Social-Meeting Testimonies.
THEY should be testimonies. Not sermonettes, nor long speeches, nor prolonged exhortations, but the witnessing of Christian hearts to the truth. Some laymen seem to think the prayer-meeting is a good place for them to practice preaching. Others improve the time to make a fine speech; some to criticise the church; others to ventilate their particular religious hobby; others to pour out their complaints, and make confession of (that which all know) what sinners they are; others to get off some new idea, or to express a different opinion from some one else; and still others to lecture the brethren upon the cold state of the church. But all such are death to a prayer-meeting. There should be no disputing, or wailing, or lecturing, or criticising, or preaching, or talking about disputed questions, in a prayer-meeting, but a testifying to the truth of Christ. If the subject is faith, let each one witness to the power of faith as they have found it in their particular relations in life. If the subject is hope, let each one tell how the gospel hope has helped him in conflicts. Whatever the theme may be, testify to its helpfulness in your everyday life; and these testimonies should be, like the prayers, short, prompt, and tender.—Pulpit Treasury.