Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1884-01-05
THE WEEK OF PRAYER y

The Session of the Second Presbyterian
Church cordially invite the Christians OF
this city to unite with their congregation in
the observance of the week Of prayer in
services to be held each night OF next week.
A number of the ministers Of the city have
expressed their purpose TO unite in the
services and others are cordially invited to
do so.
The topics for the evenings are as follows :
Monday Praise and Thanksgiving.
Tuesday: Confession of sin aud prayer for
Cleansing and Renewal.
Wednesday: Prayer for Families and In
structors of Youth.
Thursday Prayer for the Church of
Christ
Friday: Intercession for the Nations.
Saturday: For Missions at Home and
Abroad.
We append from the New Yofl; Observer
an account OF the origin Of these services.
ORIGIN OF THE WEEK OF PRAYER.
The men who first proposed to have the
| first week in January observed as q Weel,
| Of Prayer, were among the best men who
| have lived Oil earth. They met in conven-
| ton in London in the year 1916, and dis
cussed the great subject Of Christian union,
and adopted practical resolutions for carry
ing into effect the principles they had
agreed upon. The convention included
| prominent divincs from Britain and the
continent of Europe, and a large delega-
| ton from the United States Of America.
Among the names Of those who were pres
eat from this country, some OF whom were
| leaders OF the convention, were Thomas De
Witt, Samuel II. Cox Lyman Bcocher, Sid
ney i. Morse, Gorham D. Abbott, j.. 7.
Humphrey, L. \. Kirk, Thomas Il: Skin
ner, Stephen Olin, Charles Butler, Erskine
| Mason, Robt. Baird, RObt. Carter. William
Patton, and many others.
They formed an Evangelical Alliance and
| agreed |, to recommend 10 cach other in
| their own conduct and particularly in their
own Use of the press TO abstain from evil
speaking and to walk in love; and
| >. That rs the Christian union which this
| Alliance desires 10 promote can only 30
| obtained through the blessed energy OF the
| HOLY Spirit it he recommended to the l0cnl-
hcgs present, and absent brethren, 10 make
this; matter the subject Of Simultaneous
weekly petition at the throne Of grace III
their closets and families: and the forenoon
of Monday is suggested as The time for that
purpose. And that i! bo further recon-
mended that the week beginning with the
| first Lords day Of January. III each year.
be observed by the members and friends Of
the Alliance throughout the world, as Il con-
cert for season in prayer on behalf OF the
grand objects contemplated by the Alliance.
This is the first suggestion of the Week OF
Prayer ever made, so far as any record to
| H., al, l.,1-. i. 1nin
But these good men had their attention
turned with special interest TO the mission
ary fields, and they closed their series Of
Practical Resolutions with this remarkable
expression, which identified the Alliance
from the beginning with the work Of foreign
missions, and the grand consummation Of
work in the conversion of the world.
| THAT The members of this Alliance
earnestly longing for the universal spread
of Christ's kingdom, devoutly praise God
for the grace whereby, in late years, Evan
gelical Christians have been moved to man
fold efforts to make the Saviour known to
both Jew and Gentle, and faithful men have
been raised up to undertake the toll. They
would offer to all Evangelical missionaries
their most fraternal congratulations and
sympathy would hail the nocks they have
been honored to gather as welcome and be-
loved members ofthe household Of God ;and
above all, would implorc the Head Of the
church To shield His servants, to edily His
rising churches. and, by the outpourng Of
His Holy Spirit, to enlghten Israel with the
knowledge Of the true Messiah, and TO
bring the heathen out of darkness into
light"
These were among series OF eight reso-
iutions which were agreed upon by the men
| aho Il
Others, including missionaries from the for
eign field, who could not fail to find their
hearts warmed and encouraged by the spirit
and promise of this practical action. And
twelve years afterwards the Presbyterian
Mission at Lodiana, Northern India, issued
the following:
An Iaritation to the United Prayer, addressed
10 the church Of Christ throughout the 'rorl9,
beinq an crtract from the Minutes Of the
23d 4nnuGl Meeting Of the Lodiana Ms
sion.
Whereas our spirits have been greatly re-
freshed by what we heard Of the Lord S
dealings with His people in America there
fore:
Resolrcd, lst, That we hereby publicly
acknowledge the debt of gratitude we owe
to Him, and our obligations to live more
than ever not unto ourselves but unto Him
who died for us.
And in view of our own spiritual necessity,
and of the wants of the perishing millions
about us, and in the hope of obtaining SINH
lar blessings for this land,
ResoIred,2d, That wewill do Our best to
get Union Meetings for prayer for the out
pouring of the Spirit, established at cur re-
, spective stations, and also at other sta
tions, wherever we may find two Or three
willing to meet together in the name ol
Christ;
And further, being convinced from the
signs of the times that God has still large
blessings in store for His people, and fol