Untitled article by M. W. HOWARD

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Third-day, January 28, 1868

“PRAYERS vs. SERMONS.”

By M. W. HOWARD

A LITTLE article, not long ago, with the above heading, was so in accordance with feelings I have so often experienced, that I feel desirous of uttering a responsive word. Often in social religious meetings, there are some things so manifestly unsuitable, that one cannot avoid a consciousness of discomfiture in witnessing them, even while we do not question the good intentions of those from whom they come; while other things, that may fall far below a desirable standard, will startle us with their solemnity, and leave an abiding impression.

Whenever my thoughts turn in this direction, two little incidents of the memories of my youth stand out conspicuously. And I mention them before I pass to other criticisms, that the timid and hesitating may know, that however severe I may be upon those who seek display, I have still a vein in my nature, corresponding to that sentiment of my Master that would “not break the bruised reed, nor quench the smoking flax.”

A timid, stammering, imbecile young man, half-rising from his seat said, “I love Jesus.” That was all, —yet it went to my heart with far more power than many a studied speech.

The other incident sends a tinge of lingering shame over me, whenever I think of it. It was a time of some seriousness, and in the interval of public services a few sisters gathered in a retired room, ostensibly to pray. But who prayed? I did not, nor do I remember who did, save one young girl. She knelt amidst older professing Christians, sitting around, myself at her side (I record it to my shame). A few broken expressions were all she could accomplish under the embarrassing circumstances, and she arose and again sat by my side. A sort of guilt for her ill success, kept me transfixed, but it burnt another salutary lesson into my dull heart.

But I set out to say some very different things, and among them this—a young brother arose and let off a beautiful apostrophe to faith! It certainly showed his skill at composing (if he himself composed it), but nevertheless an inclination to laugh, mingled with a sort of pity for the performer, made me afraid to look up for some minutes. But that was only a matter of bad taste, and really, no harm was done. But the prayers (?) sometimes seem such an affront to God, that a shiver will run over me, spite of all my charity for good intentions. Not that it is never proper to rehearse before the Lord. Far otherwise. For some of the most beautiful Scripture prayers are largely rehearsing. Daniel’s memorable prayer, recorded in the ninth chapter, is such. But here the true idea is given by himself, thus: “While I was speaking, and praying, and confessing,” verse 20. Also David’s prayer in 1 Chron. xxix. Yet here it is said, “David blessed the Lord before all the congregation.” And in Solomon’s prayer, 1 Kings viii, a distinction is clearly made when in verses 54, 55, it says, “When Solomon had made an end of praying all this prayer and supplication unto the Lord, he arose from before the altar of the Lord, from kneeling on his knees with his hands spread up to heaven. And he stood and blessed, &c.”

Christ’s inimitable prayer, recorded in John xvii, partakes largely of rehearsal; but that model prayer, given expressly for our instruction and imitation, has only one assertion: “Hallowed be thy name.” And many prefer to regard that a petition also.

Self-seeking is one of the most subtle snares of the human soul, and when one leads off in prayer with the constantly recurring expressions: “Thou knowest, O God, this and this, Thou knowest, O God, thus and thus,” one cannot help feeling that it is not only a breach of that command, “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain,” but also an effort to make the servant conspicuous, rather than the service acceptable. I know that I may sometimes seem uncharitable, and sometimes give way to censorious criticism; but it is not toward the timid and ignorant, but toward the designing, or those who pervert God-given faculties by adopting theories second-hand, and never investigate Bible truth sufficiently to know whether they are blindly following some accredited human authority, or the abiding truth of God’s word; whether they are receiving the teachings of God with humility, or telling back to God things contrary to his communications to us; or, what is more reprehensible, telling God, in professed prayer, of the great designs he intends to accomplish through mankind, as if it were not written of Christ, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end.”

M. W. HOWARD.

Malone, N. Y., Jan., 1868.