Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1909-02-04
SOME QUEER PRAYERS
Curious Mistakes That Have
Been Made by Preachers.
A CAUTIOUS SCOTCH ELDER.
The Way He Qualified In His Petition
His Praise of the Pastors Wife
The Blunt Appeal of Father Taylor
the Boston Preacher.

The most frequent cause OF inappro
pirate petitions is no doubt the per
sistence of habit. Certain phrases are
used again and again until they come
to be repeated without any thought OF
their immediate application, says the
Christian World. We may similarly
explain the stories of the workhouse
chaplain who prayed that those pres
ent might not trust in uncertain riches
and the prison chaplain who besought
the Lord that he conduct the worship
crs in safety to their respective places
of abode.
The sense of humor must surely have
been lacking In the old man of eighty,
supported by crutches, who regularly
included among his petitions at the
weekly prayer meeting the request that
he might be kept from running with
the giddy multitude to do evil. Fa'
miliarity with conventional phraseology
was the undoing of the minister who,
after the sermon on the PhariSee ana
the publican, asked that there might
be poured out upon his hearers dou,
bic portion of the publican's spirit.
Not very complimentary was the use
of well known Scripture passage
made by a minister at wedding:
"May these persons live together III
such harmony in this life that they
may finally attain unto that state OF
felicity where they neither marry nor
are given in marriage" AS conclud.
ing example of the thoughtle:s use OF
familiar language one may quote this
remarkable amalgam: 20 Lord we
praise thee that we are thine: we feel
that we are thine; we know that we
are thine: Lord, make us thine"
AS in a sermon, so in Il prayer, the
attempt to correct hasty utterance
sometimes leads to surprising results.
A cautious Scotch elder, it is said, had
taken supper at his pastors house ana
In returning thanks after the meal en-
tered upon detailed exposition OF
various causes Of gratitude. He con
Cluded by invoking the divine blessing
upon the pastors wife as his goGly
helpmeet. who had always upheld his
hands in every good Mork-"at least,
he added in Il saving clause. "aS far
as we know" 1t Is related or com
patriot that in moment of forgetful
ness he once thanked God for the sal
walton of all men, but Immediately
redeemed himself fron hctcrodoNy by
the qualification, (which, d LORD, as
thou kuoWeSt is true in ole sense, but
not in another
There are sGIne men who seem 10
think that an indirect manner Of eX'
preston Is especially suited to sacred
things, as the Scotchman quoted by
DR.. Boyd as saying. For, rs thou
knowesl, nlen do not gather grapes OF
thornS nor figs OF the national EN-.
blem." and the EugiShnan who thus
pledged himself, And, Lord. If thou
wilt move the heart of any young man
to enter thy service, we VIII show our
approval in way which thou wilt
appreciate"
Father Taylor the Boston sailor
preacher, was one of the most direct
Of men and on the one recorded occa-
sion when he eSSaycd Il roundabout
style nature trumphcd over artilice.
1t was the Sunday before the state
elections. and he was praying fcrvcnt.
" that man might he chosen for
governor who would rule In the fear
Of God. who would never be afraid OF
the face of clay, who would defeat the
ringlcadcrs Of corruption. who would
defy his own party if it yielded to wire
pullcrS, who suddenly Father Taylor
paused and then eXclaimcd: 80 Lord,
what's the use of boxing the compass
IN this way? Give us George y.
Eriggs for governor. Amen,
The temptation to use public prayer
rs Il vehicle fer the conveying Of infer
nation has sometimes been too strong
10 resist. In his lively rcminiScenccs
published some wears AFRO in the Yves.
luyan Methodist Magazine the late Or.
BENJAMIN Gregory recalled how Il Ger.
tain Methodist minister of an earlitt
generation was accustomed ITO COVE!
all necessary directions to his Younger
colleagues through tn" medium of the
throne Of grace" Here Is IN example:
80 Lord bless thy dear young servant.
Thou knowc&t his appointment for to.
morrow IS Ut -, and he will have 10
s,nr mt Hrotllrr IS. who keeps Il lit.
Il" shop opposite the church. Oh. grant
that thy deer Young servant may not
forget to let the people have the ma@a-
zines and to bring home the moneys"
The famous nr. McCoSh Of Princeton
was arcu;tomcd to meet the students
In the college chapel every morning
when he would make any necessary an,
nouncementS as wen as conduct drvo.
tions. ore morning in the PRAYER with
which the service concluded he prayed
for the president of the United States
the cabinet. the members of both
houses Of congress. the governor OF
New Jersey, the mayor and other Off
Gals Of Princeton. and he then came &c
the prof, s,Urs and instructors in the
college. Al this point there flashed
into his mind notice which had been
communicated to him orally and which
he had omitted to include in the an
nouncpmputS made just before. re
the surprise Of the assembled students
President McCOsh continued. And. c
ord. bless Professor Kargc, whose
French class will be held this morning
ats O'Clock instead Of $50. as usual"
Not Dressed Fit For the Party.