New-York tribune., 1875-07-26
THE COMMON SENSE OF PRAYER.

TIE COMMON SENSE OF PRAYER.
-. Rer George y. Julian Of Netr BEDFORD at Piynovta
NV Church tCongTe9at'OEai.
The Rev. George ". Julian of New-Bedford,
Mass ached yesterday morning AZ Plymouth Church
on the subject Of prayer, presenting what might "e
called The sense view OF IT, Throwing aslde as
utterly without authority the OF formal words now
ever necessary they might ben public places partcu-
laTly-and allowing them only the preroeatye of mere
nreedeut earnestly advocated the most free and ure
ssr,ned coImunca ton with God to Whom, he insisted
tbe Christian should merely appeal for gifts and
hlesias but should make Him sharer of his joys and
his confidence. This the preachers mind was the
real communion. The text taken from Psalms,
cxlv - The Lord Is nigh unto all OF them that call
,ron Him: 10 al that call upon Him IN truth"
This text opens Up subject the preacher said. CON
ceruinc which religious people find some real ditcues
and good many seeming There is but little in the
writings af the New Testament which to found phi
Isophy Of prayer and ther Is attempt 10 meet the
difficulty which find TO rational belief III It's en-
eaey Al the statements Of the Use anG value Of prayer
An the Ribe arc az -rup aud authoritative as this one
have che sen IN MY The burden o them all 50 far
rs the rationale OF pr4yeris concerned Is that which the
Psalmst here u,ters The Lord is nigh unto all them
r., M ruon FIiin. 10 all that call upon Him truth "
So far as belief in and use OF prayer is
an index Of spiritual condition. the religious
history Of the race Ia TO show two forms
Z, which moral deeeneTaey is exhibited in this
,egard The least common Of the two is the dis
IL, If
moi doubt ihM tcFc sfc MANY M-lo nto % ~ ~ up P '0 I
use - nraver altogether as superstition; Du, my oD-
servao so lar lSids me 70 III" 're Ilis MnV ct - ia
dulge m it privately. The truth s believe that there
are more false skeptcs than real ones IN tIs MOlld
siand now may dsavOw belief ~ prayer ana yet
,rder nressure Of old memories aud present urgent
needs pour out his soul before Cod When, however;
the desire of PRAYER has become ooeoie'c ana
the habit Of not pray ing has become az bAed rs
az! os"t'. DC "s,iri-1oI decencracv has begun Again
hefaI
vauts us 10 PRAYER becomes Simply peIfulcl"iy ana
fral reesrd the setfing Of ixed hours OF prayer
positive evil to many persous. Il viii not do 10 quote
frirtfual examples There undoubtedly are men ana
T0aen constituted so TO haotual actions and regular
methods to whom the regular planning OUT OF Geyotons
il lealthful. but their case s moi universal cue Dy any
means. How many are there VINO are aec'ssOhiet 10
such methcdical arTansemenis ot tme N rcslec, 70
other mat,rs And j. II 70 he wondered NJ mat men
pt Z, -teatic by constitution on habt only 0rer prayer
M prcscrhcd times from sense OF dut't
Nosr the difficulties 70 prayer tmhA' can ne re
moved ny earnest Christian common sgnse IA tie
choice times and occasions Of prayer and as to the
fheorotca q in s believe is due 10 two
causes First. undisciplmed logic which leads 10
snts IN advance Of the knowledge OF az tue lacis II the
c",,r.s Vi, n cod some people 20 prayer
talsnln a. Aladdin did his wonderful lamp These have
regard PRAYER az CERTAIN form OF woras "neh
carries a magical power 10 summon Tie DlI me aid
Against this low conception OF ne erica and Vaiue o.
nrsrer the objections advanced IN day by earnest
thinkers are insurn0Gntabb now Is that The IDEA of
prayer when the bioie teaehesi 1InOder- ol ] tnis
10 prevent sickness. II is II of large and gea
err. 1pses should throw himself into company OF
., 1pon and sh"Id -av 10 flern Come and see me
vher Won are in trouble and whenever you lonesome
or need heln way; you Viii always hnd my door
open: my time l. yours am your friend Now sup
pose these persons should debate among themselves the
amount OF money or clothing or 1000 "hich TINS great
would give them how much gratitude would be
II their hearts, And NLa' a iutn conc ,n in7' % tey
have OF their hcnefactor TO debate s1cA question HOW
can Christian man stOop 10 argue about the power
II it does not Il that his motive in talking
to his own fatheri What child earth had IN
mis- father anN Thought ~ 10 the vaae OF
tnat intercourse with him II proportion to the material
good which granted him When see man with
two strong arms ana legs kneeng in prayer
inplOrlng the Lord to grant him his daily
bread then sit waiting fol- The next praying ne as II
God war 10 come in at his door Ike bakers boy and
give him bread that man Is worse than heather.
and il fool II man prays ior health ana heaIIh re
for the cure sickness has been all that it designed
10 be and the answer has all AMI more than the
most trustfu and believing heart hoped for:
That OF prayer is far short of the blessed
truth il plainly exhibited IN the fact u appears 10
that much OF pTayeris is made up Of petitions Not
that il wrong to ask God for blessugs not tna God
does not love 20 have HIS cndien come 70 Hun with
want AID desire and 10 Keep back nothing for fear
o. ts beng foo- or an%oi,l oGt SUPPOSE an the en- IN.
came 90 ask you for gifts. Now this superfciaity
Of the PetitC9aary element OF our % psyei' roe que
where the necessities and needs Of a conge-
Can ever possess in such hearty measure the elements
OF true communion the prayers uttered III the silence
holy spot anywhere Gods round earth Christian
nresde and the unresraned PRAYER there offered has
prayer Prayer in its highest and best FORM therefore,
/ simply, think communion 1t Is the mtsrch,ng Of
Father, and, whether there De anything asked for
not, it is true prayer in either case. Defining
prayer simply communion, one may easily
see how the old restraints and limitations are
weak and worthless The phrases and forms th1t men
have adopted the common methods of prayer nave no
authority 70 restrain cnids utterance 10 hs God and
make 1t according 70 exact ana fashioned forms II there
Is time feel himself justified in the
most utter abandon Of thought and speech u Is IN the
hour OF prayer. The custom OF regarding king' and
hrone anything more than hglrative expressions
has done much to destroy the Influence and due o prayer
No form Of words H. eniOine1. time Ia set,
OF approach prescribed by which who yeaTls for
communion shall mold intercourse with his Father God
don't let mistaken of reverence prevent you from
addressing God Dy Tic more familiar loA, Instead OF
Thou"
but not all prayers words of the mightiest
and most earnest and most blessed prayers on earth,
have been the UnspOken thought When tho is
by storm and the clements battle against the ship.
the wrecked sailor, clinglng 10 broken spar, has
Thought OF The lightning or OF the tempest Tor all thought
and feeling II concentrated III that neice chngng grip
upon the broken The mans whole life ana soul
IN the two arms that are cased around the wood. Such
IL tie Christians tn0u2hrayer IN the hourOf temporal
siI wreck Storms may howl the heavens may be black
oveghead all thought all feeling all desire, all effort, s
summed in the fierce silent struggle lust hold
God end OF the whole matter, then is PRAYER
1s Gods best giit the world Whether sickness be
cured or not whether material ambitious are satisfied
or not whether the special thing asked for il granted
not prayer Is more mighty than ali the forces which rest
IN matter or IN society Let your communion with God
noal. lie understand, other lie viii judge
yOu fairly, however Others may falsely measure TOur
character.
THE POWER BEHIND FAITH AND THE WORD.
J0SsDh Witd az ne Union Congregational Church
lB5ooklyD.
The pulpit Of the Union Congregational
Church, in Em-place, FultOn-aye Brooklyn, yes
terday morning. occupied by the pastor, the Rev.
Dr. Joseph Wild Upon the left hand stood small table
completely covered with vines and upon it was tall
glass fled with flowers. The text taken from