St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1879-04-25
The Dead-Prayer Office.

The Dead-Prayer Office.
What becomes of all the unanswered
letters Thousands of them find their
way to the Dead-letter Office. Some
never reach the person for whom they
are intended because the postage is not
paid some fail because they are di-
rected to the aUrOng office; some can
not be sent because the address is iHeg-
IDLE and some because the matter in
closed in unavailable. These float around
through the mails, are examined at diff
ferent offices, marked "missent," and
finally they fall into the Dead-letter
Office. There they are opened and read
and, if valuable, are forwarded, if not,
thew are given to the flames. Such is
the accuracy and skill of the postal of
ficials that very few valuable letters
ever fail of reaching their destination.
There is in Gods government, too, a
grand postal system, and our prayers
are letters sent through the spiritual
mails. And there must be "Dead-
prayer Office" into which many of our
prayers fall, or there would not be so
many remaining unanswered. Some
go to the "Dead-prayer Office" because
the postage is not paid; "thy prayers
and thine aims have come up for a me-
mortal before God" was said of Corne-
Illus. His aims was the "stamp" bear
ing the image of the heavenly, and it
was accepted on every route, recOgniz-
ed at every station, and forwarded by
every official. The man who is too
stingy to pay postage does not deserve
an answer from his friend, and the pc
titiOner to God who is so lacking in
charity as not to "stickn his aims upon
his prayer, need not be surprised if his
communication finds its way into the
''Dead-prayer Office"
Some prayers never reach God be-
cause they are not addressed to Gods
office. They are directed to the audi
ence. Here one prays a "sharp cut" to
some stubborn brother, or rebukes
some error in theology to another, or
drives some keen edged blade of CEN
sure into another, or directs severe
criticism to some who are running into
fashionable fOllies, and sometimes
(shame upon us), the very suppication
which we offer in tenderest tones, in
behalf of the weeping widow and help
less orphans, is intended more for those
who kneel in mourning before us than
for God who sits in glory above us.
We are reminded very much of brother
c., who was willing and prosy talker
at prayer meeting, and who, being cut
off from his usual exhortation by the
pastor calling upon him to lead in
prayer, rose and observed: 81 did have
a few remarks l would like to make,
but 1 reckon can bring them around
in the form of a prayer" Gods Office
is not in our neighbours ear, and if we
direct our prayers to that point, they
will certainly go to the "Dead-prayer
Ofice.n
Again, there is a prayer upon which
the address is Hegible- because it is
a rough, scrawling "hand-write )" these
can always be deciphered, but because
it has so many extra fiourishes. This
prayer is uttered in a pompous, grand
Eloquent style. 1t is full of long words
scientific terms, and classical quota
tions. The writing on the envelope is
very much in keeping with the style
upon the inside. The ink was fancy,
and it soon faded, the pen was the
tongue, and it did not set the color in
the prayer. How different when indit-
ed by the heart! 1t is no wonder that
this prayer gets lost, and finds its way
into the ''Dead-prayer Office"
The last prayer we notice is the una
Uailable prayer. There is great latitude
allowed us in the postal matter of our
government, but there are a few things
which cannot even get into the mail
bags. Sharp edged tools and cor1oding
acids, no matter how securely Wrapped
will not be transported through the
mails; these are put into separate
box and sent to the 'Dead-letter Of
tice," or they are captured by the first
postmaster that handles them. MANY
of our prayers, if answered. MIGHT he
blessings to us, but they would fall like
a shower of daggers upon our neigh
bors. Sometimes in our PRAYERS we
halfway complain of the strange prov
ldence which has befallen us, and argue
the case with God then the PRAYER is
full of sharp-pointed arrows. Is it at
all strange that kind answers are not
returnedR The corroding acid of sell
hshness or sensuality or pride is some
tunes III our prayer. Such a PRAYER is
lost ON the way. 1t is poured out in
mid air. 1t is never answered. and
well for us that it is not.
No legally stamped" sincerely di-
reeted, and we'll meaning prayer is ever
lost. The answer may be delayed, but
the prayer is ''on file,n and as soon as
GOD sees we are ready for the heavenly
merchandise, the angels, Gods faithful
perters, are sent with great gifts, and
such as the King can bestow.-Chr;s-
tidn Inder.