Milford chronicle., 1923-08-24
CHILDREN'S PRAYERS
Bertha Hayward Higgins


Mother, think I'm going to max
a collection of prayers" said my small
boy one evening.
very WELL" said I, "I think tina
will be fine. Are you going to past
them in a scrap bOOk?"
Eyes, but I'm going to learn then
first. But when can I say them?
can't say them all every night, can II
''Well, perhaps not if you have
large collection, but you can say YOU
favorite one every night, and have the
others ready for special occasions
There are so many times when you
want to ask God for something, OF
thank Him for that which He has al
ready given you. 1t would be very
nice to have all ready for use, col
lection of prayers which someone has
already thought out and expressed IN
more beautiful language than you
would be likely to use if you maze
them hastily"
Now whenever he finds prayer
which he wants to add to his collec-
tion, we read it through and discuss
it. then we decide on what occasions
it would be likely to have the most
meaning for him. Some, OF course
have to be adapted to meet his needs.
1 feel that in changing them l have
been able to avoid dampening the re-
ligious feeling that is being awakened
in the child. and I hope thus to avert
the danger that arises wherever for
NAL prayers are used-that they shall
become a mere mechanical repetition
of words.
I have always believed that child's
prayers should be spontaneous and
natural, and that if formal prayers
are used, they should be explained and
made to have some real significance.
1 believe too that the child should
understand that he must do his part
in having his prayers answered.
One of the prayers which Laddie
had in his collection" and which he
has adapted to his needs, is for use
when his baseball nine is going to play
a game.
But" said he, when we were dis
cussing it, what if one of the fellows
on the other side prays as much as I
do?"
Then I recalled to him the fact that
God helps those who help them
the conclusions, that regular system
attic practice would be needed, and all
the fellows on the winning team would
need to be brave and honest, and al
ways play fair.
1 tried to make him see that while
our prayers may not always be ans
wered in just the way we expect, we
will, if we do our part, always get !
either that for which we ask, or
something better. In proof of this I |
recalled his disappointment last sum-
mer at the postponement of the Sun
day School picnic, because of rainy |
day when he had prayed for sunny |
day. We had the picnic later on, and
we also had large quantity of black
berries, which we would not have had |
If the drought had continued, and we
are still having blackberry jam.
Just as I have tried always to re-
tain my childs confidence, to make
him ever ready to have a good talk
over" as he calls it, so I have tried to
make him feel that nothing which in
terests him is too small or too insig-
nifcant to be taken to God in prayer.
And just as he has learned to feel
that Mother and Dad are good sports"
and can understand and forgive his
little boyish mistakes, so he is coming
to realize the greater understanding
and ever ready forgiveness of the
'All-Father."
Just as the Indian lad when he went
alone into the mountains to fast and
pray (''mine a vision'O was uncon-
'ciously setting up in his own mind !
he ideal into which his character
would develop, so is the child who
'arly forms the habit of prayer.