There was not a dry eye among those rough men as they stuck the rudely carved board at the head of the grave. “Well,” said one, “he was a praying Christian soldier if ever there was one! And,” turning to the ringleader, “he didn’t run, did he, when he smelt gunpowder?” “Run!” answered the big man, his voice tender with emotion. “Why, he didn’t budge an inch! But what’s that to standing for weeks our fire like a man, and never sending a word back! He just stood by his flag and let us pepper him, he did; and boys, I have made up my mind if prayer will make a man as bold, as loving, as forgiving, as good, as it did that boy, I’m going to resort to it. It did him good and it’ll do me good,” and as the other fellows bent their heads he prayed for forgiveness and salvation, at the close of which the others said, “Amen!”
HOW TO PRAY.
Prayer is a blessed privilege, a vital necessity, an imperative duty, but many there are who do not know how to pray. A mere repetition of words or reading prayers is not prayer. Prayer may be a sigh, a tear, a groan, a bungling utterance, “a true wish” as Phillips Brooks used to say, “sent God-ward.” It is—
“the soul’s sincere desire
Uttered or unexpressed.
The motive of a hidden fire
That kindles in the breast.”
Prayer should always be accompanied by thanksgiving and confession. David said, “I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord,” (Psalm 32:5) and Paul exhorts, “Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eph. 5:20). Prayer should be offered in faith. Faith is taking one at his word and thus Christ said, “If ye ask anything in My name, I will do it.” (John 14:14). To pray without faith, the Bible informs us, is sin, and this is the reason why many of our petitions are not answered. They are like those blossoms which fall blasted to the earth. They had a certain beauty and fragrance, but for want of some conformity to the law of growth, they never developed into fruit. They are, as Mrs. Stowe says, “drowsy mutterings of unawakened souls, talking in their sleep.” But real prayer is always answered. There may be delays as in Daniel’s petition, or tests to strengthen faith, as when Jesus said to Jairus, “Fear not, only believe,” (Luke 8:50) for what Christ has promised, He will certainly perform.
WHEN AND WHERE TO PRAY.
Prayer should be our vital breath. As with Paul, it should be “without ceasing,” (Thess. 5:17) our inward desire continually going up to God. It should be the first exercise of the morning and the last in the evening. “It is the first hour of the morning,” says a Chinese proverb, “that gives color to all the others that follow.” Louis XIV. was awakened every morning with the words: “Arise, Monsieur, you have great things to do to-day.” But how could they be done properly without God’s blessing, and how could God’s blessing be secured without asking? When Arthur P. Stanley the first night went to the dormitory at Eton School where he with others had to sleep, he knelt down to say his evening prayers. Instantly a shower of pillows and shoes flew about him. He prayed on. “Stanley,” said one of the boys next day, “I ought to have done as you did. I haven’t said my prayers at night because I was afraid of the ridicule of the boys.” It was not long before a score of them followed his example. President Garfield when a boy undertook with a number of students from Williams College to climb Mount Greylock. Their plan was to spend the night on the mount. Seated around the campfire they sang college songs and told stories all the evening. At bedtime Garfield took a Testament from his pocket and said: “Boys, it is my custom to read a chapter in the Bible and have prayer before going to bed. Shall we have it all together?” and though it seemed rather hard to do, Garfield did it and all were blessed for it.