The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1895-12-21

the house. II could not De common
unless prescribed. Unnless all know
what the service is and can make it
their own it cannot be common.
Any m entering place of wor-
ship knows before hand, is he at all
familiar with the service inst what
the service is. and what the order of
it is. so that he is ready not only to
join voice but in heart. In heart be-
cause Undisturbed with anything
new by the officiating minister to
disturb oradivert the mind.
Joining IN such Il service becomes
Il safeguard against wandering
thoughts and the frequent changes in
tn service. from prayer to praise.
from praise 10 re&diug OF scripture.
also has q tendency to keep the mind
from falling of into a worldly train
. Of Thoughts. This wholesome vanity
is It help to human ini2mity.
And adding 20 all thi, prescribed
worship promotes 4 becoming reyer-
ence towards Almighty God. No
matter who may be the officiating min
lister. whether ne be learned or igno-
rant. lacking Il proper conception of
the divine presence and fitness of
expression towards him. while he may
offend by his manner the words pre-
scribed for his use is a safeguard
against irreverent and unbecoming
speech.
The proper order and dignity of
Gods house is in this way promoted
and sustained.
At this point l anticipate the iuqulry:
Can Il service read from a book be
a hearts service? Can prayer read be
real prayer" l can't we'll under
stand how an inquiry of this kind
should be made and made honestly.
In answering this question we shall
be able to understand each other bet
ter by considering in the first place,
what prayer is. | think we shall all
agree that the essence of prayer is not
words at all. but something under
meath words-a want, a heartfelt need
of something, a soul hungering, and
this need may go up to God the Faith
err without the medium of words. A
silent uplifting of the soul to God
when no human being is nigh. Per-
haps the very deepest prayers are
those which go up to God in the ST.
lence of the closet or when a hunger
ing heart walks alone by the wayside.
We will agree then that prayer is a
deep felt desire hidden deep in the
heart.
Now. when that desire would give
itself outward expression how would
it be done with the greatest freedom.
The least resistance by waiting to be
clothed in a mental garment woven in
the mind, or taking form in words
all ready for its use? In the latter
case the heart is not burdened by the
mental anxiety. The soul touched
by u deep SENSE of sin can pour forth
its wants unretarded and soar upward
in greater freedom. In the last trying
scene of our Savior's life the night
before the crucifixion, how was it
that He prayed in the hour OF bitter
agony: He went away and prayed
three times. saying the same words.
But if it still should be urged that
prayers said from a book must nee
e~ssarally he formal and without life.
We might ask with great propriety.
How is it in regard to the use OF
hymns. The rule is just as applicable
to the singing Of hymns as the saying
of prayers. If prayers cannot be
heartfelt when said from a book,
neither can the heart be enlisted when
utttcring praises from a hymn book.
The seats Of a congregation being
supplied with hymn books is for the
reason that the whole congrega-
ton assembled together may all join
heartily in this part OF the worship.
And why should not the same fact
be applicable in the matter of prayer.
That there ma? be unity of heart and
feeling. that the prayer Of the great
congregation may go up as one voice,
one feryid petition, should not each one
Of the congregation know what is go
ing to he prayed for? Would it not be a
great help towards reality in praying
to have the whole matter of the prayer
arranged beforehand so that the whole
congregation has nothing to do but
to give their undisturbed hearts en-
tirely to the duty in which they are
engaged.
Is it not quite u mistaken idea that
when a minister leading Il congrega-
ton prays without Il book Orin words
of his own that all congregations are
PRAYING without a form. The minis
ter's words are o the words of the
people 50 that in fact they pray by
his form.
But here | anticipate an objection
to our mode of worship. Some per-
-.n -