THE PRAYER-MEETING.

Fulton-Street Prayer Meeting.

He had been requested to go into

He said he was from Cleveland, and it became known to the in

No one who attends this daily it and labor among the inmates. prayer-meeting and listens to the statements and facts there related

can well doubt that God is true to mates where he was from. A lit

his promise to hear the prayer of tle boy came to him and inquired faith when offered to him in earn- if he was soon going back to est sincerity. Cleveland. He answered, "Yes." Accounts from those who have "Then," said the little boy: "I asked prayer continue to come, of want you to go and find out my answers to prayer. A gentleman mother. You will find her at No. said: "A few days ago I asked-in-street. Tell her you have your prayers for a certain individ- seen me-that I am in the House ual, whose salvation lay as a great of Refuge in Rochester. Tell her burden on my heart. I knew the I have become a Christian, and man did not feel the least concern here I have found another House about his soul, but I did. He of Refuge-even Jesus Christ." knew nothing about my asking for The gentleman said he made himprayer. He was utterly heedless self fully acquainted with this case, of his salvation. You may think and he was persuaded that this little it surprised me to find that man, truant and wicked boy had really soon after my asking for prayer become a child of God. Thus the for him here, in great spiritual mighty work of grace in Rochester trouble. He came to me to have me tell him what he should do to be saved. No! I was not surprised. Some brother prayed, and when I heard and joined in that For the Prayer-Meeting. prayer, I felt assured that the man A Prayerless Christian. would be saved. It proved to be WHAT is that? Those words with him the last call and the elev- are contradictory. I have heard enth hour. The man who was then of a lifeless speaker-of a soulless in full health soon after was called miser-and a heartless mother. I suddenly to test the reality of his think those phrases are intelligible. hope. Death came, beckoning him No one is mislaid by them. No away, and his going was one of tri- one believes that a dead man liteumph and joy-he died in the Lord." rally speaks; but there are many A gentleman said he had lately men whose speaking has very little spent some time in Rochester. life. We do not suppose that The revival had reached and af- even the miser has no soul; but fected all parts of the population people generally think that what to an extent to which he never ex- he has must be exceeding small. pected to see any city affected. It No mother is literally without a had reached the House of Refuge. heart; but I have just read of one

had reached a class of youth who were shut out or rather shut in from the world, and many there have taken sanctuary in Jesus Christ.

who gave her child to strangers, and A Christian who does not love the devoted herself to infamy. And she duty of prayer! who neglects the is said to be intelligent. Heartless prayer-room? A Christian parent is a very mild term to employ in who has no family alter? Oh! do characterizing such a mother. not dream of such things; such conBut a prayerless Christian! I tradictions. Talk of the blind man do not understand what that can who is filled with raptures when the be. I can about as easily conceive rainbow spans the heavens; or of of a perfect harp without strings, the deaf man who is ravished with or flowing fountain without water, soft music; but tell me not of the or a sun without light, as of a man who loves the Savior of Christian without prayer. Doubt- sinners, and yet does not love less there are many professed prayer.

I

Christians who do not pray. The "But do not real Christians persecuting Saul was a very prom- sometimes neglect prayer for a inent professor. I presume he re- season? I fear they do. I must peated his forms of prayer daily. think that David was living so Nevertheless, Saul lived without when he was indulging in that prayer. He was a persecutor and memorable, fearful course of sin. a blasphemer; and how could he "How long may a Christian neg. pray? But when he ceased to be lect prayer ?" I know not. Saul the persecutor, and by rich would not advise you to make the grace was made Paul the Christian, experiment. The wish to make one of the first things we find such a trial would, of itself, be recorded is, "behold he prayeth." strong evidence that you are not a It was surprising intelligence to Christian. One of the last things to those whom he had persecuted, be mentioned is the effort of a ChristThey could hardly credit their own ian to live without communing with eyes and ears. But they knew God. How unnatural and how unthe power of redeeming grace. It grateful. Does he love the Savior, abounded to the chief of sinners. who desires not to pray to him? When they heard from the highest No, professed disciple of Christ. authority that Saul prayed, they Do not try how long you can live knew that he was a changed man without prayer; but seek to know -a Christian. Did Paul contiuue what it is to continue "instant in to pray? Yes, night and day, and prayer." The best experiments in as long as he lived. And speaking religious affairs are those which by the Holy Ghost, he enjoined on mortify the flesh, and humble the his fellow-Christians that they heart, and bring us into nearness should pray without ceasing." and conformity to God. Prayer is He would as soon have thought of eminently conducive to these results. living without food as without prayer. Go to the great Heartsearcher with Can any Christian live without a full and contrite confession of your prayer? Not long. A professor sins, and plead the merits of atoning may; but can a true child of God blood, and cast your soul on divine live long in the neglect of prayer? mercy, and tell me if you could No. A Christian without a closet! have been better employed.

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self against this appeal strikes and presses against a brazen wall. Hence it is characteristic of every

sent me. He that despiseth them poureth contempt not on me alone, but upon his own mind, and upon his Maker, and shall at last wonder and perish."-Bibliotheca Sacra.

Power of Personal Holiness.

Argumentative Preaching. ACCORDINGLY We find that the ablest ministers of the Gospel have been those who "applied their preacher who fortifies his words hearts to seek out wisdom and the by giving the reason for them to reason of things." In reading the speak as with authority. sermons of the elder Edwards we words are not my own," he seems stand in awe; for he speaks not as to declare, "but I have proved one who sings a pleasant song, but them; and you know them to be in the name of Him who says: true. He that receiveth them re"Preach the preaching that I bid ceiveth not me alone, but him who thee." There is something in his discourses that presses us, crowds upon us, follows hard after us; and, if we flee from it, it is close upon our footsteps; and there is no sense in our trying to escape it. It is the power of God's Word, shown to be God's Word, identi- NEVER will the Church meet her fied as such, an'l therefore we can solemn responsibilities until her not stay it in its onward urging. children, bursting asunder the Overcome by his argument, we shackles that bind them, and rising fall a prey at once to his appeal. out of the slough of earthliness in His discussion interests us; we are which they are sunk, come up to at once surprised, then taken cap- that high measure of evangelical tive, and afterward borne along sanctification which the voice of "whithersoever the governor list- Scripture and the exigencies of a eth." So was it with Paul. "He dying world alike demand of them. reasoned in the synagogue every There is a moral omnipotence in Sabbath," and as he once "reason- holiness. Argument may be reed of righteousness, temperance, sisted, persuasion and entreaty and judgment, Felix trembled." may be scorned. The thrilling He was not afraid of abstruse appeals and monitions of the pulpit, preaching, nor of metaphysical set forth with all the vigor of logic preaching, but he uttered words and all the glow of eloquence, may hard to be understood and liable be evaded or disregarded. to be wrested by the unlearned the exhibition of exalted piety has and unstable, still he enforced a might which nothing can withthem by such compressed ratioci- stand; it is truth embodied; it is nation as to make his hearers feel the Gospel burning in the hearts, that in striving against him they beaming from the eyes, breathing were striving against God. The from the lips, and preaching in the direct tendency of strong argu- lives of its votaries. No sophistry ment is, to transfer the reasoner's can elude it, no conscience can appeal from the sphere of his own ward it off; no bosom wears a mail opinions to the sphere of divine in- that can brave the energy of its spiration; and he who braces him- attack. It speaks in all languages,

But

in all climes, and to all phases of nance, indicating great nearness our nature. It is universal-in- to the throne of grace. I could vincible; and, clad in immortal not have shown levity at such panoply, goes on from victory to times. It would have been imvictory. possible. I felt then that it was Let Zion, through all her de- a great blessing to have a praypartments, but reach this elevated ing mother; and I have felt it point, and how rapid and tri- much more sensibly since. umphant would be her progress! Those counsels and prayers time With what overpowering de- will never efface from my memonstration would her tidings be mory. They form, as it were, a attended! What numerous and part of my very constitution. ever - flowing channels would pour into her treasury the requiThe Funeral Knell, site means; and what hosts of THERE is something touching her consecrated sons would stand and tender in the tolling bell. Its forth to publish on every shore sounds strike on the heart. It the mandates of her King! And tells of the departing spirit to how richly would the showers of the untried realms of the spirit Divine influence be shed down, land. It tells of another life

quickening into life the seed closed on earth-of sundered which she scatters, filling the ties, and anguished hearts, and desolate places with verdure and mourning friends-of an openjoy, and changing this blighted ing grave-of sad obsequies-of earth into the garden of our Lord. the solemn procession, and of -Rev. Geo. B. Ide.

the farewell look on the loved form of the mortal remains. My Mother in her Closet. How many plans in life are sudNOTHING used to impress upon denly interrupted-broken up my mind so strongly the reality and closed by the unexpected and excellence of religion as my coming of the messenger on the mother's counsels and prayers. pale horse. So it was in the case Very frequently she retired with of Mr. The bell tolled.

her children to a private room; It struck thirty-three. A man and after she had read the Bible in the vigor of life had died; one with us, and given us some good in whom many hopes centered. instruction and advice, kneeled A married man was torn from a down with us and offered a prayer beloved companion, a father rewhich, for apparent earnestness moved from his family, a son and fervor, I have seldom known from kind parents, a brother equalled. These seasons were al- hurried off from affectionate ways pleasant to us; and some kindness-a citizen, a man of times we looked forward to them business. The funeral came; an with impatience. My mother appropriate prayer was made at seemed to me then almost an an- the house, the coffin looked into gel; her language, her manner, at the house, and then the prothe very expression of her counte- cession moved to the house of

God, where solemn remarks were wonder and gratitude upon the uttered, slow music heard, and day of his redemption and esanother suitable prayer offered. pousal to Christ. He describes I gazed sadly upon the aged the victory he has achieved, not parent, tottering upon the bor- to his own powers or courage, ders of the grave, and the mourn- but adores the grace which set ing compauy. But the most him free, and strikes a loud note stricken one was not there. She of praise to the Lamb. It is inmourned alone, with health im- comprehensible to him that the paired. The coffin was borne to love of God should have followed the grave and lowered down. him so far, his patience endured Friends cast a mournful look so long, and that his wayward there. The assembly dispersed. feet should at length have been In returning from that impress- turned into the paths of peace. ive scene I passed a store. It With trembling delight and an was shut. Darkness and silence humble song, he looks at the reigned within. One of its occu- hole whence he was taken, and pants, the senior partner, had the pit from whence he was just entered the new-made grave. digged. If he had been sufferMy heart sunk within me. Is ed to follow his own imaginasuch a true sketch of earth's tions, and to go after the desires scenes? Are such dark clouds of his own heart, he would not continually settling upon the have repented. His choice and abodes of men? Yes, I must purpose were to die. He gave die! You must! Every person heed to all else but the invitais destined to the grave. What tions of the gospel, and made haste comes then? What will be true to despise the grace of God. A of us the next moment after gentle voice at length stirred his death? God speaks in his pro- slumbering conscience and avidence. Who hears-obeys- wakened him to his lost estate. is preparing for eternity? O His peace and security in sin sinner, stop! You may be with- were gone. The world lost its in a step of ruin-of eternal charms. His soul was in bitterdeath. Listen to the entreaties of ness and found no light or comheaven. Fall as a penitent before fort. Sin pressed upon him a the cross. Then, when you come heavy load, and he could find no out on the other side of Jordan, a relief. He knew not where to crown of glory will fall on your go. But the same Spirit which head, and angels will bear you to a seat at the right hand of God.

opened his heart to give heed to the things which belonged to his peace, led him on step by step The Sinner a Miracle of Grace. to the cross of Christ. Light WHOEVER has been made by broke into his darkened soul. the grace of God a partaker of Jesus became a living, almighty, holiness-who has been truly present Savior. The glories of born again and possesses a good the gospel began to be revealed, hope in Christ, looks back with and the cross of Christ to stand