An Alphabetical Analysis
Volume 10 - Practical Truth - Page 274 of 277
INDEX
today.  These features are not matters of primary importance, the main thing
to be remembered is that whatever posture be adopted, reverence should be the
uppermost thought expressed.
Undue length in public prayer should be avoided.  First, it is contrary
to the examples of prayer given in Scripture and to the maxim of the
Preacher:
'Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready
to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not
that they do evil.  Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart
be hasty to utter anything before God: for God is in heaven, and thou
upon earth: therefore let thy words be few' (Eccles. 5:1,2).
Vain repetition should be avoided, lest we approximate to the heathen who
think they will be heard through 'much speaking' (Matt. 6:7).  Moreover there
is no need to use the precious opportunity of prayer to make a catalogue of
everybody's needs, for we are assured that the Father knows what we need
before we ask Him, and surely none who have received enough grace to
appreciate the truth of the Mystery need to be told how horrible it must be
to abuse the opportunity of prayer by turning it into a public lecture or a
personal rebuke to another.
Whether a form of prayer should ever be used, and whether prayer should
always be extempore, we have not sufficient teaching to answer with
certainty.  Where a benediction is pronounced, the one who pronounces it
should include himself, saying 'our' and 'us' rather than giving the
slightest appearance of assuming clerical, priestly or apostolic positions.
It hardly seems necessary to say that the 'Lord's Prayer' (Matt. 6;9 -
13) which so intimately relates to the kingdom on earth, is not used in the
worship of a company whose sphere of blessing is 'far above all' where Christ
now sits.  Added to which is the fact that many who use the prayer regularly
can give no Scriptural reason why they should insist in the petition 'lead us
not into temptation'.  There is a full Scriptural answer for both this
problem, and for the related one that realizes that the word 'daily' in the
petition concerning 'daily bread' is an extraordinary word, occurring nowhere
else in the New Testament, but the explanation of these features  scarcely
falls within the scope of the present inquiry.  (See The Lord's Prayer2).
It should not be necessary to say that all true prayer should be
offered in the name and for the sake of the Lord Jesus Christ, 'grace' before
meals being no exception in fact, though often being an exception in
practice, especially with children.  The saying of grace at children's
meetings should avoid that one which speaks of 'feasting in paradise' lest
erroneous doctrinal views be encouraged.  Some, realizing this, have
substituted the line 'may overcome and reign with Thee', and it should not be
beyond the wit of any responsible believer to devise some similar and fitting
alteration.  While we should pray for our rulers, it is hardly needful to say
that prayers for the success of any political party are most discordant in
public worship.
(2)
The Singing of Hymns.  It is the peculiar character of Christian
worship that it calls for the singing of hymns.  No other religion on the
face of the earth makes such a demand: