Of Prayer
Sermon on the Mount. St Matthew.
(The Gospel History, Section 43*)
And when ye pray, ye shall not be as the hypocrites: for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men. Verily I say unto you, They have received their reward. But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thine inner chamber, and having shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father which seeth in secret shall recompense thee. And in praying use not vain repetitions, as the Gentiles do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not therefore like unto them: for your father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him.
Of Prayer
(The Saviour of the World, Vol II Book III Poem XLV)
Thy prayers—a secret commerce with thy God—
In closet with closed doors, shalt offer up:
What man in public makes his vows to her
He chooseth for his wife? Less sacred these,
Than vows thou mak’st to God, less intimate:
Who but the Father knows thy heart’s whole pain,
Its joy, desire, its aspirations, grief,—
And these thou bring’st to God in secret prayer:
Poor soul, how lonely wert thou if were none
Whom thou couldst seek in secret and tell all
How, for a day, couldst thou support a life
Not breathing instantly that air divine
Thou reachest in thy closet with closed doors?
As a man climbs a mountain for free air,
So risest thou to spirit-altitudes
While low thou kneelest at thy Father’s feet,
And show’st Him all thy sorrow, sin and shame,
And love that will not leave Him till He bless!
Behold, the thing thou pray’st for thou hast got—
For never absent is the hearing Ear,
Never grown cold the Father’s tenderness,
And, all His child doth ask for, God doth give
Quick as the thunder follows lightning flash!
Who kneeleth on his knees, he summons God
To hear and answer that thing he would say:
Then wilt thou let thy errant thoughts roam here,
Roam there, on thousand idle quests, the while
Thou fill’st the pause by speaking vainly much?
Prepared be thy petitions, shortly said,
In reverent assurance that He knows,
Thy Father, what thou need’st or e’er thou ask,
But chooseth that His children ask of Him.
Vain repetitions use not, as do they
Who know not God and send their prayers aloft
In vague uncertain hope they may find place,
And all the more that they reiterate.
So speaks not he to whom a King gives ear;
Few words and apposite he fain would say
In moment of his audience, lest the King
He weary with his verbiage. Is God less?
Come, I will show you how ye ought to pray:—
St. Matthew vi. 5-8