THE WEEK OF PRAYER by C. P. Bollman

International Tract and Missionary Society · Oakland, California · Feb 10, 1887

THE WEEK OF PRAYER.

By C. P. Bollman

The Christian at Work objects to Dr. Pentecost's proposition to abolish the Week of Prayer, and proposes instead that it be given "a proper setting, by postponing it to the Lenten season." "As at present instituted," says that paper, "the Week of Prayer comes right in the time of the world's season of festivities, which it not only antagonizes, but from which it suffers."

That should of course settle the matter at once; if any religious service "antagonizes" the "world's season of festivities" it should be promptly postponed, if not indefinitely, at least to such time as will clearly not interfere in the least with the festivities. But then it is just a little difficult to see why the "world's season of festivities" should have anything to do with the church's season of prayer. Unless, indeed, it be true that contrary to the primitive order of things, the church and the world have become one; only, like a man holding two offices, acting in different capacities at different seasons—during the holidays, seeking pleasure; during Lent, attending to the duties of religion.

It would seem that this is just what the Christian at Work means, for it says (saving the italics): "Five-sixths of the world of Christians devote a specific time to prayer and abstinence. It might be well if the other sixth would so far go over to the majority as to place its specified Week of Prayer at a time when the fashionable and religious world equally pause from their festivities." Think of it! five-sixths of professed Christians so wedded to this world that they cannot give up its pleasures to engage in a Week of Prayer, unless it be at a season when "fashion" has decreed that the religious is the proper thing to do! Yes, by all means let the one-sixth get into harmony with the "fashionable world"! and let all special religious services come at seasons when they will not interfere in the least with worldly festivities.

But, let all remember that "if any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof; but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever." 1 John 2:15-17. "Whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God."

It is becoming quite fashionable for society folks to be very religious during Lent, and if the Week of Prayer could only come within that season a great many people could be doubly pious for a few days without any special inconvenience; and it is presumably for this reason that the Christian at Work expresses the hope that "neither the bugaboo of the 'church year,' 'Episcopacy,' nor 'Rome,' will delay the perfecting of this much needed adjustment."

C. P. BOLLMAN.