The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1874-04-13


may be able 10 do with fewer. But maintain that
IL Is essential 70 the preservation high toned re-
ligious health that we should all have some stated
seasons c0nsecrated to devotion. And IL Is the
more necessary 10 insist upon his In the present
day, because, rs regards this subject, we
are passing througha period OF reaction winch Is
not without It's dangers. Our fathers we've very
exact in their attention To the duties OF the closet
but they somewhat lost sight OF the Importance OF
sinctiy and definitely tue line between the secular,
so-caled. and the sacred. and they seemed TO
overlook the fact that there Is worship oil GOD, as
real aud acceptable, In the performance OF ordi-
nary business aud the discharge or daily domestic
e 9 70 Ge 81 the
reaction ron that. we are, now la danger
lar religious authors are Continually tell
ing us that we may continually serve
God anywhere. tnat there ls worship in working
Tor Em, and that We ought TO make our entire
livcs so many hymns OF praise or offerings OF
prayer to Him. Now there Is truth in all thar,
TOO. Yet We must not allow II TO oveflay TINS
either truth, that We can only mai ntain con-
by observing stated seasons OF communion win
Cod. The apostolic precept, 'Pray without
ceaslng" must not be so eApounded as to explain
away the Injunction OF the Master himself. ENTER
into ny closet and shut thy door" And the duty
OF serving God at all times and on all days should
not be so en- orced as to rule out OF every day the
sun n0ur o. the closet 10 shut out OF every week
the special and peculiar blessing OF the sabbath.
Yet IL Is undeniabe that tins IS Just the tendency
OF much that Is SAID and written on the subject at
Il IS airirmed for example, that it is not nearly
so important go into the closet as 1t Is to have
the whole lie prayerlui anu that 1t IS not OF so
much consequence TO give an exalted and peculiar
character TO the Sabbath as 1t Is TO make a Sab
bath out OF every day. But business man, ike
Daniel, bringing nis common sense to bear upon
thus matter, brushes away all these specl0us aud
nne spuu utterances as easily as one slips from MS
path the gossam OF the morning. de sees at
once that the issue or such course, instead or
bringing ali the day up to the level or the coset
hnl b.
bath. VIII inevitably be TO sink the whole into the
depths OF earIhiness and sin. He knows
the law OF his being, and that, II he set that
at defiance, disaster must ensue. The tear and
wear 81 the day mas TO be repaired by the sleep Of
the night, and the exhaustion OF laOOr necessltates
tue regular observance OIL set times lor the taking
OF ioOd Now, 1t Is qlite similar IN reference to
spiritual things The maintenance OF vigorous
religious lie demands the stated enjoyment OF the
privilege, OF the closet. We should ruin our phys
zeal constitutions II we were TO give up our regular
meas and then nave TO preserve our health by
carrying In our pockets supply oil 1000 from
which we should keep helping ourselves con-
tinuously all through the day. And we cannot
but destroy our plety ii, ignoring the closet we
seek to substitute for 1t the mere extempOre eJacu
atons prayer which are crushed ont Of us BY the
emergencies VI business as they arise. The truth,
rather, Is that we can only hope to MAINTAIN
the spirit which Will dispose us 10 such ejacula-
lions, when they are required by the steady o0-
servance OF the duties oil the closet. When the
tide Is out you have found sometimes upon
tne dry and naked rock, beneath the warm rays oil
the summer sun, marine creatures IN state OF
vigorous lie, so tnat the moment you touched
them they showed wonderful activity. But they
lived only because when, twice each day, the
waves came ioaming over them they opened their
mOu ms to drink III water enough to last them dur
ing the hours OIL eDb. sEven SO we can preserve
our spiritual strength during the business day,
only by seeking al stated seasons TO replensh our
sous from the oceans mercy tnat 1ows
Christ ,ty Our an Lord. Or taking an illustra
ton from business Itself; during the busy hours
OF the forenoon we may have occasion to SEND fire.
fnlo fn MOI n a n nt
But these kilograms can only continue and be IN
telligble SO long as they are supplemented by The
evening mall And so 1T is the duty, as IT Is the
privilege OF the believer, all through the day to
send TO his Father brief, telegram-like dispatches,
like that which was sent to Nehemiah while. he
held the Kings cup before the Persian monarch
But we snail only be sustained In making ali these
continuous CALCULATIONS habltua by maintaining
unbroken the iulier and more confidential CORE
spondence OF the closet. Hence, II the men on our
exchanges and in our stores would only Ding their
prayer, they should form Daniels habit OF having
set times i0r devotion.
But, remark, secondly, that tine business man
taxes his business habits with him into the closet.
Ii Is q maxim among all commercial men that,
whatever is worth oolng at all Is worth doing well.
Now, there be anything in prayer at all, there IS
much in IL as to deserve the concentration on
1t iOr the time OF our whole souls. II there be
nothing in prayer at all, then we need not disturb
ourselves In the matter. We need not even DO SO
mucn as to engage III periunctory aud formal
observance OF prayer; but II there be anything IN
it-and with the Bible in our hands we are bound
to believe that it not only most sacred duty but
the most exalted privilege 0l our llves-then, we
oaght to make 1t real thing by giving ourselves
wloily TO 1t for the time. This was what DANIEL
aid. You observe IN this ninth chapter o.
OF the prophecies Of jeremiah, and how his prayer,
which Is here given. rises up out OF and IS founded
upon study Of the Word OF God. Moreover, you
see how ne goes directly to tine object which ne
has before him, which is as BRIEF as pointed and
as precise as business letter. He did not say, as
q q n raframnnt nrpSaed
time to-day and have so many things waiting in
my office Tor my attention that cannot stay TO
prayer.n Nay, rather, he had so arranged his
business as to secure time for the reading OF the
And when he went into his closet he performed
these duties with as much energy and thorough
ness as lie displayed IN his official bureau
BUSINESS NOT TO EXCLUDE PRAYER.
Now in all this he was an example for us. We
have no right to MI our heads and our hearts so
much with business as to crowd out the closet
ledgers and with our order books We ought to
make place and to keep it sacred for our private
devotOns. Otherwise 1t VIII be the worse both for
our prayers ana for our business. When q tne0-
logical student was one morning reproved for
coming late into his class ne merely replied to the
professor, 81 could only have come IN time by
emitting to engage in my private devotions;" and
his teacher refused to accept the excuse, saying
THAT ought you to have done and not to leave
this undOne." And the teacher Was right. for the
youth ought to have arranged so that he could
have done both. But If 1t be wrong to neglect the
no less wrong TO slur over the performance OF our
secret devotlons on the plea Jnat urgent business
Is calling us away. The only true, methodical plan
Is so to arrange that due and proper attention
shall be given by us TO both. And, my brethren, II
we had anything like right idea OF the benefit
which comes TO US in our business from The incOn.
venience OF the quiet morning hour with God, we
would as soon think OF setting out without our
customary meals as OF leaving our homes without
prayer lie who, as he leaves his house, goes into
MS garden and pucks fragrant flower winch he
puts in to his Duttonnole carries with him all day
the perfume OF the conservatory, and ever and
anon, In the intervals OF labor, he becomes con-
scous OF Its sweetness. SO ne who enters into his
closet In the early day carries ABOUT with him
throughout it an od0r that comes from the
Paradise OF God; and evermore, amid the
latIgulng labors that crowd upon him,
It's door strengthens and reffesnes him. II could
never have got along" said Christian merchant
to his pastor dufng the late panic; 81 could never
have got along If 1t had not been Tor prayer" An
II the support which comes INTO the soul through
fellowship with God were more thoroughly be-
lleved among US we should very seldom hear 1t
said, II nave no time Tor prayer.n No time TO
pray? Say rather no time To sleep, no time To
eat Yea, let the hours consecrated TO devotion pc
the very last that you will allow TO be InrlDged
upon. Then. when you are in the closet, DO as