Long Prayers | AdventAI

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Mich. · Nov 8, 1864

Long Prayers.

It often happens that the devotional feelings are dissipated by long prayers, so that when they are ended, the leading feeling of all who have been listening is, joy to know the praying one has got through. Such prayers usually proceed from the cold hearts of formal professors. Public prayer should be short; but secret prayer has no limits. This we learn from the example of our Saviour, and all others whose prayers are recorded in the Bible. From one to five minutes is the extent; seldom over three. Contrast such with the following:

The following story is told of Rev. Walter Jackson, a Scotch Presbyterian preacher of the last generation:

The prayers of even godly men at that time were very long and heavy, comprehending sometimes a system of divinity. Jackson was notorious for length. He was attending a funeral at Hallwyre. The company had assembled in the barn to get some refreshments, and having partaken he was asked to return thanks. He commenced in right good earnest with the fall of Adam, and was going down from one great Bible doctrine to another till patience—was exhausted. Significant looks passed among the mourners; one by one they left the barn, and the funeral procession started for Newlands churchyard. When Walter came to a close, and opened his eyes, he found himself alone, and on inquiry discovered that the procession was fully a mile away. His conceited soul was changed.