On Prayer by Jos. Clarke

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Sep 6, 1864

On Prayer.

By Jos. Clarke

“PRAYER is the burden of a sigh: The falling of a tear, The upward glancing of an eye, When none but God is near.”

We would speak reverentially of prayer, the greatest privilege granted to mortals, the hope of fallen man, the means by which alone he can approach to God through Christ. Prayer is the refuge of the oppressed and afflicted, the comfort of the mourner, and the strong hold of the defenceless. And while mercy extends her arms, prayer is the appointed channel of reconciliation between God and man.

But like every thing else with which man is connected, this has become corrupted, and few now fully understand how properly to approach God under all circumstances. At the present time, a pulpit prayer, is a kind of set speech to God, so framed as to charm and please the ear of man; and often when persons from formal churches embrace present truth, they bring these relics with them.

I cannot describe their prayers, they are fulsome mockery, hypocritical adulation, often delivered in a tone which is enough to disgust and fatigue a congregation ununed to such things, in a short period of time: how much more when spun out to a hopeless length, extending, enlarging, comprehending Jew, Gentile, Hindoo, and Turk, islands and continents, until like the breath of a feverish volcano, in full blast, they deaden and suffocate the congregation. Alas, alas! the minister arises from his knees apparently much edified with his effort, and self-deluded, supposes his audience in the same complacent state of mind.

Then in social prayer, often the same spirit manifests itself in some degree, and deadness, leanness, coldness is the result. Some will not be corrected, and persist in long addresses to God, alike disgusting to man, and abominable in the sight of him whom they address.

My own views of prayer have been greatly modified since embracing present truth, and associating with those who had long been under its influence, and submitting my own preconceived views to such as I saw were under a holy influence, and wielding a mighty power for good. When with such a people, I have tried to learn their ways, and thus far I have found them safe and sure examples of correct principles. Therefore I leave the decayed platform of tradition, and find that wisdom points to a pleasant path, in her common sense way, avoiding everything tiresome and disgusting.

I am tired of long prayers, and tedious beginnings and endings, and terrific, sulphuric, exhortations, and frightful representation of the burning ever-present hell of the immaterialist; and I warn those who have been in the habit for many years of giving such heathenish discourses, against bringing such leaven into the third message. Our experienced messengers are free from it, thank God. Let us all be free from it; for be sure that those who come out under the call of the third message, have a fine ear for detecting all such demonstrations.

A short prayer in public is generally the best. Indeed I never heard a long prayer from the lips of any of our experienced and devoted leaders; and I wish I could say as much of all the humbler ones; or at least those who should be humble.

A man who fears God shows this reverential fear in his tone and manner; while another by his tone and manner, not only drives away good angels, but shocks his fellows by his coarse, hollow, familiar, mode of address, and by his endeavors to polish his sentences, and enlarge upon ideas.

An ancient and excellent writer says, that a good man has always with him a holy fear in all he does. Oh for this holy fear! to come with it before God! to have it in such a degree, as to be in a teachable position. Those coming from a fallen decayed church have everything to learn. Oh for a childlike disposition, teachable, and mild.

I aim at no particular one in this essay, but know that it will apply to many. Especially will I test myself. And permit me here to repeat the best rule I have yet heard for prayer. In secret prayer hold on long, and embrace all within the scope of your desires;

but in public, seek for a present blessing, and do not wander far from the present company, and their especial wants. Be fervent, brief, sententious, and to the point. Jos. CLARKE.