The New York herald., 1879-01-05
A MONTH OF PRAYER.

OBsERvANCEs OF THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK
AND BRooKLYN--REAsoNs FOR PROLONGED
PRAYER.
Starting out to-day with the observance Of the or
dinary Week Of Prayer, which has grown into a uni
versal religious institution for the first week Of Janu
ary every year. the will be continued through
the entire MONTH in accordance with the sugges-
ton of Mr.. Moody and the Baltimore ministers at
their late Convention. The cities of Chicago, st.
Louis Rochester New York Boston, Philadelphia and
other places through their religious
have agreed to adopt the suggestion that it will be
very widely followed in this country. There
doubtedly potency and stimulus in united prayers
for special objects which is rarely attained in single
or secret prayer. More courage is given and more
Christian work Of one sort or another follows. In
the topics of the current week there is mention,
directly or indirectly, of the presence. influence
and work Of the Holy Spirit in the world This
is regarded in many quarters as a serious oms-
sion, which the local meetings will change and
remedy. Only evening afternoon, and that
Saturday s devoted to the consideration Of missions
at home and abroad. The arrangement that places
such important themes on the day when congrega-
tions are likely to be smallest and the considera-
ton to be bestowed the least is condemned by
the religious press that has noticed it. This is the
more remarkable in that the Week Of Prayer was
FIRST instituted and suggested by American mission
in India and foreign missions have always held
prominent place in the topics for prayer and thought
at annually recurring In foreign lands,
at missionary stations. in climes, where visit
ors gather escape the cold. everywhere Christians
will spend part Of every day this week in concert
REASONS FOR PROLONGED PRAYER
The observance Of this week has been attended
with great blessings in the past but is well known,
in many the cheering expectations excited have
failed to be realized. Though all seemed ripe for
large spiritual results the week having come to an
end the interest has subsidized Hence the present eff
fort to prolong the week into the month. There is
nEnnt nf fha
FORCES Of evil concentrating in our large Cities the
alarming encroachments on the Sabbath, the
scepticism as well as the intensely secular and
materalistic spirit of the age-all these things
awaken apprehension for our institutions and tor
the social fabric itself This spirit and tendency it
is hoped to counteract by united prayer during the
current month series OF topics have been pre-
pared for the entire month which public
rs most of the gatherings will be Of a
union character, embracing different denomina-
differs in EACH it is suggested that the pastors who
may have charge should instruct their official men
the church beforehand that they must be prompt in
their responses and participation. so that there shall
be tagging of interest in any OF those gatherings
And as the topics announced beforehand it will
not be difficult TOR the pastors helpers to prepare
each day for the afternoon evening meetings.
MEETINGS IN NEw YORK AND BROOKLYN.
In this city q meeting will be held at half-p
three p. NJ. daily in the Reformed Church on Fifth
avenue and Twenty ninth street, to be led success
dist, Bridgman (Baptist). w. M. Taylor Congrega-
tional S. ID. Burchard (Presbyterian) and DIR. Wash
burne (Epscopalian). Religious meetings will be
held in the Central Methodist Episcopal Church,
Seventh avenue and Fourteenth street. at four p M.
and eight p. NJ. daily during this week. and in st.
James Methodist Episcopal Church, Harlem,
in the evenings. In Eighteenth Street Metho-
dist Episcopal Church union services began to-day
and will be continued two weeks at cventidc. when
Drs Tying, Jr.; Bevan. Colcord Ode and G. w. Sawyer
will talk Meetings will be started in Fftieth Street
Methodist Episcopal Church on Tuesday evening
and be continued nightly by Dr. Hanlon and
MIR. Corbt. In Brooklyn union prayer
meeting will be held every morning this
week from fpast eight to nine o'clock in
the chapel the Middle Reformed Church in Harri-
on street and in Strong Place Baptist Chapel in the
evenings The Womens Christian Temperance
Union will observe the week by series of meetings
at three r. NJ daily in the parlor Of the Young Men
Christian Association Gallatin place. In the fol-
lowing named Brooklyn churches the Week
of Prayer will be observed by evening meet
ings in some Of them, short sermons on
the topics suggested by the Evangelical Alliance
arcady published in the HERAID) and in others brief
addresses by ministers and laymen Sands Street,
York Street Warren Street First Place New York Av
enue and Carroll Park Methodist Episcopal churches
and in Gcthsemane Baptist. Bedford Reformed,
Tabernacle and Hanson Place Baptist churches and
the church of Christ