The sun., 1891-07-02
The Christian Posture q. Prayer.

To THE EDITOR OF The SuN-Sir: In his
article on The Christian Posture In Prayer"
published In THE Sun Of June l. j. II. R has
by no means quoted all tho passages In both
Testaments mentioning the custom OF kneel-
ing in prayer. Following are others. OF which
the texts are from the Douay version:
Genesis xlL-"And he made him up into his second
chariot tho crer procaimins that all should bow their
knee before him"
Fourth Kings iis-s .And when he was como,
he fell upon his knees before Elias and bssought him
and said . Z"
Second Paraipome enon. XIX. so-"And Ezschias and
the princes commanded the Levtss praise the Lord
with the words Of David and Asaph the Seer and they
praised him with great Joy. and, bowins the knee
adored."
Isaiss xiv. a4-"Tor every knee shall b bowed TO me-
and every tongue shall swear"
Mieheas, VI. e-"whAs shall offer 70 the Lord that
10 worshyi Whsrswith shall knee before the high
God ,,
Frat Esdsas tx, And at the evening sacrifice
rose up from my saH!oton and having rem: ny mantle
AND my garment fell upon my knees, and spread out
my hands to the Lord my God"
MARI, f, " 4O-"And there came lspsr to him. be-
sesohinE him, and knseinE down said to him: thou
wilt thou cAust make me clean"
kphesians, III. " H." For this bow my knees
TO the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ"
Philippians H.. lo-"That In tho Of Jesus every
knee should bow OF those that In heaven earth
and under the earth"
In the Old Testament prostration is fre-
quently mentioned as having been made in
prayer to God. in veneration Of angels. and as
a mark OF respectful homage before holy men,
kings and mon in power. Now 1t Is plain
that a suppliant cannot PROSTATE himself
without first falling his knees A learned
priest informs me that 1T Is certain that
standing and prostration were both In use In
the earliest ages OF the Church, and 1t seems
that in tho public worship at mass and in re-
ceivinR communion the general attitude was
standing. sometimes with the head bowed
down." The colored wood cuts in Roma
sotteranea." of frescoes found in the cata-
combs. are oonflrmatory OF the above state
mont All the orantes tpersons prsyjng) are
represented standing. with their hands out
stretched. Nevertheless, Just as late excava-
tions under the Church Of San Giovani Paolo
In Rome have laid bare unique mural paint-
ings. representing the martyrdom OF certain
saints put to death on TINT very spot, 1t is just
possible that discoveries hereafter may reveal
representHtions OF Christians PRAYING on their
for the early Christians 10 pray standing; the
r roomy. and In times OF persecution they had to
be prepared to fico at the first signal Of alarm.
The o. the eua9d
cause: Il made obligatory upon Christians to
S"y sySf nsaeaspn sf IN anx SRi
low citize9s in general In the widsspread and
ap y eeSSrss the
records. and other hist historical @ chr chronicles
mikht have thrown light on the ques-
tion; bnt concedng the fact. which seems
incontrovertible. that in the first ages OF
Christianity. both Enstern and Western Chris
tians prayed standne Il is also cor ain ,ha.
ceased the latter adopted the kneellne. posture
for prayer. This 10 shown by tho paintings. H.
lustrations Of manuscripts. and sculptures be-
e Ss. sy STes q IL ora wssn
Europe. The words fectamus oenua let us
bend our kpeosL used by the deacon before
collects In tho ofice Of Good Friday and In
certain masses. followed Immediately aftor-
snslsns Ms = times I'M "?t catholis bicsiossry. s4s.
Informant. the Greek schismatics always
pray standing during mass. and kneel In their
churches only once 2 year ys, It the services Of
10 called 6y them 0honati.ii, the root of which
chites. and other Greek Catholics In com
munion wi b the Holy See, during. divine
service kn9s sns. &sH OF o. their ss
day In most churche' whore seats and proper
kneeling accomm odations are not provid I'd
for the faithful. and women who wish to "n-
fofmeF sas,ry ten to nnd from
dsvotions: at mass nearly all the time except
stand a. d dupiae the % former % and DIST sit during The he
latter, as also during tho offertory: II the mass
s T. 10 st.n ass
when the Gloria In Excelsis, the Creed: and
the Pater Noster are intoned In part or wholly
and while other prsyers are uttered aloud BY