Putnam patriot. [volume] (Putnam, Conn.) 1872-1962, 1909-03-19
The address follows.

ment of study. ] do not pose as an e&- |
peri Ia this matter. simply state a
few points that think should he clear
iy UNDERWOOD | want 10 say that ]
have been led 10 the consideration Of
this question by my interest In prison
and jail reform and the rescue Of Grim
mails, and believe that prayer Is neces-
sary element In the reformation Of any
man. Probably With some people pray.
or Is spontaneous and finally automatic.
Nevertheless, in my judgment, prayer
IL not understood by great majority
Of church members and should he
studied with a teacher and text book.
II would lie we'll 10 form classes In eye
~ church.
study Of prayer, then, Is the thought
! would emphasize. The wireless tele-
graph operator must study electricity
yet his machine in tune. and carefully
comply with all conditions. Just SO
with messages from heaven. We must
learn Ia gel into tune with the Infinite.
Why should We learn 10 pray Because
Christ taught prayer snd because II Is
the method Of tod 10 convert the world.
Make il chosen elective, no longer a
forgotten seefet.
II NJ have study We should have
teaeher. sfhHst Is the only teacher aud
tho Bible the fext beak. let ne say mt
the staft, that feel quite sure that We
should treat this subject Of prayer with
the utmost freedom aud fesefeht fanii-
liafits have gfeat sympathy fof
the settlement child who, when the
lender sald .l4et us Pray, responded
eheeffully Mt once, YES. Lets. The
Yale bull piayef who prayed God Ia
help him win the game aud, after vic
tory for his side, medestly told Of his
prayer, giving God thanks, Is very
much to my liking
The question Of the Rev. Dr j. II.
Jewett, To u conE fegaiion, "Do you en-
JOY praying9" Is one that must have an
Affirmative answer If the one WHO pfays
- to get any Rnod out pl II.
We must learn to practice the pres
enee Of God, with Brother Lawrence.
the kitchen saint of the 18th century,
Who has forever illustrated the possible
union of drudgety aud common place
work with the continuous vision and
felt presence Of God What change
L.. II al. L.. = -.
church would follow The ads ice OF
Campbell Morgan and haNe"at homes
for prayer. would bring this subject
into the realm of dialogue and have con
versations with Jesus, reVerent humble
but intimate, and uuattefahiy comfort
ing and inspiring, We should certain.
~ be ON speaking terms with our heav
enly father, our elder brother and the
blessed comforter, who comes from and
reveals both.
one great object of prayer is the
conversion Of the world. tntercessory
prayer ~ the vital breath of the live
Christian. Ii Is great thing Ia pray
tive duty DO We have this kind
OF prayer 10 any extent in our
New England churches How many
mcmbers OF soul church spend half
heut each day In secret prayer
Churches ate not growing. We cannot
shut eur eyes 10 the situation. Four
hta.. al. In,
about one-ieurth Of the whole num-
Ter, did mol receive one soul into their
membership In leos ON confession. In
iesS, the total membership in i64i
churches was sa5.al4. In 1907, adj.
dltions reported were Aesi, 80 that IL
took twenty eight members one whole
year To add one soul 10 the fellowship.
Think Of that. Surely that crowd OF
sssS 900 Christians has not been pray
ing as IL should. The need OF prayer
Mas never more urgent than At present,
With mateTialism rampant ON all
sides, apathy in the church, and az.
gFrssiNe evil everywhere. The powers
OF darkness can only hc overcome and
defeated by earnest Wrestling In
PRAYER 10y the whole church for the
help and strength OF the Almighty.
l want briefly 10 discuss three kinds
OF prayer. Secret prayer. the source of
all kinds Of honest prayer; family
prayer, The usual result of true secret
prayer; public prayer, or lhs prayers
and eoGamauioa III saints ef earth,
with each other aud with God, when
assembled together.
Secret prayer think during The
last few wars have purchased and
carefully read Iifty books ON PRAYER.
The os>s II mol the only text book for a
prayer >eheal definitely ~ arranged, il
the book Of the Rev. Andrew Murray
Of soath Africa published b, the
kesell Company. With Chnsl In the
>eheol q Prayer. fred ;. Goodman
Of the International \ NJ. &. A. New
York publishes little book giving ex.
eelleat questions GA all the Mu4rav
iesseas which the cia>> are expected Is
answer IA writing. The topic. are al.
miFahle cad attention. to lesson !.
THAT The ehseg end 81 PRAYER i ne
GLORY - God That i ! tai but think
little understood. There arc alsaa lessons
or .sehFi>s tho onls Teacher, Right
Conditions, "fsaee " impoFsanits.