The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1894-05-03
ABOUT PRAYER.
IT is BOTH A PRIVILEGE AND A
DUTY.

When We Read the Word Of God
He Speaks to Us, When We
Pray, We Speak to Him---Help-
full Thoughts for Old and Y Young.
New York Herald.
Pray without ceasing.-I. Thessalonians
II.
We are frequently told that prayer is a
duty, but it is vastly more than that-it
is q privilege.
We might go still further and say that
it is a necessity All men pray either
consciously or unconscOusly, even the
atheist who recognizes a blind Force in
the universe which may either fall with
crushing weight Or bear him to good for
tune, and to that force he utters On
ejaculation in the emergency, as though
it could hear and save
Prayer is either an Offering of gratitude
or petition for help. If the Christian's Is
faith is genuine he keeps the way always
open between himself and Heaven, feels
quite at liberty under all circumstances
to state his case in his own terms, is sure
that the Lord has not retired beyond
hearing distance, 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 upper
incites to noble action and nightly re-
pels from vicious practicess To use q
homely illustration, when a man is pos
sessed by the grand passion of his life
the purity OF the woman whom he loves
is in subtle way transferred to his own
soul. The love both restraints and urges,
not in her presence only, but in her alb
sence. She may be invisible for a time,
but she still controls him. The deed
which he would do without cOmpunction
becomes impossible because in imagina
ton her eyes are looking into his A
good wOman's love therefore is the
strongest m oral force in any mans life
for in some mysterious way she has
thrown his standard down and set up
her own in it's 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 repulsive and virtue at
tractive.
The artist pupil draws straight line
when the master stands at his side
though he may be careless when he is
alone. If the master has personal in
terest in his pupil and says, 'You will dc
grand work some day; am always in
the studio, consult me at your pleasure .
the student is enkindled, and all the
talent which nature endowed him with is
brought to the surface
TO be able to call on the Father when.
ever our urgency requires His presence
and to feel that q whispered cry vii
bring to our aid a goodly company o
those invisible beings "who walk the
earth both when we wake and when we
Sleep is to have our lives so changed
by what seems to be magic and what is
really mystery that our outlook is
brighter, our ambition is higher, and
even our affections are radiant with un
wOnted hopefulness.
There are some practical details in
connection with this subject which are
quite worth considering
The value of prayer does not depend
in any degree upon its form or upon the
attitude you assume, but solely on your
filial confidence and your earnestness
You may kneel or stand or prostrat,
yourself accOrning to the demands O
temperament or habit; you may use the
words which have been formulated by
Others and which have been sanctified by
the usage of generations, or you may
express yourself in such language a.
you can summon at the mOment-thes'
matters are Of no consequence whatever
fyour child feels grateful for the love
you have bestowed, or wishes to ask &
favor which you may or may not grant
according to your best Judgment il
makes but little difference how he telli
the story provided his words come warn
from his heart. But il he thanks you il
perfunctory way, and gives you th'
impression that he is performing q rathe
irksOme duty, he may speak in choice
language, but his voice has no music
for your ear. Everything depends OF
his consciousness that you are his friend
) and On his eager and complete apprecia
ton OF that fact.
great many prayers are not prayer
at all. A great many winged words fl,
as high as the roof and then drop to tn
ground again. One can commit a
: grave an offence by praying insincerely a.
by not praying at all. A soul is neithe
saved nor helped by words without feel
ing, for such prayers are very close t.
mockery.
The true prayer is a quiet talk wit
the Almighty behind closed doors. O
s one can sit in solitude and commun
with Him without uttering a word. Al
: eager but unuttered thought will reacI
! Heaven more readily than the mos
golden form of speech that lacks eithe
faith or confidence. Many of the prayer
that have called a multitude of minis
tering spirits from the skies have had n,
! other shape than that OF deep longin
f or simple ejaculation,
! If one is profoundly sure that the Inf
mite Presence envelops him, that an Inf
! mite Providence guards and leads him
' and accepts that Presence and Prov
|. dence as the controlling power of his life
he prays without ceasing,' for tn
i, spirit of prayer pervades his life. Hi
! lips may never utter a word, and vet h
? communes with the Lord.
T 4 great artist has painted picture i
. which Christ, who is the eight of tn
world" is represented standing at tn
e door in the night time with a lantern i
: his hand.
| You make a mistake, therefore, whe
YOU think of prayer as Il ladder up whic
the soul labOriOusly climbs to HeayeI
n The Nan with the Lantern is alway
0 near when the shadows fall, and If yo
n pray you simply unbolt the door an
bid Him enter. He hangs the lantern
your room saying. ''While the night las
you will needit; when the morning dawr
| will return and take it to other hom,
# sorrow has darkened."
e As st Augustine said, "When we rea
the Word, God speaks to US: when v
pray, we speak to Him.
Zahulop Ra ir6 Vance wa tho orea te