Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-04-18
PRAYER.

Pray without ceasing.-L Thessalonians, ", II.
We are frequently told that prayer is
duty, but it is vastly more than that
it is a privilege.
We might go still further and say
that it is a necessity. All men pray
either consciously or unconsciously,
even the atheist who recognizes blind
Force in the universe which may either
fall with crushing weight or bear him
to good fortune, and to that Force he
utters an ejaculation in the emergency,
as though it could hear and save.
Prayer is either an offering of graft
tude or a petition for help. If the
Christians faith is genuine he keeps
the way always open between himself
and heaven, feels quite liberty under
all circumstances to state his case in
his own terms, is sure that the Lord
has not retired beyond hearing dis
lance, and that what he asks for will
be granted if on the whole it is best
that it should be.
This relation between us and the up
per world incites to noble action and
nightly repels from vicious practices.
To use homely illustration, when a
man is possessed by the grand passion
Of his life the purity of the woman
whom he loves is in some subtle way
transferred to his own soul. That
love both restraints and urges, not in
her presence only, but also in her alb
sence. She may be invisible for time,
but she still controls him. The deed
which he would do without compunc-
ton if he had no such love becomes
impossible because in Imagination her
eyes are always looking into his. a
good woman's love therefore is the
strongest moral force in any mans
life, for in some mysterious way she
has thrown his standard down and set
up her own in its stead.
In like manner, the knowledge that
God is solicitous for your welfare, that
the spirits of the departed, like "a
cloud OF witnesses" are round about
you, that all heaven is nigh at hand
can scarcely fail to give that kind OF
dignity which makes baseness repul-
sive and virtue attractive.
The artist pupil draws straight
line when the master stands at his side
though he may be careless when he j.
alone. If the master has a personal
interest in his pupil and says, You
will do grand work some day; am al
ways in the studio, consult me at YOU
pleasure" the student is enkindled
and all the talent which nature endow
ed him with is brought to the surface
To be able to call on the Father
whenever our urgency requires His
presence, and to feel that whispered
cry will bring to our aid a goodly com
pany of those invisible beings who
walk the earth both when we wake
and when we sleep,n is to have ou
lives so changed by what seems to b,
magic and what is really mystery tina
our outlook is brighter, our ambition
is higher, and even our Affections are
radiant with unwonted hopefulness.
There are some practical details il
connection with this subject which art
quite worth considering.
The value of prayer does not de
pend in any degree upon its form o.
upon the attitude you assume, blu
solely on your filial confidence an(
your earnestness. You may kneel o.
stand or PROSTATE yourself according
to the demands of temperament o.
habit; you may use the words which
lave been formulated by others anC
which have been sanctified by TIL,
usage of generations, OR you may ex
press yourself in such language as yol
can summon at the moment-thes,
matters are of no consequence what
eve'.
If your child feels grateful for tn,
love you have bestowed, or wishes tt
ask favor which you may or may no
grant, according to your best judg
ment, it makes but little differenc,
how he tells the story provided hi
words come warm from his heart. Blu
if he thanks you in perfunctory way
and gives you the impression that h
is performing a rather irksome duty
he may speak in choice language, bu
his voice has no music for your ear
Everything depends on his conscious
ness that you are his friend, and OF
his eager and complete appreciation o
that fact.
A great many prayers are not prayer
at all. A great many winged word
fly as high as the roof and then drol
to the ground again. One can commi
as grave an offence by praying insin
cerely as by not praying at all. A sou
is neither saved nor helped by word
without feeling, for such prayers ar
very close to mockery.
The true prayer is a quiet talk will
the Almighty behind closed doors. O
one can sit in solitude and commune
with Him without uttering word. Al
eager but unuttered thought viii
reach heaven more readily than th
most golden form of speech that lack
either faith or confidence. Many o
the prayers that have called a multi
tude of ministering spirits from tn,
skies have had no other shape thai
that of deep longing or simple ejac
ulation.
If one is profoundly sure that tn,
Infinite Presence envelops him, tina
an Infinite Providence guards ant
leads him, and accepts that Presenc,
and Providence as the controlling
power of his life, he prays 'witbou
ceasing," for the spirit of prayer per
vades his life. His lips may meyer ut
ter a word, and yet he communes witt
the Lord.
A great artist has painted a pictur
in which Christ, who is 1.-The light o
the world" is represented standing a
the door in the night time with a Ian
tern in His hand.
You mistake, therefore. when yol
think of prayer as a ladder up which
the soul laboriously climbs to heaven
The Man with the Lantern is Away
near when the shadows fall, and if yol
pray, you simply unbolt the door AM
bid him enter. He hangs the lanterl
in your room saying, while the nigh
lasts you will need it; when the morn
ing dawns l will return and take it t.
other homes which sorrow has darken
ed"
AS Saint Augustine said, When W
read the Word, God speaks to us
when we pray, we speak to HIM
Y. Herald.
A Killarney guide, taking touris
about, scowled at a peasant who wa
staring at him.
you'll know me again if you NEE
me-" said the guide.
mot if you wash you face" an
swered the peasant Youths Com
panion.