Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1881-06-18

Thirdly" said Paey, In giving his reasons
for shifting from Dalston to Stanwix, 81 begin
to ind my stock OF sermons coming over again
TOO fast Mr.. Spurgeon. at conference at
his Pastors college, has been taking his friends
and through them the rest OF US. Into his con.
ndence on the subject CT his difficulties with
regard TO praise, prayer and preaching. AS TO
familiar. "He often walked up and down,
anxious to find something to say to the people
on a Sunday. He would sometimes get the
text, and. after saying to himself. That viii
do,' he would find In his we'll Unmarked Bible
now it haa been preached before. while what
O'Clock on Saturday evening or even on sun
day morning he had found himself without
text; but sometimes, when thus driven In
corner, with nothing to say, he did best"
What a contrast to the practice of Sir Roger de
Coverleys chaplain, or the frankness with
which the author of the "Horn Pauline" in
forms US that he changed his quarters because
the change added fifty pounds year to his
income, saved him double housekeeping and
enabled him to dispense with the task OF writ
Ing fresh sermons. To be sure, Mr.. Sturgeon
does not write books like Paley's nor are his
sermons SO full of sober thought But many q
preacher will feel for him. There WAS clergy
man who, On being complained OF 10 his BtShop
for delivering the same sermon over and over
again, declared that he intended to go on
preaching it till his congregation hal appro-
prfated all the teaching IL contained. Is some
not wholly dissimiar resource beyond the
reach CT humoriaJ IKE the PJntif OF the Sur
rey Tabernacle?
Mr. Sturgeon was exceedingly frank upon
the subject Of praise and prayer. rne report
says that he advocated praise Inee lags
Prayer did noU always come IRON his pump
when wasted, and IL was good to pour a little
water down." TnlS from man with Sd Great
gift OF Improvisation, is Interesting 1t hit.
almost biuntly, one source OF the pain waicu
some deyout people-who value the prayer aud
praise little more than the sermon, perhaps
would feel in listening to an! thing like 1.-THE
long prayer" IL is only TOO plain that, TO use
MI: Spurgeons own words, the prayer does
may we complete the image by saying when
the handle Is worked up and down? Hear
9 49, few words from living divine:
direct to God. and the klndling of which
among fraternity OF men constitutes social
worship, are natives OF solitude; the spectacle
Or an assembly Is hindrance 70 their occur
renee; and though. where they have been de.
voutly set down beforehand, they may be re.
assumed under such OBSTACLE. they would NOT
spontaneously rise. till the presence OF multi
stractiOn the loneliness of the spirit was re-
stored" Such testimony might be multiplied
Indefinitely; but there Is evidently very great
difference between the spirit In which the sub
ject-or the facJ-of prayer is approached.
Some look upon prayer as the prostratlon Of the
soul In waiting communtoD seeking and ask
Ing. It may be, but not pushing or piiing things
up. To others. prayer seems to be more OF an
active exercise; or regular sort of outpour-
ing. well thickened with doctrine or
course. prayer may be an active exercise
with us all; but it was little surprising to
lind John Wilson, in defending certain services,
lay ii down, or at least accept the proposition,
tEat prayer must be unHritten, unpremedl-
tated, else It T. not prayer Can the heart
we should say,.Yes, very often, indeed, and
that In fact. half the prayer OF pIous souls
goes up unworded. Here Is a short petition,
Which is five hundred years old, and is wei
seasoned by use: 'Oh, God! who art the truth,
make me one with Thee In everlasting love. [
am weary OF reading, am weary OF hearing.
10 Thee alons is the sum OF My desires. Let all
teachers be Silent let the whole creation be
DUMB before Thee, and do Thou only speak to
my SOUL How Is the tru5hfulness of this
prayer OF med Rval monk affected by its be.
ton" at the end OF the morning and evening
service?
The general question OF the use Of fixed forms
we should, OF course, not dream OF arguing
mere, but 90 not our hearts tell Us that one
gTeat-Often Observation-Disclosures of a
form which is known by rote and, 80 to speak sat
urated with emotion by frequent use, is that
the mere words pass uncrItc!zed, and that the
thought OF the soul is leo upward without any
struggle? OF course, II no prayer is genuine
In public at all eventS-unless 1t Is pumped
up" more or less 1--WE do not quote the phrase
o1fensiveiy) cadtt quaestto till there is water
enough. But why should not preacher like
Mr. Spurgeon have full liberty to use written
or printed prayers. when he pleases7 DR..
Moderator's cooked hat; but why should not
the minister be at liberty to use, In public
utteranceS OF other devout souls which have re-
ce1Ved the hallmark OF universal acceptance?
10 collect goOdly volume of such prayers
would be about one days work; and why
sheuld not any minister who needed 1t, or
liked II, be at liberty to use this collection, In
teIpolating or not as he pleased? Why should
not this De as Lawful as pouring water into the
pump by singing hymns. which are not only
forms, but very elaborate forms indeed?