What Made the Prayer-Meeting.
By S. W. Adriance
TWO THINGS are to be premised. It will be understood that the traveler was carried to Europe by ship—sail or steam—even if he does say that his money carried him there. It is always likewise to be understood that it was the Holy Spirit who blessed the meeting. But the difference between one meeting and another is not because the Spirit is a guest at one and not at another. He is always present, even at the dullest service, waiting to bless. Over every such might be written, “There standeth One among you, whom ye know not.” It was because some one recognized and welcomed the ever-present, but often grieved guest; and that made the prayer-meeting. Here are a batch of notes from the pastor’s note-book:— 1. In the background a long series of cold, formal meetings. What made this one throb and glow with spiritual warmth? Simply because a heavy-hearted woman rose, and with broken utterance said, “Pray for me.” Only three words made that meeting. 2. The meeting opens just as all other meetings. Up to a certain point the ordinary programme is carried out to a minute and second. Deacon Ford doesn’t usually take part; but to-night he does. That is, he tries to speak of the preciousness of God’s grace in a recent sorrow. But even the first sentence is unfinished; for the heart is too big. And across the billows of that sea all in the room saw Christ come. Don’t you think that was “a good meeting”? 3. A new voice blessed this meeting. Young Charles Dale was converted a month ago. He has never taken part, but to-night before service he wrestles with God. From that Peniel he comes to the service. The words he says are few, and perhaps do not amount to much, humanly speaking; but, divinely speaking, all in that service knew that the Spirit was there. 4. People said, “What ails our minister and our deacons to-night?” Never before, this year, had they spoken so briefly and earnestly. Fifteen minutes of prayer by the deacons at the pastor’s study did it; at the close of which Deacon French said, “Brethren, suppose we go over to the meeting, and each give a brief, earnest testimony for Christ.” Somehow or other everything went well that evening. Surely never was there such singing and such attention. 5. At the afternoon sewing circle, one young lady said to her fifteen companions, “Let us each look up a verse on the subject, and repeat it to-night at the meeting.” You would be surprised to know how it freshened up that meeting. 6. Five minutes before the close of the meeting, the pastor said, “Now let us have fifteen short, ejaculatory prayers, each not more than twenty words long. Do not rise.” What prayers those were! The note-book contains a good deal more, of which these are samples.—Rev. S. W. Adriance, in the Congregationalist.