made a sectarian convert, and operated upon only by a human influence. The fruits of the Spirit of truth are in all goodness, possessing every excellency; but the fruit of the spirit of these revivals is full of evil, and all its apparent goodness is like the morning cloud and early dew.

Let us understand, then, that he has the most of God's Spirit who understands and practices the most truth, and whose delight is in the law of the Lord. Such a man is like a tree planted by the water side-he will be ever green and flourishing, and what he doeth will prosper, because it will be right, and he will bring forth his fruit in his season. The Spirit is a comforter because it is truth, and discovers only truth to the mind. Its fruits are joy, love, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance, because the truth leads to the practice of these virtues. Receive the truth, then, as it is in Jesus Christ, and you will receive the Spirit, and the water of life-and it will be in you a fountain of living water springing up into eternal life. Grieve not, therefore, the Holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

PRAYER.

Prayer may be regarded not so much a Christian doctrine as an exercise and practical duty. Yet, as we have both precept and example for it in the Scriptures, and as our Saviour taught his disciples how to pray, it is important that we should notice it among other things.

Christian prayer is a petition to the Deity-an address' of supplication to our Heavenly Father. Therefore, in order that our petitions be granted, and that we do not ask amiss, it is necessary that we well consider a number of things.

First: We should consider who we address-the Being we expect to grant our petition. He is the great God, the High and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity. As no man would come into the presence of a distinguished king to present a petition, in a careless and indifferent manner, so man should never address the Deity, or take his name upon his lips, without the greatest reverence and the most profound attention, devotion, and understanding. We must come in the character, and with all the feelings of a penitent rebel before a righteous sovereign, if we would hope to be accepted and pardoned. Our language should be the most correct, chaste, and reverential, and our hearts pure from hypocrisy.

To a person that understands the Scriptures, and has proper views of prayer, a great deal that is called prayer among a large class of professed Christians, is to them little else than what might be termed religious profanity and blasphemy. The prayer is clothed with such uncouth language, and the name of God and Christ are spoken in such an irreverential manner, and so many vain repetitions, that it is painful and shockingly disgusting to the ears and heart of a devout, enlightened disciple.

We must also understand what we pray for. We must know what blessings we stand in need of, and what God has promised, and proposes to give us, if we would seek him aright. Our petitions must be in harmony with the character of God, with the plan of redemption and our moral condition; consequently they must be in accordance with his Word, which alone is to guide us and qualify us to pray, and practice every Christian duty. Hence, says the apostle, let us pray with the spirit, and with the understanding also.

How many ministers and churches there are that think they can and must pray people into religion. They have their anxious-seats and inquiring meetings, and are loud

and long in their prayers, that God would convert those that present themselves. They plead with the Almighty, and use all the arguments at their command, just as though He was unwilling to grant their petition, and it was really hard to persuade Him to save sinners. Now all this praying is but little else than solemn mockery in the sight of God. There is no precept nor example for it in God's Word. Religion, as I have defined it, is a life of correct moral action. You cannot affect a man's life and conduct by prayer. But you can present moral truth to his mind, and the strong motives of the gospel; and if you can convince him of his errors, and persuade him to forsake them and embrace the truth, and practice every Christian virtue, the man becomes voluntarily a convert by his own acts. It is more rational and scriptural to spend the time in instructing, and using arguments to persuade them to repentance and a holy life, than to spend it in prayer.

How did John the Baptist proceed to get sinners converted? Did he and his disciples get them to take an anxious-seat, or go into some room and there spend the time in praying with them? No. It is said he came preaching. What is preaching? nothing more nor less than teaching. He taught the people-a voice crying in the wilderness-not of prayer, but of teaching and exhortation. Did Christ and the apostles hold a meeting for the purpose of praying men into religion? Where is the instance? If no such instance is found, are we to charge them with the neglect of the best and proper means to convert men?

When Christ sent out his twelve disciples, he said, As ye go, preach, saying, The kingdom of heaven is at hand. He did not say, as ye go, pray people into a converted state. So, when he gave his commission after his resurrection, he said, Go into all the world and preach the gos

pel to every creature. If prayer was the great means to be used to convert men, our Saviour would have told them to go and pray with and for every creature; pray every creature into religion. But no, go preach--go teach all nations. It pleased God, the apostle says, by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.

Men must be taught; their understanding must be addressed, and they must be moved upon by reason, and persuaded out of the wrong, and led to make choice of the right. Then the man himself is converted, and a lasting change will be visible. But to get rational men and women into a particular position, and go to praying God to convert them right on the spot, without any moral acts, and opportunity to exhibit fruits of repentance or change of their conduct, is as obnoxious to God and contrary to his plan of saving men, as it is ridiculous and absurd. This is praying God to do that which He cannot consistently do. It is asking Him to convert men without any reference to his established laws and means by which He converts them. Repent and believe the gospel, and be a doer of the Word, and God has promised to pardon and save. These are the conditions, and as soon as they are complied with, the blessing comes. God cannot convert or save men in any other way. Therefore, all these praying efforts to convert sinners amount to nothing, their prayers cannot be answered; sinners cannot be converted in any such way. When they asked, in the days of Christ and the apostles, what shall we do to be saved, they were never taken and prayed for, but instructed what they must do. They were put upon the immediate discharge of Christian duty, and admitted at once to all the privileges of the church. They were to believe the gospel, repent, and be baptized, and they had the promise of the blessings of pardon, and the Holy Spirit. A praying season is not mentioned or hinted at, as among the necessary duties to

their becoming Christians, and being fellowshipped in the church. Therefore, when we pray-when we address the Divine Being-let us understand, that to be accepted, our prayer must be consistent with his Word, and the examples He has given us in the Scriptures.

No person can become a Christian, and maintain a pious life without prayer; but let every person, when they pray, not act and pray like the heathen, using vain repetitions. The clamorous praying seasons at our revival meetings are very much like the heathens. They are almost an exact similitude. I will give an example. 1 Kings 18: 26, 28. And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. They leaped upon the altar; the marginal reading is, They leaped up and down at the altar. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves, after their manner, with knives and lancets, till the blood poured out upon them. How much this is like what we have seen at the altar of prayer among many professed Christians. We have seen them leap up and down. To be sure, they did not cut themselves with knives, but they would extort their limbs, and cry aloud, and groan, and disfigure their faces, and act much in the same manner as these heathen worshippers; using also vain repetitions.

As the prophet has given us a description of the prayermeeting of the worshippers of Baal, the reader will pardon me if I introduce my notes of a revival prayer-meeting which I witnessed and took at the time, not long since. The preacher, by singing, and a terrible heated and frightful exhortation, having obtained all that felt disposed to volunteer and be converted that evening, said, Let us pray. He began in a low tone, but full of affected emotion, while a still lower muttering and groaning simultan