p. 151 | The Closet Hour

The Seventh-day Adventist Publishing Association · Battle Creek, Michigan · Oct 10, 1865

The Closet Hour.

CHRISTIANS often go unblessed because they neglect to pray. They do not use the means of grace within their reach, and God leaves them to bear the penalty. The Presbyterian notes some of the shortcomings:

Some one has remarked that there is but one place where long prayers are appropriate, and that is in the closet. And surely we have much to ask forgiveness for, many blessings to acknowledge, and to crave for the future; yet how often we hasten through the duty with a wandering heart, and but little feeling of the petitions we offer. Oh, not so would we come into the presence of an earthly sovereign, and plead for our life. How few of the surrounding objects would catch our eye, or divert for an instant our attention.

Who would like to have his closet prayers written out and interlined with all the wandering thoughts that intervene?

Would he dare to read aloud the petition on his bended knees, or would he consent to give it into the hands of even a fellow-being for perusal?

We should 'prepare our hearts to seek his face.' We cannot come from the hot haste of our worldly pursuits, and rush into God's presence with an acceptable sacrifice. Meditation should precede our offering, and the door of the mind be carefully shut against the world, or it will be only 'lip service.'

An old man used to say, with considerable pride, that he had never omitted saying the prayer his mother taught him, a single night for seventy years. A severe illness came upon him, and he was led to see himself a great sinner, who must be saved by the free mercy of Christ. His last years were spent as an humble Christian, and he was often heard to say, 'I am the old man who said his prayers for seventy years, yet all that time I never prayed at all.'

Ah, how often might the same be said of us, when we come forth from our closet devotions, and go about our worldly pursuits again! We have no more prayed than if we had merely taken a newspaper in our hand, and read a paragraph from it.

Oh, how should we double our watch about our closet door! Here is where declension and apostasy always begin. Here is the only place where the Christian armor can be girded on, and strength obtained to wield it manfully.