Weekly Arizona journal-miner., 1903-04-08
ABOUT LONG PRAYERS.
By $. NJ. Wright.

Dy D. M. NrlSnI. I just had heard a sermon long and
 deep And noticed some embarrassed, wake
 from sleep And then he launched out on prayer
 long Too long, because so heightened il
 was wrong. He prayed for ev'ry human on the
 earth, Nor stopped till praying lost its real
 worth. An automaton, started, full of breath, It destined seemed to pray itself tC
 death. It seemed that reason, now gone from
 her throne, Had left the body praying all alone, But by and by he tapered off and then How glad all were to hear him say
 amen. 4 few had humbly knelt upon the
 floor And then thought perhaps full fifty
 more Were forward bent with arms upon the
 backs Of neighbours seats-their heads upon
 their arms, And yet the world, there posed ir
 divers ways; All patient waiting on the man who
 prays. At first, devoted and would shout,
 amen But cruel time grew long apace till
 when All fervor having waned in ev'ry
 heart, A spirit came; the spirit of unrest. Now, this man prayed and prayed toe
 tiresome long, Not dreaming that good thing could
 grow wrong; Yet, wore the patience of the saints
 thread-bare And bungled matters by his lengthy
 prayer. The best of all things ever known to
 man, What e'er it is, I now declare it can By hook or crook, in hands of bun-
 gling men, Lose half-yes all its glorious charms
 and then That cause is hurt. Why will men
 thus elect When fewer words would have the best
 effect? Don't view my illustration with sar-
 castle sheer But come! Stand by and so while
 you are near, Persuade yourself that cen homely
 phrase May ope your eyes and show you wis
 dom's ways. Some men love dainties cen to the
 extreme Could eat them thrice each day and
 yet between But, after dainties ev'ry day for days, There comes a time to change their
 dainty ways. The very idol of the human heart May so be clayed and pleasure thus
 depart, Yet, with but these same human hearts
 must we Judge, cen the things of our eternity {; And was not Paul thus, all things, to
 all men? Talk long or short, he knew just which
 and when. ''Teach us our Lord" they humbly
 said. ito pray As John taught his disciples, then
 straighway He taught and no such prayer was e'er
 heard; A child can quickly memorize each
 word And yet, it amply covers all the
 ground Of Ioudest prayers with the loudest
 sound. scan my watch and with measured
 voice, Slowly repeat the prayer of my choice But ere one minute passes, have done, While modern saints are scarcely yet
 begun. The very ones we want to reach to-
 day And which to do, we must both preach
 and pray, Will hear a little from a man they
 like But prayers long will make Christian
 strike. A waste of effort are these prayers
 long, Yet prove incorporate ever to be
 wrong; 4 waste of powder, flashing at the
 pan, forces of the earnest man. Put not your trust in prayers loud
 and long Nor yet within the music, nor the
 song But place your trust in Him the
 Lords annointed And always pray, but humbly short
 and pointed. The closet is, He said, the place to
 pray, Then God who hears, will recom-
 pense by day. So let your walk, on lines of justice
 lay, That men may risk you, ere they hear