disciples"
Of our Lord; that he had no occasion for
calling them "hypocrites," and did moi;
but desired merely to guard them against
a very common aud Objectionable practice
Of that day-that Is, the practice OF pray.
ing Internationally, In public places, Tor
the purpose OF getting the reputation Of
extraordinary piety. a "a
But you will observe that our Saviour
does not say to his disciples, "Be not
hypOCrites;N but The not az The byno-
critics" BE not Nks them. Act NOT as
they 10. Do not put yourselves in a false
position, no matter how worthy your OBJ.
1eCtr lest your motives should be I'M
pugned. BE advised as general rule that
privacy and retirement should be sought
Tor In prayer; rule with which his own
conduct, as well as that OF his apostles,
wasin entire accord throughout the whole
course of their history, if we except The
occasions on which they were engaged
either In synagogue or temple worship.
This, however, was public worship, under
proper sanctions and restrictions, and
therefore legitimate, as the like worship
Is at the present day. s-
Let me now advert to the passages Of
scripture quoted by one Of your cores
spondents against what IhaYe shown 10
be a general rule laid down by Christ
himself. he quotes "Acts /, "a" This
transition took place in an supper room"
certainly not on the street. "Acts 12, 12in
This took place in "the house of Mary
the Mother Of john" "Acts 10, 10"
This was "out Of the city, by a river side
wherc'prayGr was wont 10 be made"-a
retired spot where tho Christians were in
the habit Of holding their usual Sabbath
worship. This writer then has been SIN |
gularly unfortunate 10 his citations. An
other writer cites the case OF Daniel
praying with his window open" He
was In his private chamber, and while he
did not seek strict privacy, neither did he
seek publicity. There were peculiar rea.
sons in this case. He did not wish 10
neglect his duty on the one hand, or shun
responsibility on the other. 4
Now take the example Of Christ. Ex-
cept when in the temple, or synagogue,
was II not his constant practice TO retire
Tor prsyerE Did he not go 10 the noun
tain, and into solitary places ? Did he
not, then, on one occasion at least, Soon
tinue all night in prayer?" Did he notI
even in the garden Of Gethaemane retire
from the presence OF his apostles, his
most intimate friends, while he went
away 10 pray yonder," once, twice, thrice?
Indeed, l do not reColect single occa.
sion on which Christ ever made a for.
NAL, set prayer, except in comparative
retirement, at least, and certainly never
upon the public streets. And why i?
Simply because he felt privacy and re-
tirement indispensable in order 10 secure
that calmnesS and composure which is |
necessary to prepare individuals for so |
solemn an act. Are the ladies stronger
than he?
Well, there Is Peter again. He "went
upon the house top" and Paul and his
iriends-did they pray In the streets be-
fore they separAtedg No; but they re.
tired ito the seaside" They did not court
observation, but they avoided il. It is
useless to cite certain practices of the
present day unless they be found in con-
formity with the spirit, at least, Of the
scriptures.
Now in regard to the ladies, I have
given them full credit for pure motives,
and exhorted them not 10 put Themselves
In a false position. have raised no other
issue In regard TO the temperance ques-
ton, except that Of street praying; nor do
expect to, my sympathies beng alto
gether on the side OF the temperance cause,
so far at least as 1t seems to me to be con.
Quoted on Christian principles, but no
further. AS to my record on the temper
snce question, l am willing 10 leave that
with those who know me best.
The expedienCy Of my objecting, at tbs
time, TO q practice which is believed by
great many sensible people to be contrary
not only to the letter but to the spirit Of
Christianity, will doubtless be called in
question by tome. But Tor my own part,
never could see how good cause could
suffer from reasonable Efforts to save It
from contempt. ]. Il. McMEcnEN.
FIGURES FOR CRusADERs.-The dislil-
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