SERMONS VS. PRAYERS by P. C. Truman

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Dec 10, 1867

SERMONS VS. PRAYERS.

By P. C. Truman

How often have I been pained by prayers turned into sermons. Many is the meeting, the harmony and good of which have been marred by the too common practice of preaching to listeners when professing to pray to God. Many such are begun by telling God who he is, and what we are, where he is, and all his attributes. He is then informed of what he has and might have done, and can not do; what we have and have not done, and ought to and may do. The great truths of religion are then unfolded to him who knoweth all things, and sometimes untruths and false systems. And probably before the prayer is done, the whole state of the world will be described to him whose eye seeth to the ends of the earth. In fact, such seem to me to be intended, not for the Lord's ears, but for men's. Ought it so to be? Is it like the child-like simplicity recommended by the Great Teacher? Verily not. To me it seems a species of hypocrisy, unconscious, truly, but nevertheless displeasing to our ears, and I fear to God's. While listening to such a prayer I am reminded of that class who, for a pretence, make long prayers.

Brethren, as everything in the worship of God should be done “decently and in order,” let sermons for the people be reserved till the prayer to him is ended.

P. C. TRUMAN.

Harlan, Iowa.