Pray without Ceasing

Publishing Committee · Rochester, N. Y. · May 9, 1854

"Pray without Ceasing."

This commandment or exhortation ought to be obeyed, and may be obeyed. O what a lack there is of realizing the importance of prayer! Much is said about it, but we do not feel as we should. If one is wanting in true wisdom, lively faith, or sinew of religious character, he frequently complains, and wonders what is the matter, but forgets that he neglects a necessary earnestness and frequency of closet prayers. When such a one does kneel down to pray, perhaps he does not resolve, like a wrestling Jacob, "I will not let thee go unless thou bless me." Is not the fault here? The soul wants food. Prayer time is its meal time. No wonder, then, that the soul is weak, that will not eat heartily—that is not in earnest at prayer. But if the fault is not here, is it not because the seasons for prayer are too few and far between? No wonder that the soul droops that is only seldom at the table of heavenly manna. Of such a one, there may be danger of death by famine, of the "second death." O that professors could see the evils of neglecting prayer! But there is another, and perhaps a more common way, of bringing barrenness to the soul, and that is, not so much the want of seasons of earnestness or of going alone often to pray, but the habit of going forth from the closet without remembering the voice heard there, without improving the grace, and using the strength received there. In short, it is the habit of rushing out of the closet into the whirl of worldly business, without carrying along the spirit to "pray without ceasing," without watching unto prayer, so that ten minutes after enjoying a blessing on his knees, the careless soul is so plunged into the cares, riches, and pleasures of this life that it is difficult for him to say whether he enjoys any religion. Dear reader, will you allow me to ask you to look back on your past life, and see if this has not sometimes been the case with you.