The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1894-01-17
RELIGIOUS READING.
BUSINESS AND pRATER.

II a professed disciple would not have his
secular business become as milestone about
his reck to drown him in perdition, he must
be u man of prayer; he must daily secure
spiritual communion with God. If he suffer
his business to consume his time and spirits
80 as to deprive him Of opportunities for
prayer, reading the Bible, and real commun-
ion with God, he must decay in piety, and his
service Of mammon eat up his service OF God.
No one who believes that God answers prayer,
will think of emitting either secret or family
devotion for want Of time, even when busl-
ness Is unusually urgent. Which is worth
most to you or your family, an additional
period of your own unblessed labor, or the
blessing of God on your efforts, won by
spending that time in pleading with Him In
prayer2 The plea OF want Of time is essen
TALLY atheistical; none should urge 1t but
those who regard prayer as On empty mock
cry that never received an answer from the
Lord. Let the day begin with communion
with God, let the disciple pass the whole day
in the spirit of prayer, and all its duties will
become spiritual duties, and all its scenes be
inscribed with Holiness to the Lord"
But this must be real communion with
God, and not mere formal prayer. Many
morning prayers are sort Of paying compn-
ments to the Most High. A Frenchman, It is
said, visited his chapel in Paris, to say his
daily devotion, but he found no priest in at
tendance, and the building undergoing re-
pairs. He walked up to the altar, laid his
card on 1t, with low bow, and withdrew,
we'll satisfied with the homage he had paid to
the Lord 1t Is to be feared that too many OF
the morning prayers of the closet and the
family are little more than laying card upon
the altar, a complimentary presentation OF
respects. But nothing less than such COM
munion with God as touches the heart and
draws forth its earnest desires. can be any
safeguard to US in the busy scenes OF the day.
Hence it we're well If every Christian would
make and keep the resolution by which some
have been proffted, to have 80 many seasons
Of prayer, and continue them so long as to
keep the heart in tender and lively spiritual
Frame 80 as never to leave the closet without
some MEETINGS Of the heart, some sensible
manifestations OF Gods love.
This point may best be enforced by the
words Of devoted disciple Of Christ. He
said with great earnestness and simplicity, Il
have made discovery this summer which l
regard as of great value. I used to defer my
morning devotions till after the first work OF
the morning. But this summer, Immediately
on rising, before doing aught else, | pray.
and pray till I feel Gods presence: Then !
read the Scriptures till breakfast, when find
my heart warm and ready to engage with IN
terest in family prayer. At noon the nay
wants turning, but I push off to spend sea-
SON In prayer. and the heart having become
warm in the morning. it needs but little to
restore its fervor, and I am soon at Work
again with lively sense of Gods presence.
When all is done, look back on a day spent
with God, aud give thanks for all his mercies
commencing myself to him. And now (he
added with the greatest animation) l can
commend this plan to all Christians. 1t has
carried me all through haying and harvesting,
and in the busiest oft all have had as much
enlargement ofheart and spiritual Joy as ever
in my life. II [London Tract Magazine.