HOW THE FIRST CHRISTIANS PRAYED.
By E. P. Hammond
IT will do us good to observe how those early Christians did their praying. There is not one wordy, long-winded, rambling specimen of prayer to be found in the record which Luke has left us. Just turn to his account of the prayer meetings, which he has given, in the fourth chapter of his book of Acts, or in the twelfth chapter. Compare them with the average prayer meeting of our modern churches. At the first-mentioned meeting the apostolic company had a specific want to be supplied. They asked God to give them "boldness to speak the word." Their printed prayer occupies just seven sentences. In the following sentences it is narrated that they were at once filled with the Holy Ghost, and they spake the word of God with boldness. That was praying at a mark. They did not scatter their fire over an acre of vague generalities, as is the manner in too many prayer gatherings. A distinct aim brought their request to one given point. What they asked for they got. Not a shadow of doubt appears to have crossed their minds that God could not give them or would not give them the very thing they wanted. In drawing a check at a bank we never put anything on the face of the paper but the sum of money we require. Faith should be equally simple and concise when it "draws" on the Giver of all grace. Observe, too, that in that little assemblage, in the house of John Mark, the one aim was to deliver Peter from the dungeon. They prayed until they got him. In fact, the answer came so quick that they were taken all aback when Rhoda reported that Peter was actually standing at the front door. They told her she was crazy, or had seen his angel. There is many an imprisoned soul, fast bound by Satan's chains, for whose deliverance we are to pray. Nor should we cease praying until we see him at the gateway of life, knocking for admission.—E. P. Hammond.