“A PRAYERLESS Christian!” These words are contradictory. I do not understand what they mean. I can as easily conceive of a perfect harp without strings, or a flowing fountain without water, or a sun without light, or a living man without a soul, as a Christian without prayer. Doubtless many professed Christians live without prayer. A Christian without a closet! and who does not pray to his heavenly Father, who seeth in secret! A Christian parent without a family altar! Oh, do not dream of such a thing; speak not such contradictions! Why, a prayerless parent robs his children of a pious example—robs his own soul of the mercies of God, and robs his divine Master of the homage of his heart and the obedience of his life. And can a robber be a Christian? “But do not real Christians sometimes neglect prayer for a season?” I fear they do. This is the reason of the weakness of their faith—the dullness of their religious feelings—the irregularity of their lives. This neglect of prayer among real Christians is the cause of so many “backsliding in heart,” and falling frequently into scandalous sins. I must think that David was neglecting prayer when he indulged in that horrible course of sin which stained his religious character. Peter neglected to “watch and pray,” and fell into the “snare of the devil.” To attempt to live at all without prayer, is awfully dangerous. A desire to live without prayer, is a convincing evidence that you are either now backsliding, or are not a Christian. In such a desire is the entering in of the enemy. Harbor not the desire, then, for one moment; but seek to know what it is to “continue instant in prayer.”—Selected.