Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1877-05-09
Letter to a Ladies' Prayer-meeting.

bettef 10 iauleS GTayer'neetlng.
ny PRor. A. PHELPS, AxpovEH Seminary
My DEAR FRIENDS 1T has often been in
my thought to express to you the value
which, as one of the pastors of our church,
attach to your meeting, and to its influence
as one of the po,oerS wdh GOD, with which
this church is blessed. | can scarcely do
this better than by relating an incident
which the late Rev. DIR. Kirk once told me
from his own experience.
lie had been invited to become the pastor
of church in Albany. 1t had neither
wealth, nor numbers, nor historic prestige.
II had barely a name. He could not see it
to be the call of Providence, that he should
give his life to such a church, when almost
any metropolitan pulpit in the land was at
his command. He declined the call, and the
next morning went to the station to take his
final departure from the city. He was there
met by a committee of the church, who were
waiting to ask him to reconsider his decis-
ion. They told their story anew; of the
great necessity of his abors to build up their
church, of the union and enthusiasm OF the
people, of the prospect of increase, and all
else by which they hoped to persuade him
to accede to their wishes. He remained un-
moved. At length, in illustration of the
spirit of the people, they told him incident
ally that three ladies OF the church had spent
the whole of the preceding night in prayer
that God would give DR.. Kirk to the city of
Albany and that they felt assured that
their prayers would not be in vain.
He was so deeply impressed by that cir
cumstance that as he told me, he did not
dare to persist in his negative without fur
ther light. That praying trio Might they
not be the "two or three" to whom the
promise of God was pledged Should he
take the risk of defeating it lie would
not do it. lie returned to the home in
which he had been guest considered anew
the question of remaining in Albany; yet
saw no new facts aud no fresh intuitions of
Gods will, except that occurrence of three
praying women initiating Christ in spend
ing all night in prayer. On the strength of
that single incident he resolved to accept the
call, aud he said that he did so in the assur-
ance that the movement of the Holy Spirit
upon these three minds was forerunner of
a work of divine grace among the people of
Albany. The issue was that his ministry
thereof ten years duration, | think-was
spent in an almost unbroken revival.
Such was DIR. Kinks estimate of a ladies'
prayer-meeting, as an auxiliary to pastor,
and blessing to a church, through the
whole of his ministry; and it is the more
valuable because few men have reflected
more maturely than he, or with richer expe-
rience, upon the pastoral office and its helps
Similar in kind, if not in degree, is the esti
mate of the value of such meeting by all
our most successful pastors.
The power of such meeting, like other
silent and unobtrusive forces, is apt to be
underrated. Like gravitation, it makes no
noise. Like the nocturnal revolution of the
earth, it does not disturb the most sensitive
sleeper. Even they whose low voices set it in
motion may often find it hard to realize to
themselves the grandeur of the work they
are doing. Yet they are doing more than to
move planet in its orbit. If We shall say
unto this mountain, Be thou cast into the
sea, it shall be done" Spiritual results are
given to prayer, more marvellous than mir
acles intrinsically more improbable than
the leaping OF Himmalaya into the ocean.
Sometimes it appears as if the greatness of
the results were in inverse proportion TO the
strength of the instrument, aud to the re-
Spect which the world feels for it as ii God
were resolved to honor it the more for the
worlds distrust.
Let me assure you that for one prize the
power you are exerting, as one of the re-
sources of this seminary more highly than
should prize the Influx of numbers or endow-
ments OF gold That home is blessed in
which such meeting is held. That institu-
tion is strong which has such an auxiliary
IN its approaches to God.
The longer live the more profoundly
am impressed with the conviction that the
mightest power ever put forth III this world
is this mysterious influence with God, which
is at the command OF the poorest aud the
teebest OF us. | have thought that valua-
ble essay might be written on Prayer as a
Means OF Usefulness by luvalids," TO whom
Christian work is 10 longer possible. No
Christian soul need be idle in this world, so
long as power is left, 50 much as to lift ST.
lent eye to heaven, in expression of holy de-
sire, 1t is cheering to us in our conscious
feebleness, to think that the greatest good
we ever do, or can do, is the good which we
reverently induce God to do. The power is
from him. The work is through him; the
results return to him. Yet the electric touch
is ours; "The souls sincere desire, uttered
or unexpressed."
Such is our privilege of oo-working with
God, through the simplest impulses of holy
and reverent friendship. He does not keep
the great secret from us.
Scientists tell us that the force of the pul.
sations of a human heart is measured by the
weight of tons in the space of twenty-four
hours. If all the beats of your heart in one
day of time could be concentrated into one
great throb, that throb would be sufficient
to throw ton of iron hundred and twenty
feet into the air. A truthful symbol is this
OF the spiritual energy which human soul
may put forth in converse with the Most
High. Besides, we do not need for it, u
I for Of t.,u. ta...
As our hearts beat so silently that we do not
hear them, so healthfully that we do not
feel them so our daily aud hourly wishes
expressed in impromptu prayer may achieve
in fragments, results which, in the aggregate
almost frighten us by their possible magni
tude. What are tons of iron heaved int
the air in comparison with the spiritua
achievements which God offers when h,
says "Ask what ye will aud it shall b'
done unto you ?"
Rev. Dr. Haven, of Chicago, once told IN,
that specific answers TO prayer had been Sc
largely the rule of his experience rathe
than the exception, that he had learned tC
be cautious what he prayed for, lest h'
should receive in answer things which h'
had desired ignorantly, but which woulC
} prove TO be no blessing.
In the light OF such conceptions of tn,
power which the very act of your union with
J Christ puts into your hands, such meeting
} M yours is the right arm of the church.
have not doubt that God so regards it
When the eye of men is fascinated by tn,
more imposing instruments or aecompani
ment of great work, by the overpowernl
sermon, the immense assembly, the profound
book cannot doubt that the eye of angels
! 10 whom is given insight into the hidden re