THE PRAYER-MEETING,
AND
ITS HISTORY,
AS IDENTIFIED WITH
THE LIFE AND POWER OF GODLINESS,
AND
THE REVIVAL OF RELIGION.
"Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another."-MATT. iil. 16.
"And they continued steadfastly in the Apostle's doctrine and fellowship, and in
breaking of bread, and in prayers."-AcTs ii. 42.
PITTSBURGH:
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN BOARD OF PUBLICATION.
1870.
/v:
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Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1870, by the UNITED PRE8BYTERIAN
BOARD OF PUBLICATION, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United
States, in and for the Western District of Pennsylvania.
S. A. GEORGE  & CO.,
STEREOTYPERS ANDV PRINTERS,
I'HILADSLP~lA.
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A-.
F ^ A. ^ * 0 7
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TO
THE STUDENTS OF THEOLOGY,
LICENTIATES,
AND
YOUNG MEN IN TRAINING FOR THE GOSPEL MINISTRY
IN THE
UNITED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH,
THIS VOLUME IS MOST AFFECTIONATELY
INSCRIBED BY THE AUTHOR,
J. B. JOHNSTON.
ST. CLAIBvIlLE, OsIo, July 1,1870.  
- A ({ - 3
CONTENTS.
PART I.-THE PRAYER-MEETING.
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................... 17
CHAPTER I.
EVIDENCES THAT THE PRAYER-MEETING IS A DIVINE ORDINANCE
OF RELIGIOUS WORSHIP, INSTITUTED BY CHRIST IN THE WORD.
The Prayer-meeting is founded in man's moral social nature-The
Prayer-meeting formed a part of the divinely appointed worship of
the Patriarchal and Abrahamic dispensation-The Prayer-meeting
formed a part of the divinely authorized worship during the whole
period of the Levitical economy, distinct from Tabernacle or
Temple, and from the Synagogue worship-The practice of Christ
and his Apostles makes clear the divine appointment of the Prayer  meeting-In the Epistles, the Prayer-meeting is enjoined by Apos  tolical authority-The Prayer-meeting is encouraged and sanctioned
by Bible promise.................................................................. 21
CHAPTER II.
THE EXERCISES OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Prayer-Conference-Singing Praise-Reading the Scriptures......... 57
CHAPTER III.
THE ADVANTAGES OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Is not, in its principal or special design, a converting ordinance  It is specially designed as a means of developing, and cultivating,
Christian graces, and promoting comfort and individual and social
edification-The Prayer-meeting may be received as a test of the
state of religion-Is an ordinance designed specially for the Revival
of Religion-The Prayer-meeting is a means of promoting unity in
9
4 
CONTENTS.
the Church-The Prayer-meeting is the Normal School of the
Church for the training of young men for public usefulness-The
Prayer-meeting is the rallying-point where the power of faith in
the Church concentrates, and takes hold on the arm that moves the
world-The Prayer-meeting largely compensates for the lack of a
regular gospel ministry.......................................................... 66
CHAPTER IV.
PRINCIPLES AND RULES FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE PRAYER
MEETING.
Rules for the ordinary Prayer-meeting in every congregation-In
large City congregations-General attendance-In the order of con  ducting the exercises-In regard to conference particularly-Meet  ings, Weekly-Monthly-Of the Eldership-Eldership Supervision
-Young   Men's  Prayer-meetings-Female  Prayer-meetings  Prayer-meetings and Home Mission operations-Duty of Presby teries, Home Missionaries, and Mission Stations-Summary State ment................................................................................... 87
PART II.-HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
INTRODUCTION.......................................................................... 107
CHAPTER I.
THE PATRIARCHAL PRAYER-MEETING-SUMMARY VIEW-FROM
ADAM TO MOSES.
The gate of the Garden of Eden, at the Cherubim, the FIRST divinely
appointed PLACE of worship-After the flood religion declined Idolatry prevalent till Abraham-Abraham knew both Altar and
grove worship-Family and Household worship distinct under
patriarchal forms.................................................................. 112
CHAPTER II.
SUMMARY SKETCH, FROM MOSES TO CHRIST.
Little direct Historic evidence from Joshua to Jeroboam-More than
compensatory moral evidence in the Psalmody of the Church com,1piled during this period-Importance of this kind of evidence Habits of a devotional people-Emergencies furnish tests-The
Captives and their return-Institution of the Synagogue............. 120
10 
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER III.
FROM CHRIST TO THE REFORMATION.
Revival of Religion-Means of-Fruits of-Concerted Social Prayer
-Church in the House-Church in the Catacombs-Pliny to Tro jan-Pagan Persecutions-The Waldenses-Papal Persecutions Lessons of this Period............................................................ 128
CHAPTER IV.
FROM THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION, 1688.
Continental Reformation-The Church of Scotland-John Knox His Letter-The General Assembly of 1641-Its lasting conse quences-Prelatic Domination-Prayer-meeting spirit brought from
Ireland alarmed the Prelatists-Five Articles of Perth-" The So ciety People.......................................................................... 137
CHAPTER V.
FROM THE CLOSE OF THE  SEVENTEENTH CENTURY  TILL THE
GENERAL DECLINE OF RELIGION, TOWARDS THE CLOSE OF THE
EIGHTEENTH.
Wesley and his Followers-Whitefield-Revival in Wales-Reynolds,
Harris, Rowlands, etc.-Prayer-meetings and Revival Identified  Revival and Prayer-meetings in the English Army-Soldiers' Let  ters from the Army-Cambuslang Revival-Its History closely
identified with the Prayer-meeting-Lessons of this Revival-Ex tends to other Parishes-Reports of Presbyteries on Revivals and
Prayer-meetings-Prayer-meetings among  children-Lessons of
this History-Baxter's Times, etc.-Lessons-Fletcher, Romaine,
Berridge, etc.-American Colonies-Edwards' History of Revivals
-Reflections........................................................................ 153
CHAPTER VI.
FROM THE PERIOD OF GENERAL DECLINE, TOWARDS THE CLOSE
OF THE LAST CENTURY, TILL NEAR THE MIDDLE OF TEE
PRESENT.
Causes of Decline-Reign of Infidelity-Making common cause with
civil and religious liberty-Evangelical Christians alarmed and
awakened-Counter influences, though silent and hidden-Church
Unions and Divisions-Age of the Organization of Benevolent
Associations-Bible, Missionary, Tract Societies-Inscrutible Pro
it 
CONTENTS.
vidences-Bible and Missionary effort a harbinger of Revival and
Prayer-Revivals toward the close of the last century and beginning of this-Dr. Sprague's Lectures-Revival in the Eastern
States-In  the  South  and  West-College  Prayer-MeetingsHamden-Sidney  College  Incidents-Prayer-Meeting  LessonsJefferson College Prayer-Meetings, in 1823-Their Lessons-College at Princeton, New Jersey-Lessons and Reflections............... 176
CHAPTER VII.
FROM THE MIDDLE OF THIS CENTURY TILL THE COMMENCEMENT
OF THE REVIVAL OF 1857-A PERIOD OF INTENSE POLITICAL
AND RELIGIOUS COMMOTION.
The Protestant Reformation a great Revival of Religion and Social
Prayer-Revival of this period and American Liberty-Revived
Social Prayer-Prepared for the investigation of the subject of
the Prayer-Meeting-State of the Country and of Religion when
the Revival came-Revival Sketches-Features of this Revival  In its commencement-Conducted by Union Prayer-meetings-Its
spirit rapidly pervaded the country-In its Prayer-meetings "The
earth helped the woman"-Xenia Convention-Unparalleled Politi  cal agitation, from 1850 to 1860-Intense around the Slavery
question-God chose such time for this Revival........................... 193
CHAPTER VIII.
PRAYER-MEETINGS IN THE ARMY, HOSPITALS, AND NAVY.
Agencies employed-Bible Society-Tract Society-Christian Com  mission-Letters from Soldiers in the Camp-From a Chaplain  Prayer-meetings in Hospitals-Testimony to the Prayer-meeting  Prayer-meetings among Seamen-Benevolence of the Age in the
Marine Hospital, the Port Society, the Sailors' Home, the Mariners'
Church-Sailors' Narratives-Ship Niagara-Chaplain's Letters  Religious interest of Commodore McKean, and his example in be  half of the Prayer-meeting-Lessons-The old war ship North
Carolina-A Place for Prayer-meetings-The Ohio and her Prayer  meetings-U. S. Ship St. Louis-A Sailor's Letter to Dr. Stewart  Reflections upon the important lessons of this Chapter................. 204
CHAPTER IX.
CONCERTED PRAYER, AND PRAYER-MEETINGS AMONG THE
MISSIONARIES.
Prayer-meeting interest awakened in India-Origin of the Week
12 
CONTENTS.
of Prayer-Missionaries ask for Concerted Prayer at HomeUniversal Concerted Prayer among all the Churches-BombayPoona-Letter of a Ship Captain-General Principles of all the
Prayer-meetings referred to in the last two Chapters-Reflections.. 230
CHAPTER X.
THE PRAYER-MEETING AMONG THE CHURCHES.
American Writers-" Five Years of Prayer "-N.  Y. Observer  Premature Impressions-Revival in Ireland-Prof. Gibson, of Bel fast-References to Year of GraceRevival Awakenings in Ireland
as early as 1855-Early Prayer-Meetings and Sabbath School
Movements-" The Believer's Fellowship Meeting "-Revival in
Connor-Prayer-Meetings for a Quarter of a Century-Facts and
Reflections-Revivals and Prayer-Meetings move forward over the
Church together-State of Revivals and Prayer-Meetings brought
before the General Assembly-Progress of Prayer-Meeting Revival
through the North of Ireland-Reports from Congregations-Gen uineness of the Revivals-Testimony-Churches and Sabbath
Schools thronged-Arianism and other prevailing errors decline as
Prayer-Meetings and Revivals progress-The Psalms never so
much prized-Rev. Magill's Report of Dundrod-Prayer-Meetings
and Suppression of Immorality-Drunkards Reformed-Wonderful
increase of Prayer-Meetings-Lessons and Reflections suggested,
confirming the Views taken of the Prayer-Meeting-Fruits of Re vivals in Ireland and America Compared-Revival in Ireland
propagated by Prayer-Meetings in the Church-Report of the Pres bytery of Ahoghill-Congregational Reports of Prayer-Meetings Remarkable Record of the state of Evangelical Religion and the
Prayer-meeting from 1857 to 1859............................................ 238
CHAPTER XI.
REVIVALS AND PRAYER-MEETINGS IN SCOTLAND, WALES, ENG               LAND, FRANCE, AND GERMANY.
The Scottish Guardian-Prayer-meetings in Glasgow-Fishing Vil lages of the North-Reports to the Free Church General Assembly
-Humphrey Jones and David Morgan-England and Wales Origin of the Prayer-meeting Revivals in Wales-Prayer-meeting
characteristics of the Welsh churches-Prayer-meetings in France
and Germany-Dr. Frederick Monod-In Paris........................ 266
2
13 
CONTENTS.
CHAPTER XII.
REMARKABLE PRAYER-MEETING AND REVIVAL INCIDENTS.
Incidents of Elberfeld-Remarkable incidents of a Backslider, Town  send Street Church, Belfast-Remarkable Prayer-meeting Conver  sion-Blesses God for the 51st Psalm, and for all the Psalms
memorized in the Sabbath School and Bible Class-" What would
we have done without the Psalms?"-Bungener's France before the
Revolution, Vol. I., p. 110-Narrative from "Work in the Wynds"
-Noble  Testimony to the fitness of the Psalms for Revival  "Their deep soil can be turned over and over again, while Hymns
bear scarcely a single plowing"-Prayer-meetings near Belfast  Incidents at Ballinahinch, Maghera, Ballykelly-Incidents in con  nection with Orangemen and Catholics-Broughshane Incidents  Ladies' Prayer-meetings.......................................................... 282
CHAPTER XIII.
PRAYER-MEETING INCIDENTS AND NARRATIVES, CONTINUED.
Incidents among Quarrymen, Ireland-Among Quarrymen, Wales  Remarkable Prayer-meetings on a Mountain-Incidents illustrating
the Importance of Concerted Prayer-" Work among the Wynds"
-How Revival came to the Wynds of Glasgow-Reflections upon
the Principles exhibited and illustrated by these extracts............. 309
CHAPTER XIV.
PRAYER-MEETING IN CONNECTION WITH MISSIONS, FORIGN,
HOME, CITY, AND COLPORTAGE OPERATIONS.
Mission Work in the Wynds of Glasgow-The Prayer-meeting the
First step-Report of Missions in Egypt. By Rev. B. F. Pinkerton
-The Christian listructor, Phila.-A Model Church-Reflections  American Tract Society on Home Evangelization-That Society
friendly to Revival and the Prayer-meeting-Thrilling Narrative
of the wonderful labors of a German Colporteur......................... 324
CHAPTER XV.
REVIVAL PRAYER-MEETINGS AND UMION CONVENTIONS.
"The Church Memorial"-Resolutions of Union Contention, 1838  Circular calling the Xenia Convention-Ten Important Topics for
Discussion in the Convention-The Xenia Convention-Communi  cation from Philadelphia-Similar from  New  York-Remarks
14 
CONTENTS.
made in Convention on Social Prayer-R. A. Browne, D. D., James
Rodgers, D. D., J. Clokey, D.D.-Report of Special CommitteeRecommends the establishing of Prayer-meetings-The Allegheny
Convention-Recent expressions of opinion in regard to the
Prayer.meeting-Christian Instructor and Social Prayer-Reflections on important points- United Presbyterian and  Noon-day
Prayer-meetings-Installation Charge. By Rev. Joseph Thompson,
deceased-Letter from a Ministerial brother in regard to Revival
and the Prayer-meeting-Its Practical Importance...................... 333
CHAPTER XVI.
CHURCH CREEDS AND THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church-Testimony of the Re formed Presbyterian Church-Directory for Worship of the United
Presbyterian Church-Reflections............................................ 356
15  
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
3PART T_I
INTRODUCTION.
THE subject of the following pages is divided into Two
Parts.  The First Part-The Prayer-meeting-is the
principal, and is that Part for which the other was written.
The Prayer-meeting, viewed as a subject of vital interest,
has engaged the attention of the writer for more than the
third of a century, though never, till very recently-indeed
within the present year-with even the remotest idea of
presenting to the Christian public his views through the
press. And even now the force of circumstances in Divine
Providence, rather than any desire to appear as an author,
has induced him to submit his views to the public eye.
The merits of the theme-the almost entire want of any
standard work on the subject, so far as known-the importanc$ of some settled scriptural views and practise in
relation to this precious institution of divine worship-the
religious sentiment and feeling of the age, and the tendency
of the evangelical Churches to harmonize in views and practise here, all seem to invite to reflection and conscientious
investigation. Few, if any, in these churches entirely ignore
the Prayer-meeting; yet many can give very little "reason
of the hope that is in them," in regard to its claims.
Very loose, vague, crude views-perhaps no well matured
views at all-are entertained by too many.
Christians too often assemble themselves together in the
2*                                        17 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Prayer-meeting only because the multitude move that way,
and under excitement are carried along, without considering whether there is any Divine warrant for this way of
worshipping God. Or, if it be deemed an ordinance of
divinely instituted worship, it is not seriously considered
for what end appointed, or how, or when, or by whom to
be observed.
The question whether this is an ordinance of religious
worship, appointed by the Head of the Church to be
observed by all Churches and Christians, as other acknowledged ordinances of worship; or, whether being simply
sui generis, it comes under no Scripture recognition, as all
other ordinances of religious worship divinely appointed,
but not being forbidden, may be observed as other indifferent things; or, may be ignored altogether, has,
perhaps, received from Christians, generally, very little
consideration.
It is not strange if the Prayer-meeting, as viewed and
practised in many of our Churches, should fail to bring
forth the blessed fruits that should be produced by a
believing and faithful observance of it as an ordinance of
Divine authority, encouraged by precious promises on
which worshippers can take hold, and from which they can
draw the grace designed to be communicated through this
channel. If the worshipper cannot answer the questionWho hath required this at your hand? how can he in
faith wait on God, and with confidence ask his blessing
on the service of the worshipper? But if he have an intelligent assurance that Christ is in the Prayer-meeting,
by the record of his name in his appointed Institution, and
by the promised presence of his Spirit and his grace, with
what confidence then, and comfort too, can he come to the
place "where two or three are gathered together," becausme
of his appointment, and the promise of his presence there! I
In presenting this humble treatise, upon a very grave
18 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
and important subject, the writer is well aware that his
topic is very far from being exhausted. Perhaps, in regard to every part of the subject, little has been presented
beyond what is merely suggestive. And if even this
much shall be found true, and some other and abler pen
shall be called out to do higher justice to the subject, he
will rejoice.  Or, should it call the attention of praying
people to a prayerful consideration of its importance, and
stimulate to-efforts and measures for bringing out to duty,
in this matter, many who, though they otherwise profess
and practise the duties of religion, yet either neglect the
Prayer-meeting entirely, or give it a very limited share of
their concern, we shall feel more than amply rewarded.
As the day approaches when the promises and predictions, relating to the last times, shall be fulfilledpromises and predictions of the most exciting interest, on
which the faith of God's people has so long waited, and for
which their prayers have so long ascended, the motives and
call to concerted prayer become stronger, louder and more
distinct.
As the signs of the times indicate still more and more
distinctly that the glorious period must be at hand, when
the gospel will be preached to every nation, kindred and
people on earth-and as vast fields for missionary enterprise are opening to the benevolent, as never before, so
should the Church hear and regard the command of the
Saviour concerning united prayer-" Pray ye, therefore,
the Lord of the harvest, that he would send forth laborers
into his harvest." Just now, the unusual demand for
laborers, the discouraging paucity of their numbers, and
the extraordinary enlargement of the fields, white for the
harvest, call for new interest in the Saviour's command,
and new earnestness in the Prayer-meeting.
As there are now earnest yearnings for union of the
divided members of Christ's body; and as the signs of the
19 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
dawn of that happy day, when the watchmen shall see eye
to eye, begin to appear more distinctly; so, as when "the
sound of a going in the tops of the mulberry trees" was
heard, now should the people of God bestir themselves in
frequent and earnest concerted prayer.
There is some earnest concern-we hope general-among
Christians, on the subject of the revival of religion. Many
are mourning over the low state of religion in their own
hearts, and in the Church; the time is nearing when the
day of the Lord, in the power of revival, shall be great as
the day of Jezreel, the first fruits of which were given in
the Pentecostal baptism of the infant Christian church.
These were the first fruits of the "refreshing times from
the presence of the Lord." As he has promised, "I will
pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the
dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon the seed of the
Church, and my blessing upon her offspring'; and they
shall spring up as among the grass, as willows by the
water courses;" so, is there a loud call for earnest and concerted prayer for the fulfilment of these promises concerning the gift of the Spirit in revival.
As prayer-especially concerted prayer-is placed in an
inseparable connection with the fulfilment of all the
promises made by a covenant God, in regard to all those
glorious events now so earnestly looked for; so, concerted
prayer must be employed by the Church before she can
enjoy the blessings and the glory of the times of the coming
of her Lord. And if the Spirit of prayer is the power of
the Church by which she takes hold of the hand that
moves the world, then is she now called to gird on her
strength. "Awake, awake; put on thy strength, 0 Zion;
put on thy beautiful garments, 0 Jerusalem; shake thyself from the dust; arise, and sit down, 0 Jerusalem;
loose thself from the bands of thy neck, O captive daughter
of Zion."
20 
CHAPTER I.
THE PRAYER-MEETING IS A DIVINE ORDINANCE OF RE LIGIOUS WORSHIP, INSTITUTED BY CHRIST IN THE WORD.
1. The prayer-meeting is founded in man's moral social
nature.
MAN  is a moral, or, a religious being.  He has a moral
sense. He has a conscience-a sense of right and
wrong-and of accountability to God, his Creator. As a
religious being, he is also social. The law of his nature
inclines him to worship; and the religious, social principle, inclines him to seek the communion of kindred
spirits. "And doth not even nature itself teach you?"
"It is not good for man  to be alone."  "For  when
the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the
things of the law, these, having not the law, are a law
unto themselves."
There are Divine ordinances founded in law natural,
acknowledged to be such by all Bible believers, though
not found in specific terms, or direct commands of institution, in the Word. All Christians recognize civil government to be an ordinance of God-founded in the law
of nature-existing without the Bible, and among nations
where revelation has never gone. We prove it to be a
Divine ordinance from the Bible, just as we prove all
other Divine ordinances of its class. We prove it, substantially, as we do the prayer-meeting, with all the
difference in weight, and clearness of evidence, in favor of
the latter. The Bible recognizes its existence. It defines
its privileges. It regulates its duties, its obligations, upon
21 
THiE PRAYER-MEETING.
rulers and ruled; and so establishes it to be a Divine
ordinance. "Let every soul be subject to the higher
powers," is the recognition of the existence of such higher
powers-not the mandate, in express terms, instituting
the ordinance of civil government. "Whosoever resisteth
the power, resisteth the ordinance of God," is the language
of direction in regard to the duties of obedience to an
institution, in terms denominating a Divine ordinance
"the ordinance of God." The testimony of the Bible as
clearly establishes the truth of the "divine ordinance" of
civil government, as the "divine ordinance" of the gospel
ministry. But the one, being founded in law moral natural, needs not positive terms of institution. The other,
being founded in law moral positive, must, of necessity,
have express positive enactment to prove it to be a divine
ordinance.
Men prompted by the dictates of nature only, would,
and do, pray to God. Men would naturally, as all nations do, form civil government without "any passage of
Scripture prescribing" anything in regard to its institution. But the gospel ministry, and the sacraments of
the church, can have no existence, nor would men without revelation naturally resort to them-nor would they
have validity-without express positive institution in the
word. Let this suffice to make clear the distinction involved in the proposition, that "the prayer-meeting is a
divine ordinance, founded in man's social nature."
One of the most precious privileges enjoyed by saints,
this side the perfect felicity of the state of glory above, in
the presence of God, in the company of angels and fellowship of the redeemed, is the communion of saints.
"To saints on earth, to the excellent, where my delights all placed."
Grace sanctifies the religious social principle of our na
22 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
ture, and places in very striking contrast the state of our
race without the sanctifying power of grace.  Here, sinners are "living in malice and envy, hateful, and hating
one another."   How  intense must the sufferings of the
damned be, when thrust down together in hell, forced to
associate together where the social bond is-not love binding in one, but hate-under the penal decree of inflexible
justice, holding, in the presence of the hated and hateful,
only to enhance the misery eternal! With the universal
creed of the universal church, the Christian heart beats
responsive, "I believe in the communion of saints." The
Christian feels the power of truth and grace constraining
to love Christ and his fellowship. And this same love
of Christ constrains to love the brethren. A pre-eminent
design, in calling out from the world, of organizing a visible Church out of those called into a holy fellowship, and
of the ministrations of the gospel, in all its precious institutions, is to prepare for and induct into the enjoyments of the communion of saints here on earth, and
ultimately in heaven. The social nature, sanctified by
grace, demands the society of kindred spirits sanctified by
the same grace.
By the communion of saints, believers-the members
of one holy family, partakers of the common salvation,
and of the same blessed hope-have a mutual interest in
matters of the highest importance. They are separated
from the rest of the world, and incorporated into one
spiritual body. Marked with the same seal, and distinguished by the same badge of a holy profession, they are
called to like solemn duties, are inclined to engage in similar services, are exposed to encounter like fears, dangers,
and common enemies. They have joys and privileges in
common; they live to the same high end; they cherish the
like expectations; and are animated by the same blessed
23 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
hopes of the one blessed inheritance. Hence result the
mutual offices of a sacred brotherhood. A warm interest
and complacency in saints, are results of regenerating
grace, and its certain evidence. Here is the prominent
characteristic of all who belong to the household of faithi
-" We know that we have passed from death unto life,
because we love the brethren." "Every one that loveth
him that begat, loveth him also that is begotten of him."
The whole doctrine of the communion of saints is founded
on man's social religious nature, which prompts to seek enjoyment from sources congenial to that social nature.
Spiritual life, restored through gospel means, bases its operations here upon, and acts through the social nature of
the moral being-quickening its aspirations, and leading
its instincts, under all the pressures of life, to seek that
companionship where kindred sympathies commingle. In
all our burdens, in all our afflictions, here, as in the
tender bosom of the Elder Brother, is a feeling of our
infirmities in the heart of every brother-a bearing half
the burthen, and nerving to sustain the other. "If one
member suffer, all the members suffer with it." All who
have the spirit of adoption, feel with the apostle that, "We
being many, are one bread and one body, for we are all
partakers of that one bread."
From the very nature of the fellowship of saints, and
from the inward cravings of the renewed nature after its
congenial enjoyment, there seems to be a dictate of reason
and nature requiring some distinct ordinance of religious
social worship, in which saints, as nowhere else, can specially and fully enjoy its blessed and heavenly privileges.
The prayer-meeting answers to this demand of the spiritual brotherhood, with more exclusiveness and direct
fitness than any other ordinance of religious worship.
Secret and invisible communion with God, is not enough
24 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
to satisfy all the demands of the social religious nature,
sanctified by grace to love saints, and love the fellowship
of saints. Nor, in addition, is it enough to enjoy inward
affection for brethren in Christ, and secret and invisible
communion with loved objects, with whom we can seldom
hold visible and intimate communion, where hearts to gether may burn, and mutually reciprocate the enkindling
glow of affection kindled in each by Christ's love. Nor
will occasional interviews with kindred spirits and loved
ones, in public ordinances, where there cannot be free and
generous interchange of Christian sentiment and affection,
satisfy this desire. While all the ordinances of religious
worship have their general uses and ends-while all edify
the body, building up in holy faith and comfort, preparing saints for the heavenly communion, still, each has its
special end and use, and without each in its place the
divine system of institutions of grace would be incomplete.
As there is a beautiful symmetry in the body-the church
organic-so in the complete system of divine ordinances,
appointed to nourish and beautify this spiritual body.
"From whom the whole, fitly joined together, and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to
the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh
increase of the body, unto the edifying of itself in love."
To the prayer-meeting the instincts of nature would
lead even the heathen-and much more, these natural
impulses of the renewed nature, when brought under the
influences of evangelical religion, the attractions of ecclesiastical organization, and the Christian brotherhood; and,
above all, the constraining power of divine grace and
love of Christ. Thus, Jonah's mariners, when tempesttossed, in straits and at their wits end, cried unto their
gods: and not only so, but they sent Jonah to prayer to
his God. And ultimately, all, in united prayer-meeting,
3
25 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
called on Jehovah. "So the shipmaster came to him, and
said unto him, What meanest thou, O sleeper? Arise, call
upon thy God, if so be that God will think upon us, that
we perish not." And not satisfied, in their distress, with
the proxy prayers of the Prophet, they unitedly engaged
with intense earnestness in prayer to Jonah's God"Wherefore they cried unto the Lord, and said, WE beseech thee, O Lord, WE beseech thee, let us not perishlay not upon us innocent blood."   And  these united
prayers were approved, and heard, and answered, and entered on the record for our learning. Many, and significant too, are such instructive words. Many such have an
interesting place in the devotional songs of social praiserecords of instruction to the end of the world.
"In trouble then they cried on God, He them from straits did save."
' "In grief they cry to God; He saves them from their miseries."
"Then they to God in trouble cry, who them from straits sets free."
The heathen Ninevites, moved by the religious social
principle, when the circumstances called into exercise that
natural law of our religious nature, resorted for relief to
fasting and social prayer.   "So the people of Nineveh
believed God, and proclaimed a fast-let man and beast be
covered with sackcloth, and cry mightily unto God." The
united prayers of these children of nature were heard, and
judgments arrested. Social prayer is a dictate of natural
religion. God has entered his approval upon the record
for our learning. Let us take heed lest "The men of
Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and
shall condemn it." Social prayer is a dictate of nature.
And yet "we have a more sure word of prophecy."
2. The prayer-meeting formed a part of the divinelyappointed worship of the patriarchal and Abrahamic di
pensatio>s.
26 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Sacrifices were offered by our first parents, by Abel,
by Noah, and by Abraham. They were not confined to
this form of worship alone. Prayer was among the very
first forms of religious worship known and practiced by
our fallen race. The history of the operations of saving
grace would be substantially the same in the first converts
and in all after-conversions by the same divine spirit the same in Adam, in Abel, in Enos, in Noah, and in
Abraham, and all their cotemporaries, as in Saul of Tar sus, who gave evidence of a gracious change by his new
life of prayer. "Behold, he prayeth!" That was the
final evidence of Christian character. So, the truly pious
were men of prayer in all ages. Men began early to call
upon the name of the Lord. Enos, the second from Adam,
and the sons of God in his generation, seem to have practiced social prayer.   "Men called on God."  Men, moved
by grace, would then, as now, find enjoyment in social
prayer, and would, consequently, be led by its power to
practice it as now. So Abraham, moved by the same
faith that moves to social prayer now, "planted a grove
in Beersheba, and called there upon the name of the Lord,
the everlasting God." Gen. xxi. 33. This worship of the
grove, or in "the High-places," was practiced during the
whole patriarchal period. Afterwards, to guard against
the confounding of the worship of the grove and of the
altar, God charged Moses, in the giving of the law, to preserve both these ordinances of worship pure and distinct.
"Thou shalt not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto
the altar of the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make
thee." Deut. xvi. 21. It was in later periods of Hebrew
history that, in violation of this law, God's worship was
corrupted by erecting altars under every green tree, and
in the groves, and on the high-places, there offering sacrifices, as in the days of Ahab, and other wicked kings.
27 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
This persistent violation of law, in the corrupting of
divinely-appointed worship, was at length arrested by the
captivities of the ten tribes and of Judah. After the return, idolatry never again became the prevailing sin of the
Jews; nor have we any account of the worship of the altar
being blended with the social worship of the Proseucha
among the groves or on the high-places.
To the Proseucha, or place for prayer, and not to the
synagogue, the Psalmist seems to refer in Ps. lxxiv. 8,
where it is said "they burnt up all the synagogues of
God within the land." The Proseucha, as a place of
worship, was well known among the Hebrews from the
days of Abraham. The synagogue, which was confined
to cities and towns, did not obtain till after the captivity; and then grew out of the circumstances of the
times, the necessity for the more generl reading and
knowledge of the law, the ignorance of which was prevalent before and during the captivity. To correct this,
Ezra instituted the synagogue for the reading and,xpounding of the law.
We are by no means singular in our views of the Proseucha and synagogue worship. That this may be seen,
and the reader have the subject more fully before him,
we shall quote from some authors of standard reputation.
Prideaux, in his Connections, says, vol. i, pp. 307-309:
"Those who think synagogues to have been before the
Babylonish captivity, allege for it what is said in the
seventy-fourth Psalm, verse 8:'They have burnt up all
the synagogues of God in the land.' But, in the original,
the words are-[col moadhe el]'all the assemblies of
God;' by which, I acknowledge, must be understood the
places where the people did assemble to worship God.
But this doth not infer that those places were syniagogues; and there are none of the ancient versions, ex
28 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
cept that of Aquila, that so render this passage. The
chief place where the Israelites assembled for the worship
of God, was the temple at Jerusalem-and, before that
was built, the tabernacle; and the open court, before the
altar, was that part in both of them where the people
assembled to offer up their prayers to God.  But those that
lived at a distance from the tabernacle, while that was in
being, and afterward from the temple, then that was
built, not being at all times able to resort thither, they
built courts like those in which they prayed at the tabernacle and at the temple, therein to offer up their prayers
unto God, which in after times we find called by the name
Proseuchoe. Some of the Latin poets (Juv. Sat. 3) make
mention of them by this name; and into one of them our
Saviour is said to have gone to pray, and to have continued therein a whole night. (Luke, vi. 12:'And he
continued all night in a Proseucha of God.') And in
another of them, St. Paul taught the people of Philipi.
(Acts xvi. 13,16, what we render in our English version
by the word prayer, is in the original a proseucha, a place
of prayer.)
"And, besides these proseuchre, there were other places
in which the Israelites, before the captivity, frequently
assembled, upon the account of religion; for they often
resorted to the cities of the Levites, to be taught the
ritual and other ceremonies of Mosaical law, and to the
schools of the prophets for all other instructions relating
to the things of God; and to these last, it is plain from
Scripture, that they usually resorted on the Sabbaths and
New Moons; and what end could there be of this resort,
but for instruction in their duties to God? And therefore
these places also, as well as the proseuche, were Moadhe
Al-i. e., places of assembling on account of religion-and
consequently of all these may the Psalmist be understood
3*
29 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
to speak in the places above mentioned. Whether this
Psalm, as well as the seventy-ninth, was written by David,
or by that Asaph who lived in the time of the Babylonish
captivity (to which it is plain they both relate), or by
some other after it, as is most probable, I shall not here
examine. All that is proper for me here to take notice
of is, that nothing which is in either of these Psalms can
prove, that there were any such things as synagogues,
wherein the Scriptures were read, or public prayers offered
up unto God, till after the Babylenish captivity.
"And if it be examined into, how it came to pass that
the Jews were so prone to idolatry before the Babylonish
captivity, and so strongly and cautiously, even to superstition, fixed against it after that captivity, the true reason
hereof will appear to be, that they had the law and the
prophets every week constantly read unto them after that
captivity, which they had not before. For before that
captivity, they having no synagogues for public worship
or public instruction, nor any place to resort to for either,
unless the temple at Jerusalem, or the cities of the Levites,
or to the prophets, when God was pleased to send such
among them, for want hereof great ignorance grew among
the peopleGod was little known among them, and his
laws in a manner wholly forgotten; and therefore, as
occasions offered, they were easily drawn into all the superstitions and idolatrous usages of the neighboring nations
that lived round about them. Till at length, for the pullishment hereof, God gave them up to a dismal destruction in the Babylonish captivity.  But after that captivity,
and the return of the Jews from it, synagogues being
erected among  them in every city, to which they coIustantly resorted for public worship, and where every week
they had the law from the first; and after that, from the
time of Antiochus's persecution, the prophets also read
30 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
unto them-and were, by sermnons and exhortations, then
delivered at least every Sabbath day, instructed in their
duty, and excited to the obedience of it. This kept them
in a thorough knowledge of God and his laws. And the
threats which they found in the prophets, against the
breakers of them, after these also came to be read among
them, deterred them from transgressing against them. So
that the law of Moses was never more strictly observed
by them, than fromn the time of Ezra (when synago,gues
first came into use among them,) to the time of our
Saviour; and they would have been unblameable herein,
had they not overdone it by adding corrupt traditions )of
their own devising, whereby at length (as our Savioilr
chlargeth them,) they made the law itself of none effect.
Anld as, by this method, the Jewish religion was preserved
in the times mentioned, so was it also, by  the same,
that the Christian religion was so successfully propagated
inii the first ages of the church, and hath ever since been
preserved among us. For as the Jews had their syliagogues, in whvlich the law and  the prophets were  rea(i
unto them every Sabbath, so the Cliristiais had their
churches, in which, from the beginning, all the doctrines
and duties of their religion were every Lord's Day tauglht,
inculcated, and explained unto them.  And by God's blessing upon this method chiefly was it, that this holy religion
still bore up against all oppressions, and, nlotwithlistanding
the teii persecutions, and all other artifices and methods of
erLielty and oppression which hell and heathenism could
devise to suppress it, grew up and increased under themwhich Julian, the apostate, was so sensible of, that, when lihe
put atll his wits to work to find out new methods for the
restoring of the heathen impiety, he could inot think of any
more effectual for this purpose than to employ his philosophers to preach it up every week to the people, in the same
31
0 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
manner as the ministers of the gospel did the Christian
religion."
Calmet, under the word " Synagogue," observes, p. 871:
"Synagogue, a word which primarily signifies an assembly, but like the word church, came at length to be
applied to places in which any assemblies, especially
those for the worship of God, met, or were convened.
From the silence of the Old Testament with reference to
these places of worship, most commentators and writers
on Biblical antiquities are of opinion that they were not
in use till after the Babylonish captivity. Prior to that
time, the Jews seem to have held their social meetings for
religious worship in the open air, or in the houses of
the prophets.  (See 2 Kings iv. 23.)  Synagogues could
only be erected in these places when tenl men of age,
learning, piety, and easy circumstances, could be found to
attend to the service which was enjoined ill them. Large
towns had several synagogues; and soon after their captivity, their utility became so obvious, that they were scattered over the land, and became the parish churches of the
Jewish nation.
"The stated office-bearers ill every synagogue were ten,
though ill rank they were but six. Their names and duties
are given by Lightfoot, to whom the reader is referred.
But we miust notice the Archisynagogos, or Ruler of the
Synag(ogues, who regulated all its concerns, and granted
permission to preach.
"The service of the synagogue was as follows:-The
people being seated, the minister, or angel of the church,
ascended the pulpit and offered up the public prayers; the
people rising from their seats, and standing in a posture
of deep devotion. The next thing was the repetition of
their phylacteries; after which came the reading of tlhe
law and the prophets. After the return from the captivity
32
0 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
an interpreter was employed in reading the law and the
prophets, (see Neh. viii. 2-10) who interpreted them into
the Syro-Chaldaic dialect, which was then spoken by the
people. The last part of the service was the expounding
of the Scriptures, and preaching from them to the people.
This was done either by one of the officers, or by some distinguished person who happened to be present. The reader
will recollect one memorable occasion, on which our Saviour availed himself of the opportunity thus afforded to
address his countrymen, (Luke iv. 20) and there are several other instances recorded of himself and of his disciples
teaching in the synagogues. The whole service was concluded with a short prayer or benediction."
Horne, in his "Introduction to the Study of the Bible,"
treating of" The High-Plaes, The Proseucha or Oratories,"
Vol. II., pp. 101, 102, says:
"Besides the Tabernacle, which has been described in a
former section, frequent mention is made, in the Old Testamnent, of places of worship, called High-Places, which
were in use both before and after the building of the
Temple.
"From the preceding facts and remarks, however, we
are not to conclude that the prohibition relating to HighPlaces and groves, which extended chiefly to the more
solemn acts of sacrificing there, did, on any account, extend to the prohibiting of other acts of devotion, particularly prayer, in any other place beside the Temple, the
high places and groves of the heathen, (which were ordered
to be razed) only excepted. For we learn from the sacred
writings, that prayers are always acceptable to God, in
every place, when performed with that true and sincere
devotion of heart which alone gives life and vigor to our
religious addresses. And therefore it was that in many
places in Judea, both before and after the Babylonian cap
33 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
tivity, we find mention made in the Jewish and other histories of places built purposely for prayer, and resorted to
only for that end, called Proseucha or Oratories., It appears that in heathen countries they were erected in sequestered retreats, commonly on the banks of rivers, or on
the sea shore. The Proseucha or Oratory at Philippi,
where the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, was by the river
side, (Acts xvi.) Josephus has preserved the decree of the
city of Halicarnassus, permitting the Jews to erect oratories,
part of which is in these following terms:'We ordain, that
the Jews who are willing, both man and woman, do observe
the Sabbaths, and perform sacred rites according to the
Jewish law, and build proseucha by the sea side, according
to the custom of their country, and if any man, whether
magistrate or private person, give them any hindrance or
disturbance, he shall pay a fine to the city.'
"Calmet, D)rs. Prideaux and Hammond, and others have
distinguished between these two sorts of buildings, and
have shown that though they were nearly the same, and
were sometimes compounded by Philo and Josephus, yet
that there was areal difference between them-the synagogues being in cities, while the proseuchoe were without
the walls, in sequestered spots, and usually erected on the
banks of rivers," etc.
Brown, of Haddington, in his Dictionary of the Bible,
says:
"Synagogue, the place where the Jews met for their public worship on ordinary occasions, as we do in our churches.
As most of the Jews from the beginning of their settlement
attended the tabernacle or temple only at the three solemn
feasts, it is probable they had a kind of synagogue, or
schools, or proseucha, or prayer places, in one of which last
our Saviour prayed all night. Luke vi. 12. These differed fro)m synagogues, as in them every one prayed for
34 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
himself. They were in retired places, as by river sides,
(Acts xvi.) and were uncovered, like groves; whereas, synagogues were in elevated places, were covered with a roof,
and one prayed as the mouth of the rest. Perhaps it was
the proseucha that were the'mohede' (synagogues) or
meeting places, burnt up by the Chaldeans." Psalms
lxxiv. 8.
To the Proseucha, and not synagogue, there seems, very
evidently, to be reference in Luke vi. 12, where it is said,
"Jesus went out into a mountain to pray, and continued
all night in prayer "-" en te proseucha tou Theou." "In a
proseucha of God"-a place of prayer.  So in Acts xvi.
13, it is "proseucha," a place "where prayer was wont to
be made "-out of the city, by the river side, where the
women resorted.
From these references it may be seen that the prayermeeting had a distinct place among the institutions of divine worship, from the earliest history of the church down
through the patriarchal dispensation, to the institution of
the synagogue, and ever after, as distinct from that form
of worship, answering to our ordinary public worship of
the Sabbath in the ministration of the word by the ordained
ministry.
3. The prayer-meeting formed a part of the divinely appointed worship during the whole period of the Levitical
economy, distinct from Tabernacle or Temple, and from the
synagogue worship.
In the giving of the law by Moses, the Hebrews received
their written constitutions, both as a church and as a nation. Many provisions in both constitutions were original,
peculiar to that dispensation, and radical, designed to introduce radical change in the state of society, civil and
ecclesiastical. The patriarchal state was abolished. A
national organism was formed, and a m6re complete eaecle
35 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
siastical organization was effected. Many of the precious
institutions with which that people were favored were first
given theln in the wilderness, and incorporated in their
new constitutions and laws. On the other hand, many of
the provisions of the ecclesiastical and civil constitutions
then given were modifications, or regulations merely, of institutions already existing under the patriarchal dispensation-institutions carried over from the one into the other,
so that by the change of dispensation, or revolution of the
form of polity, no10 blessing or privilege was either lost or
even abridged. Circumcision, the Sabbath, social worship,
etc., were all preserved intact, and incorporated with the
new order of things, and now regulated by written statute
law. Here we find the place of the social prayer-meeting
recognized and regulated by the constitutional law of the
last form of the Old Testament dispensation.
Abraham had planted his grove in Beersheba, and there
enjoyed the private social conference with brethren, and
communion with God in social prayer. Isaac, Jacob, and
other faithful patriarchs long preserved their Proseucha
distinct from the sacrificial altar. The Divine testimony
assures us that the father of the faithful commanded the
obedience of his children and household after him. The
worship of the grove was not unknown to Moses. To preserve for the new dispensation the ordinances of the grove
and the altar intact, and to guard against confounding the
worship peculiar to each, God charged Moses to incorporate
a prohibitory statute with the Levitical code: "Thou shalt
not plant thee a grove of any trees near unto the altar of
the Lord thy God, which thou shalt make thee." Deut.
xvi. 21. In later periods of the history of the Hebrews, in
violation of this law, God's worship was corrupted by
erecting altars under every green tree, and in the groves,
and on the high-places. There, in the days of Ahab and
36 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
other wicked kings, they offered sacrifices. This persistent
violation of law, in the corruption of divinely appointed
worship, was at length arrested by the captivity of Israel
and Judah. After the return, idolatry never again became
the prevailing sin of the Jews; nor have we any account
of the worship of the altar being blended with the social
worship of the proseucha among the groves, or on highplaces.
Two sources and forms of instruction, in addition to the
law of Moses, will furnish us some pleasing and conclusive
evidence of the existence of the prayer-meeting during the
whole period of the typical economy. From the time of
Moses to near the close of the Old Testament canon, the
Book of Psalms was being composed and compiled. These
Psalms are full of evidence bearing upon our subject. And
the prophets speak a language confirming the devotional
allusions of the Psalter. We select but a few of the
many Psalms from which we might draw argument.
First, the Thirty-fourth: This Psalm, as will be seen from
its title, and from First Samuel, the twenty-first chapter,
from the tenth verse forward, was penned by David
when banished far from the enjoyment of the sanctuary and
public worship. In his flight from Saul he had the company of some good men. These, in his solitude, he called
around him, and in the language of the third verse, invites
to social worship thus, "Extol the Lord with me; let us
exalt his name together." Many of the Psalms, like this
one, were Qomposed and sung amid the forests, and mountains, and caves of the south of Judah, by David and his
fugitive companions, in their lonely prayer-meetings. Passing the 42d, the 63d, and many others penned under similar circumstances, and first sung in the prayer-meeting, we
notice the Sixty-sixth. Here is the familiar language of
prayer-meeting conference, verse sixteenth, "All that fear
4
37 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
God, come, hear, I'll tell what he did for my soul." Could
ever such language have been used by a man, by a heart
unused to the social prayer-meeting? Could it have been
understood by any religious people to whom the prayermeeting was unknown? Just here, in the prayer-meeting,
is the appropriate- the perfectly appropriate and appointed
-place for carrying out the spirit and letter of this heartwarming conference among kindred spirits.
Again, in the One hundred and eleventh Psalm, first
verse, we have, in terms, clear testimony to the social and
private worship of the fellowship meeting. The Psalmist
engages to worship God, using these significant words, "I
will praise the Lord with my whole heart, in the assembly
of the upright, and in the congregation." Two assemblies
are here specified. The one composed of select and distinguished characters, the upright ones.  The other is here
distinguished from the assembly of the upright by every
rule of interpretation, from the meaning of the words as
well as from their connection.  "The congregation" here
means the great assembly of the people, of all classes, the
unjust and the upright-the mingled masses of the people
assembled together for public worship. "The assembly of
the upright," is the private meeting of such select ones for
private social worship.  The word "assembly" here, in the
original, means secret-shut in, within doors-a secret assembly. Corresponding to this idea, we have the familiar
expression, "The doors being shut," used where the application is made positively to the prayer-meeting. Jno. xx.
19.  "When the doors were shut."  And verse 26, "And
after eight days, again his disciples were within."  "Then
came Jesus, the doors being shut." The coincidence is remarkable. Christ's prayer-meetings with his disciples and
the pious women, were held in the upper rooms, "the doors
being shut." So, here, the Psalmist engages to worship
38
.It 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
God in the private social meeting, with select ones-the
upright, and of kindred spirit-for prayer, and to praise
Him. 
The internal evidence of the One hundred and thirty  seventh Psalm bears, at least, suggestive testimony to the
prayer-meeting. The pious among the captives, in their
solitude and in their sorrow, sat down by the river's side,
the place of the proseucha of their fathers, where prayer was
wont to be made.   There they remembered Zion.  Bitter
and tearful remembrance! There they conferred of Jeru salem and her desolations. There was the prayer-meeting,
for there they prayed, " Remember, O Lord." There, amid
the defection and afflictions of the times, a few of those
"who feared the Lord, and thought upon his name, spake
one to another," in retired privacy, and engaged in devo tional services appropriate to the prayer-meeting.
We might multiply references to the Psalms. This
specimen  must suffice. The argument from this devotional
book may be thus stated: The Psalms are a book of praises
prepared for the church of God in all ages as a manual of
worship. Whatever form of worship they suggest-as individual, family, social, or public-either from the history
of the penmen, or the complexion of their subject matter,
that suggested form, and the adaptation of the matter of
the Psalm to such form of worship would intimate three
things. First, that the penman was familiar wvith that
form of worship for which he was called to prepare devotional songs. Second, that the people, for whose worship
devotional praises were prepared, were familiar with and
practised that form of worship. And, Third, that the
form of worship recognized ill this manual of praise, in
everything not local, not typical, not abolished, has the
sanction of the Head of the Church, and is an institution
moral, unalterable, and for the church in all ages. Such
39 
THiE PRAYER-MEETING.
is the prayer-meeting; and such is its recognition in the
book of the church's praises.
The prophets speak in regard to social prayer in a way
confirmatory of the teachings of the Psalms in their devotional allusions. Daniel acknowledges the neglect of
prayer as a reason of the evils of the captivity and other
chastisements. "As it is written in the law of Moses, all
this evil is come upon us; yet made we not our prayer before the Lord our God, that we might turn from our iniquity, and understand thy truth. Therefore, hath the
Lord watched upon the evil, and brought it upon us."
Dan. ix. 13, 14. Jeremiah predicts social prayer as a
means of revival and reform in connection with the return
from the captivity.  "Then shall ye call upon me, and ye
shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek me and find me, when ye shall search for
me with all your heart. And I will be found of you, saith
the Lord; and I will turn away your captivity." Jer.
xxix. 12-14. This had its fulfilmenlt in the prayer-meeting
held by the river Ahava on the return of the captives.
Ezra viii. 21-23. The principle of the prayer-mneeting is
referred to in Song vi. 1," Whither is thy beloved turned
aside? that we may seek him with thee." And in Mal. iii.
16, we have the application in social conference and prayers
of the pious, in a time of great decline. "Then they that
feared the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord
hearkened and heard, and a book of remembrance was
written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that
thought upon his name." That Malachi refers to the
prayer-meeting, observed by the few pious Jews of those
times, is suggested by the following points prominent in
the passage: First. "They spake often one to another."
Here is conference, reciprocal and mutual, inapplicable to
any kind of public, or temple official service. It was inap
40 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
plicable to family worship, never spoken of as a conference
meeting where there is speaking one to another. It can be
applied to social conference, as in the prayer-meeting,
where alone reciprocal conference, admonition, and exhortation, are admissible. Secondly. There was evidently
prayer, for the Lord hearkened and heard it-heard and
answered prayer, of which the language and circumstances
are suggestive. Thirdly. The Lord unequivocally marked
these meetings and their observance with Divine approbation. To such conference meeting the Psalmist invites the
fearers of the Lord. "Come and hear, all ye that fear
God, and I will declare what he hath done for my
soul."
From these references, it may be seen that social prayermeetings had a distinct place among the institutions of
divine worship, from the earliest history of the church
down through the successive dispensations till the apostles'
times.
In subsequent references to the passages already noticed
from the Old Testament, and in other connections, the argument deduced will gather strength as we proceed.
4. The practice of Christ and his apostles makes clear the
divine appointment of the prayer-meetizg.
Much of Christ's life is for the example of every Christian-much of it for the example of the ministers of religionI. He often sought retirement alone. He, with his
disciples, often retired from the multitudes for confereuce
and prayer.  After preaching the gospel of the kingdom,
and feeding the multitudes, it was his manner to retire with
his disciples, the better to instruct them, for prayer and for
the exposition of his parables and sermons. "As he w'v,s
alone praying, his disciples were with him." Luke ix. 18.
"And when they were alone, he expounded all things to his
disciples." Mark iv. 34. Such advantages no men ever
4*
41 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
enjoyed as these aisciples, in private special conferences for
the expounding of his public instructions delivered to the
multitudes in parables, often dark and not understood by
the disciples themselves.
If Christ, as a public Teacher, practised social prayer
while he was with his disciples, and thus exemplified the
prayer-meeting; and, especially, if, in this connection, he
taught them  so to pray, the authority for the prayermeeting is established.  It is, therefore, worthy of special
notice, that when Christ taught his disciples the duty of
secret prayer, he so particularly uses the singular, " But
thou, when thou prayest, enter into tIhy closet; and when
thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in
secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee
openly."  Matt. vi. 6.  Here we have, beyond doubt, plain
and express warrant for secret prayer.  The very terns
dissipate all shadow of doubt here.   Then, immediatel]y
following, and in juxtaposition, yet clearly distinct, and as
a new subject of exhortation, he changes the terms accordingly.  Now he turns to social prayer, and with characteristic precision, says: " But when ye pray, after this mnalner,
therefore, pray ye:'Our Father-Give ts.'- Matt. vi.
7-11.  As the principle of secret prayer, its divine institution, and imperative obligation, are clearly stated here, so
the principle of social prayer, its divine institution aInd
imperative obligation as a divine or-di)ia)1ce, are as clearly
taug(ht.
The closing incidents in the life and history of Christ
and his disciples; as recorded in the evangelists, are certainly very suggestive, as confirmatory of the truth in
regard to their social and religious life during the period
of Christ's public ministry. They formed a religious community-a social organism-a church fellowship.  They,
together and exclusively, sat down around the sacramental
42 
THE PRAYEc-tMEETING.
table. And they, certainly, often prayed together. Their
habit was to resort often to the Mount of Olives for con ference and prayer. This was well known to Judas
Iscariot. Though he had deserted Jesus, and left the
fellowship of the other disciples at the passover and first
communion-supper, he knew where to find them an hour
after.  Luke records thus: "And he came out, and Nwent,
as he was wont, to the Mount of Olives, and his disciples
also followed him."  John also records:" When Jesus had
spoken these words, he went forth with his disciples over
the brook Cedron, where was a garden, into the which lie
entered, and his disciples. And Judas also, which betrayed
him, knew the place; for Jesus oftentimes resorted thither
with his disciples." Hallowed grove! Blessed group in
that High Place!  What grove since Abraham's in Beersheba so redolent with heaven-inspired prayer, as that on
Olivet's side and in Gethsemane's Garden!
Now, the question arises, and is justly deserving of an
answer, For what did Christ and his disciples, so often and
so regularly, as to form a custom woit to be observed, resort alone, and in the night, to that grove of thick, shady
Olives, if not for prayer and conference?  They did hold
prayer-meeting there.  They did conifer there of heavenly
anld sacred things. Beyond the appropriate exercises of a
prayer-meetilig what did they there?  What but these filled
up the dark  and  sombre hours?   This  conclusion is
strengthened by the practice of the disciples from the time
of Christ's death, and forward, so long as habits formed
under the power of his liYe and society would retain their
influence upon the mlin(ls and( habits of his followers.  So,
on the evening of the Fi-st dclay of the week, the evening of
the day of Christ's resurrection, the evening of the First
Christian Sabbath, and about the evening hour of the
Mount Olivet prayer-meeting, the disciples grouped to
43 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
gether-not in the Temple, not in the synagogue-but in
a private room. And for what? Happily, we are, in subsequent historic record, informed, "Then the same day at
evening, being the first day of the week, when the doors
were'shut, where the disciples were assembled for fear of
the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst, and saith
unto them, Peace be unto you." Jno. xx. 19. Then,
again, on the evening of the second eighth day-just as
before-not at the hour of the temple service, nor time of
the synagogue worship, but in the evening, and time of the
prayer-meeting. "An; after eight days again his disciples
were within, and Thomas with them; then came Jesus, the
doors being shut, and stood in the midst, and said, Peace
be unto you." Jno. xx. 26. What a coincidence here in
circumstances, suggesting the same train of thought as in
the One hundred and eleventh Psalm!  "The doors being
shut!" "In the secret assembly of the upright." As the
church of the fathers had their well-known private assemblies for the select social worship of select upmight ones, as
distinct from temple and synagogue service, so here, Christ
and his disciples, week after week-and oftener, for it was
but the third night after the Mount Olivet prayer-meeting,
till the evening of the First day of the week prayermeeting, in the upper room, the doors being shut-held
their private social meetings for prayer and conference.
And we are assured that they continued in these evening
prayer-meeting observances during the succeeding five or
six weeks, till after Christ's ascension, and till the day of
Pentecost. The record confirms this truth. After the disciples had stood gazing from Mount Olivet upon their ascending Lord, they, according to their custom, returned to Jerusalem, to their upper room  prayer-meeting.   Hear  the
record: "Then returned they unto Jerusalem from the
Mount called Olivet, and when they were come in, they
44 
THE PRAYER-MIEETING.
went up into an upper room where abode both Peter and
James. These all continued with one accord in prayer and
supplication,, with the women, and Mary, the mother of
Jesus, and with his brethren."
Here we may notice, as the key to the argument establishing the divine right of the prayer-meeting, First, the
meetings held continuously for "prayer and supplication
with the women," were not in the temple or in the syna,
gogue, or in any other place where public worship was ever
held; but in a room, in an upper room of a private
dwelling, where Peter and others abode. We have here
the appropriate place for the prayer-meeting. Secondly,
this meeting was pursuant to well known former meetings
of like kind, forming series of meetings held by Christ and
his disciples, one of which was the Garden meeting; and
among them were these evening meetings, on the evenings
of the first day of the week, "the doors being shut."
Thirdly, the specified object and exercises of these meetings
settle their character and establish the prayer-meeting as
a divine ordinance of religious worship.  "These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication.  These
views are the more confirmed by the following: "And they
continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers." Acts ii. 42.
On the day of Pentecost the disciples were together, according to their custom, for prayer and conference, waiting
the fulfilment of the promise of the Father concerning the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit. They were still continuing
in prayer and supplication with the women, "in the house
where they were sitting," whether in an upper room or a
lower, we are not here informed. Nor is it said whether
the doors were shut; for details of this morning meeting
are not given. But while in the house, perhaps at the beginning of the services of their prayer-meeting-certainly
45 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
before the third hour, or nine o'clock, the Spirit descended
upon the apostles with a sound as of a mighty rushing
wind, and in cloven tongues, like as of fire. This miracu lous outpouring of the Spirit upon a prayer-meeting,
unitedly by concert pleading that thing promised, produced
that commotion which attracted the multitudes with out, which were then gathered at Jerusalem; and soon the
masses were congregated around in a confused, promiscuous crowd, amazed at the supernatural displays, eliciting
the severe criticism of those not anticipating an answer to
the promise on which the apostles were waiting.
This prayer-meeting, so distinguished by the fulfilment
of the promise of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and
converted into an extraordinary mass-meeting of awakened,
earnest sinners, and unawakened, ignorant mockers, called
out the first great apostolic sermon, brought Peter to his
feet, and opened his mouth in giving utterance to that
powerful, impromptu discourse, crowned with the first
fruits of the apostolic gospel harvest-the conversion and
baptism of three thousand souls.
The mind instinctively follows those thousands, the new
converts of that memorable day, so summarily inducted
into the new faith, and new fellowship of the apostles. A
very interesting inquiry is suggested here. Were they reliable converts? Could they, indeed, be steadfast in the
faith and practice of those praying men, and followers of
the man of prayer, who taught his disciples how to pray?
We are not leff to conjecture here. We have a very distinct and decisive answer: "They continued steadfastly in
the apostles' doctrin)e." They heard the word, received,
[elieved, and practised the gospel as preached by the
apostles. "They continued steadfastly in the apostles'fellowship." "They were added to the church." They, being
called, came out from the world, entered the communion
46 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
of the church, just recently organized, and continued to
observe faithfully the conditions of that fellowship, here
called "the breaking of bread."   Nor were these  all
"They continued steadfastly in prayers."  This last is dis tinct from the other conditions of fellowship in the apostolic church, as settling apostolic, Christian practice. If
apostles' doctrine have a divine authority; if apostles' fellowship or communion of saints have a divine appointment; if the breaking of bread or the Lord's Supper be a
divine ordinance, then how can prayers, as practised by
Christ and his apostles, or the prayer-meeting be otherwise
than a divine ordinance of religious worship?  How, since
placed in the same category with ordinances unquestionably divine?
Besides faithfully fulfilling all the other conditions of the
new organic communion, these new converts observed their
meetings for prayer, as certainly and as faithfully as they observed the preaching of the word or the communion of the
Supper, and as Christ with his disciples did, and as the
apostles certainly did in their upper rooms, "the doors
being shut," with the women, in the evenings when temple
and synagogue services were closed, or at the morning dawn
before public services were opened. Instant in season and
out of season were the apostles and the first Christians in
their prayer-meetings, till defection in doctrine, and spiritual decline in vital godliness crept in among them, when
the manner of some was to forsake the assembling of themselves together in the prayer-meetings.
In confirmation of these conclusions we have examples
of prayer-meetings unequivocal, and clearly establishing
the early practice of the Christian church. On that night,
in which Peter lay in chains in prison between two Roman
soldiers, "Prayer was made without ceasing of the church
unto God for him." Acts xii. 5. By miracle htis chains
47 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
fell off, and the prison doors opened; and he walked at
large through the streets of the city while its inhabitants
were wrapped in slumbers and security, except the anxious
little bands grouped together in different houses, in different
parts of the city, holding prayer-meetings. Their eyes,
like Peter's, row opened, knew no sleeping. Mary's house
was, at that hour of the night, a house of prayer, "where
many were gathered together praying." Acts xii. 12.
Thither Peter went, and with some difficulty gained admittance among the astonished brethren and sisters assembled
for their humble and earnest night prayer-meeting. Not
content with visiting that one surprised prayer-meeting, he
sends messengers to James and other brethren, in another
place, and in like manner emgaged-for the whole church,
now numbering many thousands, was engaged in prayers
that night-and' then himself sets out for still another
place, doubtless where was another group, of the many
thousands, of wakeful, praying Christians, whose hearts
were in unison with the little praying circle in Mary's
house. These apostolic Christians knew the prayermeeting.
There are some prominent and important points here.
First. "The church," the whole church, or the church generally, were engaged, by an understood arrangement, in
prayer on the same evening. Secondly. They were all
collected in small groups in different places, and in the
private houses of the members of the church.   Thirdly.
They met at night, the ordinary time for week-day prayermeeting, when all could conveniently meet in neighboring
contiguous houses, and when unoccupied with the labors
of the day.  Fourthly. Though they met in many places,
and though there must have been at that time in the
church tens of thousands of members, they were all united,
by concert, in one special object of prayer.  "But prayer
48 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
was made without ceasing of the church unto God for
him."
When Paul and Silas were at Philippi, as recorded in
Acts xvi., they went out of the city, on the Sabbath, by a
river side, "where prayer was wont to be made, or where
was a Proseucha, a place of prayer." There they prayed,
and conferred with the praying women who resorted
thither. While in that city, abiding for some time, Lydia
was converted. After her conversion, she brought Paul
and Silas home to her house, and entertained them there.
And while abiding there, their custom was to attend the
prayer-meeting. "And it came to pass as we went to
prayer"-not to family worship-for, "a certain damsel
possessed of a spirit of divination met us"-on the way to
the prayer-meeting.  "The same followed Paul and U3 ""and this did she many days."  These things must have
occurred on the way to the prayer-meeting, from day to
day, which was held at the Proseucha, by the river side,
where pious women resorted.
Soon the prayer-meeting by the river side, as also the
public ministrations of the apostle and his companions,
were interrupted. They were cast into an inner cell of an
old Roman prison, and their feet made fast in the stocks.
But even there they would have their prayer-meeting, and
they had one. "And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed,
and sang praises unto God "-not secret prayer and praise,
but social and audible; for "the prisoners heard them."
And the ear that hears prayer, united prayer by two or
three, heard the song and prayer of this live prayermeeting. "And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so
that the foundations of the prison were shaken." The
jailor was converted. Paul and Silas were set free. The
brethren were comforted. The gospel triumphed. Christ
approves the prayer-meeting.
5
49 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
5. In the Epistles the prayer-meeting is enjoined by apo8tolical authority.
As the Epistles give the last, so they furnish the clearest
light in regard to the order and the worship of the Christian church. If the Epistles enjoin the prayer-meeting; if
they enforce attendance, and reprove non-attendance; if
they give directions for the exercises and duties of the
meeting, then its divine warrant is established. Paul, in
exhorting the Hebrews to a faithful maintenance of their
profession, and to a practice becoming the gospel, uses these
words, (Heb. x. 23-25) "Let us hold fast the profession of
our faith without wavering; for he is faithful that promised; and let us consider one another to provoke unto love
and good works: not forsaking the assembling of ourselves
together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one
another." Here the reference cannot be to family worship;
for families are together, and the gathering together by
assembling must, more naturally, be applied to the coming
together of the members of different families into some assembly formed for the occasion, either as an assembly for
public worship, or for some private purpose. Nor can the
reference be to a meeting for public worship, as the preaching of the word, or the administration of the sacraments;
because 4n such assemblies there cannot be, consistently, a
reciprocal exhortation. Here the authorized ministry officially exhorts; but never submits to formal exhortationone exhorting, then another, in turn. But the reference
must be to some meetingin which the right of exhorting, and
the duty of receiving exhortation are reciprocal. And
since there is no ordinance in the church but the prayermeeting to which this will apply, and in which it can naturally be carried out, it must have its application there.
Here the members can, and of right should speak one to
another. Here the exhortation is not confined to the
50 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
ordained ministry, who alone speak to hearers in the public
assembly, and who there wait not to be exhorted in turn
by all whom they exhort, or who may think proper, or feel
disposed to exhort others. The Epistles recognize some
meeting in the church where reciprocal rights and privi leges are enjoyed. They recognize family worship, social
private worship, and public worship. In the family the
worship is conducted by the head, and then parental admonition should never be made a part of the worship, but
administered as a distinct family ordinance; as much so as
the administration of the rod of discipline, and to which
branch it properly belongs. It is true, that in the family
the father is prophet, priest, and king; and so it still preserves some of the venerable foot prints of the patriarchal
dispensation. But it is also true that the functions of
these offices are distinct even in household administrations. As a prophet the parent trains in the nurture of
the Lord; as a priest he offers morning and evening sacrifices; and as king he administers discipline. In the public
worship the ordained ministry teaches exclusively; and
here exhortation belongs to teaching, not ruling power.
No unofficial member of the church can claim any more
authority to exhort in the public congregation than woman
prohibited from public teaching. This privilege of reciprocal exhortation is, therefore, applicable to the prayermeeting, and so designed by the apostle. With these views
understood, it will not be difficult to apply the teaching of
the Epistles
Two passages more from the Epistles, of similar import,
will suffice for this part of the Scripture testimony to the
divine institution of the prayer-meeting. We shall consider them together. "Speaking to yourselves in psalms,
and hymns, and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord." E)ph. v. 19. "Teaching
51 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
and admonishing one another in psalms, and hymns, and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the
Lord." Col. iii. 16.
These beautiful texts, hackneyed in partisan controversy,
perverted from their true meaning and proper application,
can hardly be quoted without exciting prejudice, or calling
up pre-conceived opinions. What, then, do they mean?
What is their obvious teaching? What duties do they inculcate? To a mind unabused by controversy, the language, the terms, their connection, their use, their affirmations, their meaning, indeed, all seem very obvious. Then,
what do they say? What command? To what direct?
Whom do they address? In what relations do they
recognize those addressed?  Do they address individuals
as such merely, or do they recognize social relations and
social duties? Now, let us mark what they do say, and
what they do not. They expressly inculcate speaking,
teaching, admonition, singing, thanksgiving, heart-melody.
They inptiedly inculcate acquaintance with the Scriptures
-the word of Christ. Other things may be inculcated
impliedly. Some things they do not enjoin, either expressly or impliedly. They do not enjoin writing, composing, making, except in the heart, nothing out of it.
If these texts require writing or composing the compositions named, they require an absurdity; if not, an impossibility. Outside of the Bible, no man can tell what these
distinctions mean, nor can any man tell what these compositions mean, nor can any man apply them. We know
these distinctions and the respective compositions are in the
Bible, for the Bible says so, and that is about all we know.
But how to make the one, or the other, or the third, and exhibit their distinctions, is a work about as much within
human skill as for a blind painter to fill an order for high,
deep, and broad colored paintings!  To the blind the one
52 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
would be indistinguishable from the other. So here, the
poets are blind. And as blind are all interpreters who
blindly wring from these passages authority for hymnmaking. These beautiful portions of Christ's word do inculcate plain Christian duties, do give plain directions
how to perform them, and do plainly indicate their application to persons and their contemplated relations.
The proper questions arising, in order safely to apply,
and not misapply, are these: To what duties are we here
exhorted? and how apply the exhortation?
The duties inculcated are expressed; we need not repeat
them. The application of these exhortations is the main
thing before us now. The text and context clearly suggest relative social duties-uties Christians owe to one
another reiprocally. These exhortations cannot all apply
to an individual, because the reciprocity of the term "one
another," can find no place in the field, by the way, or in
the closet with a lone individual. They cannot all apply
to family worship, or family training, or discipline, because the reciprocal, the mutual, the equal application of
the obligations, cannot find place here. A family may all
sing together; but teach, admonish, speak to one another,
must necessarily fail in reciprocal application. In public
worship, and in gospel ministrations, the free and reciprocal application can find no place. Where then? In
what relations? To what ordinance can all that is here
enjoined find an easy and natural application and exemplification? In the prayer-meeting only. Here any one
may speak to others. For, "they that feared the Lord
spake often one to another." And may say, "Come, and hear,
all ye that fear God, and I will declare." Here, any one may
sing, aswell asany other. Here anyone may teach as well as
ally other-" teaching one another." Here any one may admonish-" admonishing one another." Here all may give
5*
53 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
thanks together. Here all may make melody in their
hearts tegether.   Everything here is plain.   Everything
here finds an easy application in the prayer-meeting. To
all Christians "not forsaking the assembling of themselves
together, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one
another," in the prayer-meeting assembly, every word of exhortation here is plain, naturally pointing to this ordinance
for its full and appropriate application. To all Christians,
free from partisan obliquity, and having no sectarian object to gain, tempting to the invention of interpretation
forced and unnatural, these precious texts will furnish
"sincere milk," nourishing to babes, in the prayer-meeting,
where "brethren dwell together in unity."
In another connection we shall have farther use for these
plain portions of the word of Christ.
6. The prayer-meeting is encouraged and sanctioned by
Bible promise.
The promises encouraging and sanctioning the prayermeeting are of two kinds. There are general promises
sanctioning prayer simply-all kinds of prayer, and without reference to any particular form or kind, and equally
available and applicable to all. There are also special
promises made in specific terms for the encouragement of
social prayer, and to the prayer-meeting.
Promises made to warrant prayer, in general, are all
promises encouraging social prayer, since social religion
and social worship are equally authorized with personal
and individual. Then all such promises as these-and
they are very numerous and full-encourage and sanction
the prayer-meeting, "Ask, and ye shall receive;" "Seek,
and ye shall find;" "Knock, and it shall be opened;"
"Whatsoever ye ask believing, ye shall receive."
"Whatsoever ye ask in my name, that will I do."
Still other and various forms of promise encourage to
54 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
social prayer, in common. God is revealed as the Hearer
of prayer-as having a throne of grace from which he hears
and answers prayer. He has opened a way of access to
the mercy-seat. There is One appointed as a Mediator and
Intercessor, in whose name all are authorized to pray.
Another Intercessor, the Spirit, is sent to intercede within
and inspire the heart with desires and groanings that will
be acceptable to the Hearer of prayer. God has appointed
prayer as his way of dispensing, and our way of obtaining
all promised good. There are general commands enforcing
all kinds of prayer, and all these imply encouraging
promise. All these, and many other general forms of
promise, encourage and sanction social prayer equally with
all the other forms of prayer recognized in the word.
There are also special promises expressly sanctioning so cial prayer and the prayer-meeting, just as there are
special promises sanctioning secret prayer, and of equal
force, authorizing it as an ordinance of religious worship.
If there are special promises made to any number of persons, two or more, encouraging them to agree to meet together and pray together; if special promises of Christ's
presence are made to such meeting as approved by Him, and
that such prayers made there shall be heard and answered,
then the prayer-meeting is authorized by the Head of the
church as a divine ordinance.
Christ told his disciples, "That if two of you shall agree
on earth, as touching anything that they shall ask, it
shall be done for them of my Father which is in heaven."
Matt. xviii. 19.  This promise will warrant any two Cliristians to confer together touching any proper subject of
prayer, to agree to go together jointly to a place of player,
and there together pray for that thing, assured that our Father in heaven will do for'them as they shall thus ask. Then,
farther, the promise takes a specific form, and is directed
55 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
to the plaee-the meeting where the prayer of two is offered
to God. "There am I in the midst of them." Christ is
present where two meet together, by agreement, to pray.
Still clearer is the application of the promise to the divinely
appointed ordinance of the social prayer-meeting-to any
meeting for prayer, of any Christian people desiring to
worship God in spirit and in truth. "For where two or
three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the
midst of them." But the meeting in Christ's name is a
meeting bearing the stamp of his authority. His Name
written thereon marks the Institution as his, and is the
evidence of his appointment, and the divinity of the ordinance; for any other way not appointed in his word, and
so not in his name, must fail to secure his promised presence. His presence is secured where his name is recorded,
not elsewhere. The divine warrant for the voluntary 
prayer-meeting, formed by consent and agreement of two
or more Christians, is here as clearly stated as in the form
of promise any warrant, or divine appointment, can have a
statement. The prayer-meeting, thus having the impress
of Christ's name, has the advantage of a reduplication of
general promise, and so, in terms, applied to the prayermeeting as of unquestioned divine appointment. To this
end, the following promise of general character may here be
specifically applied: "In all places where I record my
name, I will come unto thee, and I will bless thee." Ex.
xx. 24. This record of Christ's name, and pledge of his
presence and blessing, establishes finally the truth of the
doctrine-" the prayer-meeting is a divine ordinance of religious worship, instituted by Christ in his word."
56 
CHAPTER II.
THE EXERCISES OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
1. Prayer.
THIS  is the principal exercise, from which the Institu   tion and the meeting receive the distinctive name.
Around this the other exercises cluster as appendages,
some of which may not be so essential that circumstances
might not warrant their omission. But we can hardly
conceive of an assembly convened for the worship of God
in which it would be proper to omit prayer. In all our
ways God should be acknowledged; and prayer seems to
be the appropriate, if not the only, way of acknowledging
him, as required in his word, and in observing the ordinances of his appointment.   In nearly every reference
already made, in endeavoring to establish the divine warrant for this ordinance of worship, prayer is expressly
noticed as the essential element in the exercises of this
meeting. In many of them, it is probable, there was
nothing but prayer and conference; as in the case of Jonah
and the mariners, Christ and his disciples at night in the
garden, and the impromptu prayer-meeting of Paul and
the elders of the church at Ephesus at their parting farewell.
In regard to this exercise, the Scriptures seem to give
prominence to concerted prayer. And to this we ask particular attention: First, Because of the intrinsic importance of this much neglected, if not entirely overlooked,
duty and very precious priviltege-concert in prayer. And,
Secondly, Because here we are furnished with strong and
57 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
satisfactory evidence of the divine appointment of the
prayer-meeting; for, it is hard to conceive of concerted
prayer as separable from two or more together praying for
the same thing by previous agreement. But this is the
prayer-meeting. "If two of you shall agree as touching
anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of
my Father which is in heaven." In this connection we
have reference to the prayer-meeting, where the concerted
prayer is understood to be made-"For where two or
three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the
midst of them." Matt. xviii. 19, 20. This gives warrant
and encouragement for agreement, in every meeting for
prayer, upon some matter of petition which, for the time,
shall be the special object of joint supplication. And
here seems to be one of the special channels through which
God sends down special blessings. What a stimulant
here to both prayer and faith! There is a power in conferring and covenanting, on the part of kindred spirits, to
come before God, and plead together some special promise-an incentive power to awaken in the hearts of God's
people a soul-warming exercise of grace.
If concerted social prayer-united prayer for some
specific object, made the matter of voluntary covenant,
agreed upon by two or more-be warranted as a divinely
appointed way of worship, it is then a Christian duty, and
privilege as well, on which hang consequences involving
the spiritual interests of the soul, and the vital interests
of the cause of religion. This being so, if it be neglected
by the church, and Christians overlook it, great loss must
consequently be experienced. In so vital a matter, interfering with a channel which God has opened, and through
which he conveys richest blessings, this loss will be, and
as we think is, felt in the low state of religion evidently
prevailing everywhere throughout all the departments of
58 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the church. And then, is not the omission of this ordinance, of duty so important, and of privilege so precious,
an evidence that the measure of the Holy Spirit's influences in us is indeed very limited? Is it not evident that,
before we shall enjoy special refreshings from God, in enlarged measure, we must have respect to his way of sending
promised blessings? Perhaps one reason why prayermeetings are so often so lifeless is, that Christians attend
them without an object-without a reflection-and so return as they go. But when some matter of deep interest
presses upon the mind, and some ardent desire lifts up the
awakened powers of the soul, and Christians come together
with hearts all filled and upraised with that same desire,
what fervency must inspire their prayers!
If the subject of conference, agreed upon for the meeting,
should at the same time, by agreement, be made the subject of special prayer, how much more earnestness might
be elicited in the prayer-meeting than is ordinarily enjoyed,
when all minds and all desires are dissipated, when unity
and unison are wanting, and when, consequently, Christian
sympathies and Christian graces are not awakened, as the
claims of the prayer-meeting demand. For example: if
revival of religion were agreed upon as the subject of conference, and exchange of thought for the meeting, and at
the same time, by previous agreement, made the subject
of united prayer-could this subject be earnestly discussed,
and made the subject of earnest prayer, and earnest Christian hearts not be warmed? Two disciples, after their
conference with the Saviour, said-" Did not our heart
burn within us while he talked with us?" And in this
state of warmheartedness, were they not in happy frame
for prayer, and for a successful prayer-meeting? They
returned to Jerusalem, found the eleven; and there all gathered together, renewed the conference, and, doubtless, held
59 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
a prayer-meeting, in the upper room where Jesus was
found, "in their midst, the doors being shut," and their
hearts were all made to burn.
Here we may inquire, Can special objects of prayerobjects of deep interest and importance-be long so wanting in any earnest praying circle, that they cannot unite
their prayers on anything? Here may be the clew to that
dreadful evil, formality in prayer-that same set of
phrases-the repetition of the same forms as if stereotyped,
and for use on all occasions, in family prayer, in the social
prayer-meeting, and everywhere else. Such were not the
prayers of the united hearts in those concerted prayermeetings, for concerted prayer held simultaneously in the
city of Jerusalem on that night when Peter lay in chains
in the prison kept by four quaternions of soldiers. No;
"For prayer"-concerted prayer-" was made without
ceasing of the church unto God for him." These were not
stereotyped prayers; but the earnest outbursting of hearts
by covenant united in pouring out, as one desire, their
united desires for the release of a brother beloved in
prison. Concerted prayer is the leading-the all-controlling
exercise of the social prayer-meeting.
Examples illustrating and enforcing concerted prayer are
numerous. Down through the line of the history of the
prayer-meeting its way-marks are so conspicuous that he
that runneth may read, and the way-faring need not err.
Esther called together her praying friends for concerted
prayer, and the captive nation was saved. Daniel, in his
extremity, called together his three friends, laid before
them a very grave subject of united prayer; they met and
prayed for the desired mercy.-Their united prayer was
heard and answered, and Nebuchadnezzar's decree of in discriminate slaughter averted, and Daniel and his friends
saved. Ezra called for concerted prayer; the concert was
60 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
held; the right way sought; the concert was successful, and
a right way was opened for the safe return of the pilgrim
captives to the city of their fathers. Examples might be
multiplied, and discussion here extended. The reader is
referred to the history.
2. Conference is an important part of the social exercises
of the prayer-meeting.
Next to prayer it is, perhaps, the most important. It is
often by Christians, who understand and prize its value,
called the "Conference Meeting."   After the "Meeting
for prayer and conference." And this accords with the
Scripture view as often distinctly presented, referring to
conference as the exercise to which prominence is given.
It is very natural to conceive of concerted prayer as calling
out conference, in a prayer-meeting, upon the subject of
that concerted prayer. The one seems necessarily to require the other. All seasonable meetings among men, especially religious meetings, seem to demand speaking as a
leading part of the exercises. The social principle in man,
the attractions of the communion of saints, the love of
brethren, the sympathies of the Christian's sanctified nature
-all seem to demand exchange of thought, and sentiment,
and feeling, as essential to the enkindling of the exercises
of the graces of the soul. Hearts burn while talking together. Such is the law of Christian life; and for the
higher enjoyment of this gracious life, imparted by the
Spirit of God, is the prayer-meeting appointed, and conference as its principal soul-stirring exercise. David called
on the fearers of the Lord to come and hear him relate what
God had done for his soul. Ps. lxvi. 16. This seems very explicitly to refer to the exercises of the social meetings of the
pious for conference on the subject of experimental religion.
The principles involved here are these: David felt the
pious impulses of his soul prompting him to give expres
6
61 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
sion to his feelings, and impart to others the secret of his
happy experience.  He had learned, by experience, that in
declaring what God had done for his soul, much of his religious social enjoyment was found. For the exquisite
pleasure of communing with kindred spirits, he called on
them to hear while he would impart his joys to those who
could rejoice with the rejoicing. And here, too, he found
a wide field opened for doing good to others, and for advancing his Master's cause. The pleasure of doing good,
and the obligation binding thereto, here sweetly meet and
mingle together.
Malachi refers to well known religious social meetings
for conference, when he states expressly that "the fearers
of the Lord spake often one to another, and the Lord
heard." In those dark times, when religion was very low,
everything cold and Laodicean like, the few fearers of the
Lord were attracted together, that they might enjoy the
heart-warming power of religious conference, just as in the
cold the fire draws the shivering around it to receive and
enjoy its warmth. Here is the burning fire of hearts whose
heat is increased by gathering the scattered brands together, adding brand to brand, till hearts are made to burn
together with intensified fervor. Thus by Christian conference, according to a fixed law of the kingdom of grace,
love, and every Christian grace, receive, in the prayermeeting, renewed life and power.
Paul, writing to the Hebrews, refers to conference in
their religious social meetings as a custom with which they
were familiar; and one practised by Christ and his disciples
while he was with them, by the apostles long after his As cension, and by the early Christians everywhere. Deser tions appearing among them, he urges the faithful to their
duty-"not forsaking the assembling of themselves to gether, as the manner of some is, but exhorting one
62 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
another." Conference here receives the divine sanction as
a leading exercise in the social prayer-meetings, and as the
appropriate means of preserving and strengthening what
faithfulness still remained among the few in the midst of
the general forsaking of the conference meeting.
In the Epistles to the Ephesians and the Colossians, exhorting Christians to speak to one another, to teach and
admonish one another, the apostle urges this very exercise
in their social religious meetings. And more, he gives very
specific instruction in regard to one of the very important
modes of conducting this conferenceby the use of
"psalms, and hymns, and spiritual songs."  What plainer
or more natural construction can be put upon these words
than that, in the prayer-meeting, a portion of a psalm may
be taken as the basis of remarks. Not only singing
psalms in the prayer-meeting-for that, too, is specified in
addition-but speaking by or through the psalm or hymn,
and instructing one another by exchanging views in regard
to the doctrinal meaning, to the duties inculcated, and the
lessons of Christian experience taught in the psalm. Every
Christian having the undoubted right to judge of the
meaning, and to explain the Scriptures for himself, he has
the right of imparting to his brethren in the prayermeeting the benefit of his interpretation, and so communicating any instruction or comfort to others he may have
drawn from them for himself. This can in no way intrench
upon the prerogatives of the church or the ministry. It is
no more than exercising the rights of the noble Bereans,
who searched the Scriptures for themselves, and communicated the results of their research for the benefit of
others.
Conference as a divinely appointed exercise of the prayermeeting, as also its advantages, will be found more fully
63 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
illustrated in the fourth chapter, and in the history of the
subsequent pages.
3. Singing praise. The Psalmist formally engaged to
sing praise in the divinely appointed worship of God in the
private assemblies of the upright, as well as in the great
typical gatherings of the people on the great anniversaries
of the Temple service, or the ordinary gatherings for the
worship of the weekly Sabbath. Ps. cxi. 1. The priests
and the Levites appointed to keep watch by night in the
temple, according to their divisions and their courses-one
course for each of the three Jewish watches of the nightwere not assigned their places to pass the hours in idleness, nor even in silence. But each course, in turn, was
appointed to observe religious services, each during the
hours of its watch. In these night devotions of the official
ministers of the sanctuary was held a ministerial prayermeeting, in which praises were sung. Ps. cxxxiv.
"Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye that his attendants are,
Even you that in God's temple be, and praise him nightly there.
Your hands within God's holy place lift up, and praise his name,
From Zion's hiltthe Lord thee bless, that heaven and earth did frame."
Paul and Silas, on that eventful night in which they
lay in the old Roman prison of Philippi, and their feet
fast in the stocks, held that memorable prayer-meeting,
whose songs waked the prisoners-for when they had
prayed they changed the service, "and sang praises unto
God." Praise is comely in the prayer-meeting.
There is, in the Epistles, authority of a more positive
kind, for the exercise of praise in the prayer-meeting.
Referring to the social meeting, Eph. v. 19-21, he says,
by command-" Speaking to yourselves in psalms and
hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in
your heart to the Lord; giving thanks always for all
things unto God-submitting yourselves one to another."
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THE PRAYER-MEETING.
And still more plainly by authority, Col. iii. 16, "Let the
word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching
and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and
spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the
Lord."
Analogy confirms the use of praise in the prayer-meeting. Praise is employed in the worship of the family. It
is used in the public worship of God in the sanctuary, and
should, therefore, and for the same reasons, be employed
in the prayer-meeting. If God is to be worshipped at all,
or ever, by singing praise, and if the prayer-meeting is an
ordinance of religious worship, then God's praises are to
be sung in the prayer-meeting.
4. The Scriptures should be read, ordinarily, as an exerise, in the prayer-meeting.
Here authority must rest upon inference, and general
principles, rather than express Scripture statements. So
must reading the Scriptures in family worship, and in
public worship, rest upon this class of proof. Reading the
word being an effectual means of salvation, it should
dwell richly in every one. It should be the subject of
search, and study, and meditation alway-by day and by
night-in the house and by the way. Deut. vi. 6-9.
6*
65 
CHAPTER III.
THE ADVANTAGES OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
HE  prayer-meeting is not, in its principal, or special
design-like the preaching of the word-a converting
ordinance. It may be admitted, as a general principle,
applicable to all ordinances, that each has some specific
end for which it was appointed by the Head of the church;
and yet each has many other important uses. As the Sacrament of the Supper had the commemoration of Christ's
death for the end of its appointment, and yet has its various and important uses, as the conversion of sinners and
the edification of saints in the broadest sense; as the
preaching of the word is the special means of converting
sinners, and yet has its general use in common with all
other means of grace; as church government, discipline,
censures, have all their special ends, and yet their general
uses, and in many respects their common ends, to build
utip ill comfort and holiness through faith unto salvation,
so the prayer-meeting has its special end of appointment.
As secret prayer is specially designed for the personal
and spiritual benefit of the individual, and as fatmily worship is specially appointed for the benefit of the family, so
the prayer-meeting is instituted specially for the edification of the church in her membership, or the circle agreeing
to meet statedly, or occasionally, for social prayer. Its
fellowship is Christian, not ecclesiastical fellowship. Any
society, or social circle, may  voluntarily associate for
prayer, and make its own terms of fellowship, while not
infringing the laws of the church.  A class of young men
might form a circle for prayer and mutual advantage, and
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THE PRAYER-MEETING.
make their society exclusive. There may be reasons
why a class of youth, not professors of religion, yet sensible
of its importance, might form a prayer-meeting for the
special purpose of aiding one another in earnest seeking
after Christ and the salvation of their souls. All the ends
of these supposed organizations would have their corresponding advantages, special and consistent with the general designs of the prayer-meeting.
The advantages of the prayer-meeting are secured by
the general promises made to prayer, and by the special
promises made to the prayer-meeting. Any number-two
or three-agreeing, and pursuant to that agreement, meeting, and together praying, have the promise of acceptance
and answer. There are guarantees here of special kind
specially encouraging to social concerted prayer.
2. The prayer-meeting is a special means of developing
and cultivating Christian graces, and of promoting individual and social edification.
"As in water face answereth to face, so the heart of man
to man." "Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth
the countenance of his friend." Nowhere have these
maxims a happier application than in the prayer-meeting.
Iron is sharpened by friction, not contact simply. The
file may be thrown into the same promiscuous heap with
the axe, the mattock, the goad, and these remain dull and
useless still. Christians may be thrown into the company
of Christians, and neither receive from the other spiritual
advantage in either quickening, or holiness or comfort;
because their communications may lack spiritual savor.
Their communications may be of evil, and so tend mutually to corrupt good manners. But let their conversation
be as it becometh the gospel of Christ-let it be of heaven
and godliness, and both will feel the sharpening influences
of Christian graces glowing by the power of attrition
67 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
with Christian graces. In the prayer-meeting, as nowhere
else, are Christian graces thus brought together with powerful reactionary and reflective forces. Here love enkindles
love-hearts burn while talking of Jesus by the way: for
Jesus will be there with them, though to eye unseen it
may be. Here faith is strengthened by the testimony so
simply and so sweetly brought to each other's hearts mutually by exchange of views and feelings. Here hope is
confirmed by mutual review of the ground of each other's
hope. Here experience is enlarged by mutual exchange
of Christian experience, each saying to other, "Come,
hear, I will declare what the Lord hath done for my
soul." So, here, doubts are removed as doubts seldom are
in any other way. As the conversation of the Saviour
with the woman of Samaria caused her to say, "Come, see
a man that told me all that ever I did," so may the Christian disciple often have cause to say of the prayer-meeting
conference, that here, as in a mirror, he sees his own heart
in the unbaring of a brother's heart, in the freedom of
conference, as he never saw himself before. 0, how inutually comforting to exercised Christians, the comparing
of Christian experience!  How often have Christians been
kept from falling by the influence of the company and
conversation of live Christians, exerted through the prayermeeting! "Two are better than one-For if they fall, the
one will lift up his fellow; but woe to him that is alone
when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up."
The prayer-meeting is an instructive and successful
school for correcting faults, and supplying defects
in Christian character. Here diffidence, which so often
destroys Christian usefulness, may be gently corrected by
a kind training that can be enjoyed nowhere else so
happily. Silently, gradually, and yet thorough]y, caii
men, comparatively useless in the church, be traiiied to
-68 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
eminent usefulness, and even leadership in every good
work. So, in regard to many other faults and delinquencies; a brother can be taken by the hand, and lifted
up, and led along, in company, in the right way. If lacking in public spirit, here are influences inciting to liberality.
A lover of the prayer-meeting will be a man of social
feelings and of a public spirit. A liberal man, devising
liberal things, he will be a working man.
Here, too, the Christian will find a good school for the
correction of errors in Christian experience. It has often
been remarked, that Christians differ very little in their
prayers, however much they may differ in their creeds.
If the prayers of saints are more reliable, because of
greater freedom from errors, than their professions, then
their prayers will be a better glass in which to see our
mistakes in our experience. Christians pray as they feel;
and in prayer they feel themselves in the presence of God,
the Hearer of prayer, and the Searcher of hearts. And
here, where experience is interchanged in unguarded simplicity before God, the humble Christian will find much to
chasten and perfect his experience.
We have suggested social edification as among the fruits
of intelligent and conscientious observance of the prayermeeting. Reason, experience, history, and Bible testimony,
concur in establishing this truth. Unity in the faith, harmony in efforts, and organic strength are promoted and
cherished in the prayer-meeting. The early Christians
"continued steadfastly in the Apostle's doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and "-just so long as,
and because they continued-" in prayers." When they
began to "forsake the assembling of themselves together,"
in their conference meetings, for prayer and for exhorting
one another, then wavering in the profession of their faith
began to appear among them. Then, too, that blessed,
69 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
fraternal "provoking of one another to love and good
works" began to disappear, and lose its power to stimu.late and bind together brethren in unity of heart and
effort. Differences in opinion, and fierce religious controversy, or, Laodicean deadness and cold apathy, will prevail
in the same communion among brethren, usually, in the
absence of the practice and power of the prayer-meeting,
and in the absence of revival of religion, where the prayermeeting is always a commanding power. The spirit of
prayer, and the love and practice of the prayer-meeting,
will so give organic strength to the church as to make her
terrible as an army with banners  The period of the organic strength of the Apostolic church was the period of
her continuing steadfastly in prayers, not forsaking the
assembling of themselves together in their prayer-meeting
conferences. The period of the organic power of the Reformed churches was the period of their revived prayermeetings. The periods of all the revivals and re-unions
of Reformed churches were the periods of revived prayermeetings. These things the History of the prayer-meeting
and of revivals fully attest. We dismiss the subject here
even before well opening it, by referring the reader to the
entire historic part of this work. The church has Preserved
unity in faith; she has preserved harmony in effort; she
has preserved organic power whenever and so long as she
cherished and preserved alive the spirit and practice of the
prayer-meeting.
3.  The prayer-meeting may be received as a test of the
state of religion.
This may be applied to the religious state of the whole
visible church, and to all the evangelical departments of
the household of faith; it may be applied to any particular
congregation as the test of its spiritual condition; and it
may determine much of the spiritual state of the individual.
70 
TH E PRAYER-MIETING.
Secret prayer is, to the individual himself, an appropriate test of his own personal religion.  Family worship is a
very proper test of family religion, and of the piety of the
individual members of the family. Prayer is the breathing
of the soul born of the spirit, and is the evidence of spiritual life, whether breathed in the closet, or at the family
altar. A graceless man will be a prayerless man. Every
subject of grace will breathe prayer, and so, in some form,
by breathing, give evidence of spiritual life, and change
of character. The report, "Behold, he prayeth," satisfied
the trembling Christian disciples that Paul was a Christian
and harmless. As secret prayer is to the individual in
this respect, and as family prayer is to the family, so is
the prayer-meeting to the church, or circle forming a
prayer-meeting, "the church in the house."
As the existence of personal religion, and the degree of
its power, in the individual may be determined by the
fact, and fervor, and constancy of secret prayer, so the
state of religion in any congregation may be determined
by the fact of prayer-meetings, their constancy, and the
spirit by which they are sustained. As the fact of family
worship, its earnestness, regularity, and moulding influence
upon all the members of the lhfusehold is the satisfactory
evidence of family religion, so of the prayer-meeting-because, secret prayer and family religion sustain the same
relations to the individual and the family that the prayermeeting does to the church.
As prayer-meetings decline in a congregation, so will
religion decline-or, so religion is declined, rather; for as
the one revives, so will the other. As prayer-meetings
fail in a congregation, so will the ministrations of the pastor become unfruitful, the preaching of the word fail to
convert sinners and promote holiness in the professors of
religion. Here, by the concerted prayer of the godly, in
71 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the prayer-meeting pre-eminently, are the hands of the
ministry stayed up while wielding the sword of the Spirit,
ordering the battles of the Lord.  Like  MIoses' hands,
stayed by Aaron and Hur-they two in concert-fit type
of concerted prayer, two or tlree together, make the hands
strong.   It has been often said-and  truly-that  the
prayer-meeting is the pulse of the church. The history of
revival, whether of the individual, or of the church, is an
extended series of illustration of this truth.  Every converted sinner is a soul revived to prayer. Every saint
restored from backsliding, is a soul returned to the life and
power of prayer. Every congregation enjoying an outpouring of the Spirit, is a congregation revived and alive
to the prayer-meeting. So echoes the history of revival
of religion. Three thousand souls on the day of the pentecostal revival-all converted-all revived, and all, every
one of them, cried out, What must we do?  So the Jailor,
"Sirs, what must I do to be saved?"  So Paul, when converted, began the life of prayer with this earnest cry"Lord, what wilt thou have me to do?" When saints
have fallen into sin, then, with speech refrained, and
silenced tongue, they are straitened in confession, and
thanksgiving, and supplication. To live in sin is to
quench the spirit of prayer. To receive pardon and peace
and an unction from the Spirit in revival, is to restore to
the love of prayer, the love of the fellowship of saints, and
the prayer-meeting. Reader, do you love to be there?
Here, too, we must leave this subject, and refer to the
history of the prayer-meeting for fuller illustration.
4. The prayer-meeting is an ordinance designed spaCially
for the revival of religion.
Every prayer implies this; for, in every prayer, we ask
grace, an answer to which will bring revival. This every
Christian needs daily; and for this we need prayer always
72 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Without prayer religion in the soul would die, as without
respiration temporal death would ensue. Prayer is the
breath of the soul. "Hide not thine ear at my breathing,
at my cry," said the prophet, when speaking of prayer.
The history of revivals presents an unbroken series of
facts illustrating the truth that the revival of religion and
the prayer-meeting are inseparable. The prayer-meeting
has always been employed as a means of revival; and has
always followed as a fruit of revival.
During the forty days that Christ was on earth after his
resurrection, he spent much time with his disciples in the
prayer-meeting. In the last one he told them to "tarry at
Jerusalem till they should be endued with power from on
high."  This we know they did, "waiting for the promise
of the Father." And the manner of their waiting the fulfilment of the great promise we have in statement as distinct: "Then returned  they unto Jerusalem from the
Mount called Olivet, and when they were come in, they
went up into an upper room; these all continued with one
accord in prayer and supplication with the women. And
when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all
with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came
a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind." Thus
ushering early on the morning of the day of Pentecost that
first great revival, at a prayer-meeting, in answer to concerted prayer, the first fruit of the last great Millennial
revival, which shall be great as the day of Jezreel for its
showers of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
So, down through the centuries till our own times, the
history of all true revivals is the same repeated rehearsal
of the prayer-meeting. The disciples and their new converts continued steadfastly in prayer as the cause of religion
grew and spread. With the decline of prayer and the
prayer-meeting, "the forsaking of the assembling" of pro      7
73
q". 
THE PRAYER-IMEET'IN(.
fessed Christians for conference and mutual admonishing
of" one another," the dark ages advanced upon the church,
and the power of religion passed away.
When the light of the Reformation began to dawn upon
Western Europe, and the Isles of our covenant fathers, the
prayer-meeting began to revive, and with its revival true
religion revived. Luther and his contemporaries were men
of prayer, and often met together for social prayer. Calvin
and Zwingle were men of prayer, and mingled often with
kindred spirits in social prayer. John Knox-the North
Star of the Reformation, the champion of the prayermeeting-moulded his Scotland and his Scottish Church
with its forming power in the very incipiency of his organization. The Melvilles, too, with Henderson and Rutherford, and Cameron and Renwick, and of later times,
M'Cheyne-all men of prayer, all revivalists, and most of
them sharers in revival.  But we are trenching upon history. To that department we must again refer the reader.
Only here, some facts of our own times, now passing into
history, and briefly. The times of 1858 were times of
conventions, and prayer-meetings, and revivals, of which a
United Church has been, for these eleven years past, the
historic witness, as also to the truth that the prayer-meeting
is a means of revival of religion. In any local revival for
these twelve years past, in any of our congregations, in
every instance the revival of the prayer-meeting has been
the revival of religion, and the revival of religion has been
the revival of the prayer-meeting. These angels of blessing
God has joined together inseparably; to enjoy the one is to
enjoy the other.
5. The prayer-meeting is a means of promoting utnity in
the Church.
Whenever unity obtains in the church, there is a revived state of religion. "Behold how good and how
74
.,, 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in unity."
Like the unction from the Holy One; like the dews firom
heaven; there the Lord commands the blessing-the blessing of everlasting life. Here is the life-power of religion.
The prayer-meeting in a congregation brings Christian
brethren often together. Here more intimate acquaintance
is formed. As true Christians know each other better, so
will they love each other more. As they love each other
more, they will feel their interests the more closely identified, and the bonds that bind in one strengthened. Like
one loving family bound together by the identity of interest, and the bond of affection; like one body, one member
suffering, all the members suffer with it. Here they cultivate harmony in affection, so in judgment, mind and
faith, and so live and walk together in blessed unity, preparing more and more for that perfectly blessed harmony
when all shall come together in one with Christ.
Experience and the divine testimony concur in confirming the truth that the prayer-meeting is the ordinary and
efficient means of promoting union of divided churches.
While discussions from pulpit and press, and argument in
all proper ways may aid in bringing discordant churches
to see eye to eye, yet all these without prayer will not only
faiil, but will, very likely, occasion parties differing to diverge from truth and unity more and more.  Prayer must
be employed to secure the spirit and love of unity. Colntroversy without the spirit of prayer will tend to foster
prejudice and party spirit, perhaps strife and discord,
and the confirming of party issues and party lines more
and more.
A spirit of prayer and a love for Christian conference
will bring Christians together face to face ill the prayermeeting and religious convention, from  which positions
Christian brethren will understand each other better than
75 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
from any other stand-point. And as Christian brethren
understand each other better, they will love each other
more. And as they understand and love each other more,
so will they desire the more to dwell together in unity.
But to secure these is the desideratum. Their spirit is
from God and of his grace, we are assured; yet united
prayer is the means of securing this love of the brethren,
this unity of mind and of judgment, and mutual desire to
enjoy fellowship in the bonds of peace. Such we have
seen and known in times past. Christians and Christian
churches long alienated, and Christian feeling imbittered
by controversy, have been sweetly subdued under the spirit
of unity; but only through the power of prayer and Christian conference. These have a power-not a mere sensational power, without reason, sense, or truth-a power like
the morning cloud; but the power of a divinely ordained
instrumentality, taking hold of the heart, and deepened
by the Holy Spirit, the Author of the spirit of prayer and
unity.
It was the spirit of unity, induced by united prayer
and conference of sweet remembrance, that brought
together in one united church fragments long alienated by distance and controversy. For many long years
that union  hung  quivering in  the  balances, putting
to severest test the strongest faith. Sometimes the friends
of the union almost despaired of success, or again were
called to hope against hope, till the period of prayermeetings and conventions came, bringing brethren together
face to face, in the spirit of prayer and love.  Then, as by
the direction of the fiinger of God, the union was happily
consummated, to the joy of its friends, and to the practical
illustration of the advantages of the prayer-meeting in promoting  union of churches, and dispensing in a united
chu'rch the spirit of unity, and strengthening the bonds of
peace.  As this united church was brought forthl under
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THE PRAYER-MAEETING.
the inifluence of the prayer-meeting, and as she still thrives
under, and largely enjoys its powver, may she long cherish
its hallowed and uniting influences, and practice the assembling together of kindred spirits for prayer and conference.
While we would not predict, but reason from analogy,
from the history and experience of the past, and from the
direct teaching of the word of God, we would say, we have
little hope of successful union of;,the divided churches, in the
future, till we see earnest prayer-meetings and religious
conventions for conference on the subject of ecclesiastical
union. And that this happy future may soon come, let
all in their respective circles cherish the spirit of concerted
prayer, and sustain the social prayer-meeting.
If unity of faith, confidence, brotherly love and harmony, in operations, be maintained in the church and in
our congregations, the prayer-meeting, in its true spirit, as
designed by the Head of the Church in appointing the
ordinance, must be observed.  Not the prayer-mleetiniig as
appended to some form of official pastoral administrationnot the prayer-meeting in name, and the pastoral week
evening lecture in fact-not the prayer-meeting of a few,
and these of pious women mainly; but the apostolical meeting in the private upper roomns, the doors being shut, the
prayer-meetiing of the people, for the people, by the people,
and in such way as will bring —not one-tenth of the church
membership only-but the whole to the assembling of
themselves together, in primitive manner and spirit.  Here
it is that unity has its birth-place; here it is cradled; here it
is trained; here it becomes a three-fold cord; here is the centre
of thie unity of the church; for here is the soil-the genial
soil beside the waters —where unity strikes deeply its roots,
and Awhence it draws its life-power to bind together in comely
brotherhood.
7*
77 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
6. The prayer-meeting is the normal school of the church
for training young men for public usefulness.
A ruling elder should be not only a man of piety, but to
be efficient and useful, fitted for all the duties of his office,
he should be qualified to conduct prayer-meetings, and
lead in their exercises intelligently and dispassionately, with
grace and solemnity.  He should be qualified for visiting
the sick, and to meet all the varied duties of such visits.
Here is call for a ripe, Bible-trained mind-need for one
who can with readiness speak to the dying from the word
of God. Here is need for calmness, ease, and fulness of
unction in prayer.   The prayer-meeting opens for the
young men of the church just the school required for
training the material for an efficient eldership. Here
young men should be called to lead in prayer.  And to prepare for this part of the normal school exercises, let young
men be early called to lead in family worship, and in the
young men's prayer-meeting. If young men pray in
secret; if they are called, in their father's absence, to lead
in the worship of the family, thus they can pass up from
primary to higher normal training, and become efficient
members of the prayer-meeting. Thus trained, the young
men of the church may be qualified for leading in prayer
in any public meeting, or religious convention, or ecclesiastical assembly; as also at the sick bed for the edification
and comfort of the sick and dying. Had we such an eldership, then everywhere might the sick be encouraged to
carry out the injunction, as authoritatively binding on them
and on the ruling elder as on the pastor: "Is any sick
among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and
let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the
name of the Lord." James v. 14. Can we expect our
eldership to have, and to impart such unction around the
sick bed without training?
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THE PRAYER-MEETING.
It is a manifest evil, observed by all discerning men, and
lamented by good men, that the ruling eldership exerts so
little influence in the church, and that in church courts
particularly it approximates so nearly to a sinecure. The
inquiry is often made, "Why is it so?" And why-since
Presbyterianism boasts its parity of power among the lay
and clerical elders-have we generally such small minorities of the lay class in our church courts? And why in
these is almost everything managed by the teaching elders
while the other class sits in such passive muteness? While
these things ought not to be so, and while several reasons
may be assigned, yet here lies the principal difficulty: Our
elders are not trained in the prayer-meetings as they should
be, by leading in their exercises, especially in prayer and
in the free and full discussion of the topics of religious
conference. Were they trained in the exercises of" speaking often one to another," and to presiding in the prayermeeting, and leading in all its exercises, they would, without question, be better qualified for understanding their
responsibilities, and for filling their places in church
courts.
Here let me say to ministerial brethren to whom it may
apply, shut down upon your Wednesday evening prayermeeting lectures, or, what will be far better, continue them
as your own ministerial meetings, and, in addition, open
district prayer-meetings in every convenient quarter of
your charges, so that on many evenings of the week, and
in many places all over your congregations, youmay have
apostolical fellowship meetings that will bring out every
family, every young man, and every elder to the meeting,
and open the way to every one to take part in the exercises.  This normal school arrangement will bring out all
the latent power and talent of the church, and put it
under training for usefulness, and, indeed, for work in the
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THE PRAYER-MEETING.
field at once. "Standing idle all the day," just now, when
there is so much work to be done, is the terrible bane of
the church, in all her departments. It is a part of the
ministerial work to bring out every member of the church
to his place, point out and assign to him his work, and so
ree to it that no one under his charge is permitted to expose himself to the challenge of the Master of the vineyard,
"Why stand here all the day idle?"  In this way all our
church courts may be well supplied with a controlling and
safe ruling eldership.
New measures, innovations upon the established doctrines and order of the church, putting in peril her unity
and peace, are seldom introduced by the lay eldership.
Were our church always fully represented by a welltrained eldership, disposed to act independently upon their
own judgments, unbiased by clerical influence, winds of
doctrines, and popular novelties, subverting the truth and
obliterating "the footsteps of the flock," and the ways of our
fathlers, would not so easily mar the unity and retard the
prosperity of the church. Much of the purity, spirituality,
unity and success of the church must depend upon a welltrained lay eldership. And the school for their efficient
and practical training is the prayer-meeting.
Thorough training here will qualify for work in any department of the great field assigned to the church by the
Master of the vineyard. What young man-or old evenis fit to superintend the Sabbath school who has never
enjoyed training in the prayer-meeting? And here we
might raise a very proper, timely, and important inquiry,
Why is the Sabbath school, with its system of operations,
so lamentably superficial and ineffectual in the solid and
reliable training of the children and youth of the church?
Why are they so painfully unequal, in their religious attaininents, to the advanced privileges and opportunities of
80 
THIE PRAYER-MEETING.
the age? Is it the miserably light and chaffy reading
matter of the Sabbath school library? This may have its
part in inducing this evil. But after all the reasons
are summed up, here lies the burden of the crushing
trouble-the light and chaffy attainments of Sabbath
school teachers, who need themselves to be taught first
principles. Take a young man who has been trained
from childhood in an old Cameronian prayer-meeting, ac customed there to hear weekly discussions of every kind
of subjects connected with Sabbath school teaching, who
has, in addition, been, for seven years, an active member of
a young men's prayer-meeting; other things being equal,
such young man will be found better qualified for Sabbath
school teaching than one-half of our theological students,
who are strangers to such training, but have just filled
their seminary curriculum. Three years' connection with
a live prayer-meeting, leading in its exercises, taking interest and part in the discussion of the subjects of its coInference, will accomplish more in training for practical
usefulness in the Sabbath school, than three years listening
to lectures in a theological seminary. If thorough indoctrinating in fundamental and distinctive truth; if stores of
Bible knowledge and aptness in communicating, are of importance in fitting for usefulness in the church, then is the
scriptural prayer-meeting important as a school where such
training can be acquired.
The ministry for the times and for the rising generation,
is an object of deep solicitude, and justly, to all godly men
in the church. Like Eli, when Ark, and Israel, and all
were in jeopardy in the high places of the field; so now, in
the perilous times that are upon us, their hearts, trembling
for the Ark, are turned with concern to those to whom its
keeping will soon be committed. While the ordinary theological training is theoretically the main thing in pre
81 
~ THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Daring for the ministry, yet there is a practical training,
important in its place, and without which no candidate for
settlement should ever be deemed qualified, and which should
be made a matter of serious inquiry by every congregation
in making out a call for a pastor. The importance of this
practical training to which we refer, we are happy to say,
seems to be duly appreciated in our Christian colleges, and
in our theological seminaries. In these, students, with the
concurrence and encouragement of faculties, are formed
into prayer-meetings, and here receive a large amount of
practical training for future work. But this is all based
upon principle-the importance of prayer-meeting training. Here is a good stand-point, from which a congregation can consider the qualifications of a candidate for a
pastoral charge, perhaps better than the Presbytery before
which he may display the flowers of rhetoric and the
charms of eloquence, by which too many light minds are
carried away. That young man, no matter how brilliant
his talents, no matter how extensive his literary and theological acquirements, if he have neither experience in the
prayer-meeting, nor taste for its exercises, is unfit for
the pastorate, and unworthy the suffrage of any pious congregation. Candidates for the ministry cannot too soon
be brought under the influence of this precious normal
school training. Parents dedicating sons to the ministry,
pastors and sessions having oversight of these children of
the'church, should co-operate in leading them forward
early in life to take leading part in the prayer-meeting exercises.  Here the first and best "inclinations" are given
toward that higher grade of practical qualification for the
pastoral work.
7. The prayer-meeting is the rallying point where the
power of faith in the church concentrates, and takes hold on
the arm) that m?oves the world.
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THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Here the mighty in faith and prayer, who, as princes,
have power with God, combine, agree, and ask God, who,
in answer to prayer, according to his word, performs wonders for his church. "I say unto you, that if two of you
shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall
ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is in
heaven. For where two or three are gathered together in
my name, there am I in the midst of them." Matt. xviii.
19, 20. The prayer-meeting has made earth to quake,
prison doors to open, shackles to fall from prisoners, and
jailors to tremble. It brought down the promise of the
Father, in the gift of the Holy Spirit, in the pentecostal
baptism of an infant church, followed by the conversion
of thousands. It has brought down all the judgments
predicted in God's word, that have in all the past scourged
our sin-cursed world. It has secured the fulfilment of all
the promises of the eternal covenant, and brought down all
the blessings of that covenant ever enjoyed by God's covenant people in all past ages. It is the channel through
which all will come till the present economy of the church
and government of the world shall close. Could we trace
the chain of causes and effects in the government of the
Mediator, over the world and in the church, and in the
progress of the gospel in the salvation of sinners, we should
then be able to have some clearer comprehension of the importance of this part of the divine plan for the accomplishment of the divine purposes. Everything God has done
for his church; everything he is doing; everything he will
yet do in the fulfilment of his promises for her, and in the
execution of judgments predicted-all are in answer to
prayer-eminently in answer to concerted prayer in the
prayer-meeting.  What an engine of power!-moving that
Power which moves mountains, subdues kingdoms, stops
the mouths of lions, quenches the violence of fire, puts to
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THE PRAYER-MEETING.
flight the armies of the aliens! The history of the prayermeeting is itself a series of illustrations of the power of concerted prayer, and of the advantages of the prayer-meeting,
as a divine ordinance, appointed as an instrumentality
employed for the accomplishment of the divine purposes.
8. The prayer-meeting largely compensates for the lack of
a regular gospel ministry.
Many of the Psalms give us the key to the practical application of the principle, and furnish an illustration of the
advantages of this ordinance under the circumstances here
stated. The Psalmist would not supplant the Tabernacle
or Temple service by waiting on the private worship of
social prayer. He well understood the principle underlying the statement that God delighted more in the gates
of Zion than in the dwellings of Jacob. When he had
access to the public worship represented by the "gates of
Zion," he went with the multitude that kept the solemn,
holy days. But when under different circumstances, he
pursued  a different course.   In all  his banishments,
and in all his desert wanderings, on the mountains or in
the caves, when deprived of the regular ministrations of the
sanctuary, administered according to God's appointment,
he resorted to the fellowship meeting with kindred spirits,
where he could say very familiarly-" Come, hear, I will
declare what God hath done for my soul." When beyond
the Jordan, on silent Sabbaths, he repaired to the Hill
next precious to Zion, to which only he had access-the
"Mizor," or, little hill-to the prayer-meeting, and there
worshipped his God.
The psalms penned in the wilderness of Judah, during
the flight from Saul's persecution, indicate the circumstances and the use to which first applied in the lonely
prayer-meetings of the mountains and the caves. There
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THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the Psalmist and his wandering companions felt largely
compensated for their lack of access to the Ark, around
which clustered the affections of every pious Hebrew.
The captives in Babylon found the only proximate compensation for the lost privilege of their Temple worship in
their resorting to the river side for prayer, praise and
conference.
The disciples of Christ were, after his death, for a time
destitute of the regular administration of divinely appointed public worship. The typical service of the Temple
was abolished. The time for entering upon the official
work to which they had been called had not yet come.
They were commanded to stay at Jerusalem till the promise of the Father should be fulfilled, and they endued
with power from on high. Till then they could not enter
upon their public ministry.  During this destitution of
public ordinances, they, on successive Sabbaths, each
eighth day, met together with the women-in their upper
rooms-the doors being shut, where they enjoyed the compensatory prayer-meeting till the day of pentecost.
The persecuted Christians, true, indeed, to the example
of all the persecuted before them from the beginning,
wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and
in caves of the earth, making them vocal with their
prayers and praises in their prayer-meetings. This practice
held together the Waldenses for ages. It formed the rallying point of the Bohemian churches, and the faithful
Huguenots in their trials. It was the refuge of our Scottish
ancestors when "the killing time" blocked up the way to
the sanctuary, and silenced the voices of their beloved
Shepherds.
The Cameronians in Scotland, after twenty-eight years
of terrible persecution, and during eighteen years of destitution of a single minister on whose ministrations they
8
85 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
could wait, found their societies the common bond that
preserved their ecclesiastical organization from a complete
disintegration. And to this day their adherents, good and
true to the spirit of their fathers, in all the countries
where they are scattered, are preserved in compact organization, by the observance of the prayer-meeting, always
and everywhere, Sabbath day and week day.  Without
this compensating ordinance, preserved in its integrity,
that people would have been scattered to the four winds,
and must have become extinct generations ago.
John Wesley organized his followers distinctly on the
principle of the prayer-meeting's compensatory place in
the absence of the gospel ministry. The discipline under
which they were trained, required their assembling together
in their Societies every Lord's day, with or without the
regular ministrations of the word by their ordained ministry. Here lies the secret of the wonderful early and
compact growth of that church, and its wonderful success
in securing a firm foothold wherever its people have settled, and wherever its missionaries have gone.
So, in the new settlements of the wide West, embryo
churches have grown up and stood out against surrounding
trials that put weak organizations to test, just in proportion
as they acted upon this scriptural and common sense
principle. The prayer-meeting largely compensates for
the lack of a regular gospel ministry.
86 
CHAPTER IV.
PRINCIPLES AND RULES FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF THE
PRAYER-MEETING.
ERE   we  may  distinguish   the  ordinary  prayer    meeting, from the voluntary, or independent. One
forms a constituent and elementary part of every well
organized congregation. The other is outside of any
ecclesiastical relation or control. The ordinary prayermeeting is under the supervision of pastoral care and the
control of ecclesiastical rule.
A congregation without a prayer-meeting is essentially
defective in its organization, and so must be limited in its
efficiency. Every congregation is expected to have its
prayer-meetings, and consequently the prayer-meeting, as
a divine ordinance, is common to all the congregations of
the church, and the common privilege of all the membership. It may be subjected to standing rules, common to all
the social meetings of all the congregations of the whole
church, just as the public worship of all the congregations
may be subjected to the same general principles and rules
of directory for the ske of order and uniformity.
Besides this, the institution of social prayer contemplates
all the exigencies of Christian social life, and all events
of providence that may pass over the church, and over
Christian communities, suggesting a call, and opening a
door for social prayer, in the application of the divine
rule, "pray  always."   Circumstances  must  determine
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THE PRAYER-MEETING.
much, as also Christian prudence, in conducting all kinds
of independent meetings.
Rules of directory for worship must be founded on
principles contained in the word of God, the only rule of
faith and worship. The church may apply Bible principles to matters relating to worship, but never usurp
prerogative of giving rule, or law, to the free conscience
of the moral agent accountable to God, and under a law
to Him by which the creature must be judged. Rules
here should be nothing more than deductions from principles, and so arranged as to be easily applied in the observance of an ordinance of worship. The principles of
the Bible are often very general, and their application
very natural and easy. Nature itself will often teach and
supply what may seem to be wanting in a general principle, as, "Let everything be done decently and in order."
The law of the prayer-meeting is positive. It is a divine
ordinance. The forms, or order, that may be preserved in
the observance of this institution of worship, is the matter
to which rules are to be applied.
For the ordinary prayer-meeting of the congregation,
the following Rules may be observed:
1. In every congregation, whose numbers and locality
will justify, there should be several social prayer-meetings
organized. And to this end the families should be divided
into districts, or quarters, and, if convenient, under the
care of some particular ruling elder residing in the district.
Every famiily and every member should know to what
society, or prayer-meeting, each belongs, and where each
should be recognized and be expected to attend. Every
society should know its own members, and every member
should recognize his privileges and his obligations.
Still farther-upon the same principle, and for similar
reasons, in every case, in sinall organized congregations, in
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THE PRAYER-MEETING.
mission stations, or wherever a few families, or a few individuals, members of the church, are so located together that
they can conveniently meet together, they should do so
weekly, or more or less frequently, according to circumstances. The end in all cases being the same, and the principle
the same, namely: that every family and every member of
the church may enjoy the advantages of the prayer-meetinig.
The principle here stated, and the rule suggested, have
advantages over all other arrangements for the prayermeeting. Because,
First, they harmonize more with the spirit and design
of the institution as taught in the word of God. They
correspond better with the practice of Christ and his disciples, and of the early Christians who continued steadfastly
in the Apostles' doctrine, fellowship and prayers.  Here
we have the nearest resemblance to the prayer-meeting in
the upper room with the women, in the evening, and the
doors being shut. Here we have really, in the true sense,
"the church in the house "-the assembly-" ecclesia"gathered from several households into one private room, or
dwelling, where Christians can "speak one to another "can "admonish one another "-can "exhort one another,"
as in no other form of meeting.
Secondly, the prayer-meeting, according to the principle
and rule suggested, is less liable to the serious defects of
the meeting held in the church, professing to be for the
whole congregation, and conducted by the pastor. To
this kind of meeting we do not here object on principle
only as on the assumption that such a meeting is the
prayer-meeting. It is really neither the prayer-meeting
nor public worship. It is rather a blending of both. We
object to this meeting when it usurps the place of the
prayer-meeting of the Bible, and cuts the people off firom
its privileges. Comparatively few ever pretend, or dare
8*
89 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
pretend, to take part in the conference-to "speak," or
"admonish," or "exhort one another."  Comparatively
few of the members, and sometimes even of the elders, lead
in such meeting. Comparatively few take any active
part, but ordinarily sit, mute spectators, as in the public
worship conducted ministerially by the pastor. And stilh
a greater defect obtains here-comparatively few of the
members of the congregation give a regular attendance to
the prayer-meeting at all. Unless under some spasmodic
excitement, it is the exception, not the rule, that a full
meeting of all the families, and all the members, old and
young, of the congregation can be secured.
Now, what are the facts in regard to principles here,
and the forms, the rules and directories for applying
them? In congregations where the Scriptural form of the
prayer-meeting is observed, where they are carefully and
judiciously divided into prayer-meeting districts, we know
the result, the average attendance on the prayer-meetings,
is nearly equal to the Sabbath day attendance of members
on public worship.  On the other hand, congregationsand particularly large city congregations, whose members
are from three to eight hundred-not so districted, but
enjoying the Wednesday evening lecture, or meeting, in
the basement, conducted by the pastor, fail here, lamentably fail. See, over there, that large congregation of six
7ltndred communing members-fifty persons meet with the
pastor on Wednesday evening. Forty of these are women.
-None of these, of course, are expected to lead, or pray, or
speak here. Of the ten males, five may, perhaps, when
called on by the pastor, lead in prayer. This is no fancy
picture.  We know it is not universal, and may not be
general in its application. Still, this state of things is too
common.  It should never be; it need never be in any coiigregation. On what principle will ote-twelfth only of the
90 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
members of a congregation enjoy the privilege of the prayermeeting?-and only about one out of twenty-five of the
whole congregation worshipping on the Sabbath? On no
principle, or principles, but these-the Scriptural prayermeeting is ignored. Then, consequently, the state of religion is low, and the prayer-meeting is a name merely.
There is not power to make it a vitality. Should not the
Lord's people be trained to something better? Should
they not be brought to taste something better, since our
kind Master has, in his word, prepared something better?
His prayer-meeting is for all, and all should enjoy it.
One aim-from principle-should be ever before a congregation in organizing and in conducting a prayer-meeting: That system which will bring the greatest numberand that number most-under all the influences of all the
advantages of the prayer-meeting.
2. IIl cities, and wharever congregations are sufficiently
compact, meetings should be held in the evening. They
should, also, be held weekly; and, so far as can be conveniently arranged, go from house to house. To secure, as
much as possible, the visits of pastor and elders, the several
meetings should be held on different evenings of the week.
There are several obvious reasons suggesting the propriety of some such arrangements, beside the presence of
the pastor and some of the eldership occasionally. Many
of the business and laboring classes, from their engagements, find it difficult to secure leisure so as to attend
without distraction at any other time than evening.  Some
are aged or infirm. Some may be indolent. Women and
children may not at all times be able to leave home. These
evening alternations will bring the prayer-meeting into
most of the houses, and will tend, as a stimulant, to bring
mlany weak ones out, who would otherwise very seldom, if
ever, attend a prayer-meeting. Such arrangements will
.
91 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
open the way for every member to take a proper part in
the exercises and duties of the mieeting; will remove occasion for excuse for absence from every one disposed to
frame excuses; will open the way to the eldership for personal and more intimate acquaintance with every family
and every member of the congregation; and, through the
eldership, will make the way much easier to the pastor
to form a personal acquaintance with his whole flock, and,
especially, will make the way easier to every sick bed, to
the heart of the sick and dying, and to every anxiouslyinquiring sinner.  Here, too, is the pastoral high-way to
the acquaintance and the affections of every youth and
child of the church. Many young and weak members can
be induced not only to attend prayer-meetings, but to
lead in prayer, and to speak on subjects of conference,
and in this way called out to early training for usefulness
in the church.
These arrangements, with many other subordinate details that may grow out of them, will in no way interfere
with monthly prayer-meetings for the whole congregation,
conducted by the pastor, and to give opportunity for sessional consultations. Nor need they interfere with the
Sabbath evening lecture, or prayer-meeting, or any other
form of religious service for Sabbath or week-day.
These evening prayer-meetings should be visited by
the pastor as often as possible, and frequently by the
elders. Here they can find the most convenient and happy
way of forming acquaintance with a class in greatest
need of attention, the extremely diffident, who need to be
taken by the hand and led forward in Christian duty and
in Christian work. There can be no better stand-point
from which the pastor may inspect the condition and wants
of his charge than in such prayer-meeting.
Every member of the church, male and female, old and
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THE PRAYER-MEETING.
young, should conscientiously study and practice constancy and punctuality-that is, to be always there, and
always there on time. If Christians understand and believe the Scripture teaching and the Scripture obligation
in relation to this institution, they must feel the importance
of its faithful observance. If Christians were rightly indoctrinated and trained here, how could they, as in many
congregations they do, by hundreds, neglect the prayermeeting altogether? Every member should be present at
the hour of opening the meeting, and the exercises should
be commenced promptly at the time appointed.
There is a good faith-a compliance with express or implied engagements, which as a band holds together every
reasonable society.  If this lose its power, disintegration,
partial or complete, will be the result. Confidence will be
weakened, and the ends of organization frustrated. Without sufficient cause no member should be absent from the
prayer-meeting, or late in attendance. In case of continued
absence, absentees should be visited kindly by a committee
of one or two members appointed by the society, or by the
ruling elder. This need in no way interfere with visits
from either pastor, or elder, or any other member. If it
be understood that absence is an evidence of sickness or
some other providential intervention, then this would furnish a proper occasion for a voluntary visit, not likely to
be offensive; for any person will receive with friendly feeling a paternal call of inquiry in relation to health and
welfare. This rule, practised in kindness, would operate
as a powerful stimulant to faithfulness in duty. Besides its
good influences in many other respects, it will, at the same
time, operate as a system by which all sickness and afflic tion and need of members may be known by elders and
pastor.
4. In conducting the exercises members should, as near
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THE PRAYER-MEETING.
as can be conveniently, preside in rotation. At the hour
of meeting, the member whose turn it is to preside for the
evening, should promptly take the chair, call the meeting
to order, open its exercises by singing a portion of a psalm,
reading a portion of Scripture, and with prayer by himself
or some other person at his instance. Then, after singing
and prayer alternately for a short time, the chairman calling on members to lead in prayer, as near as possible in
rotation, the subject of conference agreed upon at the
former meeting should be called up, and all the members
in the order of their sitting called on to speak. After
some twenty or thirty minutes being spent in conference
of an intimate, simple, and affectionate Christian character,
the meeting should agree upon the next place of meeting,
if not otherwise understood, and upon the subject of the
subsequent evening's conference, and promptly close by
singing a short portion of a psalm. The whole time spent
in the prayer-meeting should not, ordinarily, exceed an
hour, or an hour and a half.
The importance of rotation, ordinarily, among all the
members in presiding and in all the exercises, should not be
overlooked. If the weak and diffident are habitually excused or passed by unnoticed, their diffidence and other
infirmities will be confirmed, and consequently their usefulness permanently impaired. The prayer-meeting is one
of the departments of Christ's school for training disciples
for his work. There, in the secluded meeting of a few
Christian friends, in the private house of neighbor and
brother, the most diffident may be induced to break over
that diffidence, and venture upon a course of practical
training in company with others equally distrustful of
themselves, and so, one encouraging another, and at the
same time bearing one another's burdens, all are encouraged and trained together.   Here, in the private
94 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
room, the doors being shut, almost any weak brother who
has ever bowed the knee in family worship, can bow in the
same manner and lead in prayer with comparatively little
embarrassment. The frightening embarrassments thrown
around the public prayer-meeting held in the church deter
many from standing up there, exposed to gaze, and leading
in prayer, if called by the pastor. And more; this terror
of exposure keeps many from the prayer-meeting altogether.
Many minds, by nature gifted for usefulness, are lost to
the church, because by themselves buried in their own
diffidence, and by their brethren overlooked and never
called out in proper place for bringing into activity latent
and inert mental and spiritual endowments. And let it be
remembered-the Head of the church needs every gift
and grace he has bestowed on every member of his body;
and every one of these he has given to be developed,
trained, and used. Few church members feel willing to
lead in prayer, in the church, before a large congregation,
and before the pastor in the desk; and fewer still, in such
circumstances, can summon up courage to speak dispassionately and intelligently on any subject of conference,
however simple or common-place it may be. Yet such
diffident persons can be induced to bow the knee and lead
in prayer at the fire-side of a friend, and in the company
of a few familiar brethren; and in the same social Christian
circle will venture to express their feelings and views on
subjects of religion, to the edification and comfort of all.
These things once ventured, and for a little while practised, the most diffident may be relied on for more public
duties, and for more enlarged usefulness.
5. In regard to the exercise of Conference in the prayermeeting, something more in detail may be noted in this
connection. Perhaps in no other department or feature
95 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
of this precious institution is there so much and so extensive failure. Many congregations, which think they really
have such a thing as a prayer-meeting, have no such thing
as conference in it, and know nothing really about such a
thing at all. They have hired a preacher, and they expect him to do all the religious talking for them. And if
they ever go to prayer-meeting, it is to hear him talk.
And hence, alas! there are so many men in the
churches who can make political speeches without any
particular embarrassment, who would tremble and hesitate
to speak a word in a prayer-meeting on a plain religious
subject, or to exchange a thought on experimental godliness for the edification of godly people. Is there nothing
wrong in this state of things? And is there no remedy
for these crushing evils? To meet just such a case, and
just such a state of religion as these things indicate, has
Christ appointed the prayer-meeting, and the conference
exercise for the prayer-meeting. To meet this state of
things it is appointed that professors of religion should
"speak often one to another "-" exhort" and "admonish
one another," "not forsaking the assembling of themselves
together" for this very conference purpose.  Then, to aid
in securing profitable conference in every meeting, some
rules may be of advantage. As,
First. The subject of conference should be agreed upon
in the meeting previous to that in which it is discussed.
Secondly. Opportunity, and inducement, should be offered to every person present to speak to the subject of
conference.
Thirdly. Experimental and practical questions should
be carefully selected for discussion, ordinarily, if not exclusively-and controversy avoided.
Fourthly. If a text of Scripture be proposed, it will,
ordinarily, be better to present a question or topic raised
96 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
from it, and speak to the question proposed, rather than to
the text directly. As, for example, Hosea xi. 7, "My
people are bent to backsliding."  From this text this question might be proposed to the meeting for discussion:What are the  sin of backsliding from God?
This question having been before the members of the
Society during the week, as a subject of reflection and
prayer, could not each one have something to say, or some
answer to give to the question that would aid every other
member in striving against backsliding? One member
might think of this sign: Beginning to dally with temptation. A second might think of this: Beginning to feel
indifferent about the evil of sin. Another might think of
a different answer: Less relish for spiritual things. A
fourth might have his mind turned to this, as an answer:
Increased difficulty in duty. Thus, in answer to the same
question, involving serious experience, each might think
and feel differently, and yet all rightly; each feeling his
own answer to represent his own experience, would give
something to profit all.
Beside the ordinary week evening prayer-meeting, held
weekly in the several quarters of the congregation, meetings should be held monthly, or oftener, in the church.
Here any fit person may preside, or the pastor, or an
elder; and the ordinary rules observed. This may be a
mass meeting, in which the whole congregation may participate. Or, it may be a meeting of the pastor, the elders,
and delegates from the several weekly district meetings,
especially, if the membership of the congregation be widely
scattered.
The monthly general meeting of the congregation will
give opportunity not only for prayer, but for the consideration of subjects relating to congregational interests-to
the state of religion in the several district weekly prayer      9
97 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
meetings-to the cause of missions-to the general objects
of benevolence, and to the awakening and cherishing of a
deeper interest in the cause of Christ. Here, too, opportunity is given to each member of the congregation to form
a personal acquaintance with all the members-to exchange experience and knowledge-to strengthen the
bonds of unity, and encourage one another in every good
work.
In large and compact congregations-and, indeed, in
every congregation where circumstances will permit-the
Session should have its prayer-meeting monthly, or oftener.
Here the members will have opportunity for consultation
and conference in relation to all matters concerning the
welfare of the congregation, and matters coming under the
official notice of the Session, whether of discipline, or any
other matters in which pastor and elders have a joint
concern. In these meetings opportunity will be offered to
the elders to report from their different quarters the state
of religion, and the condition of the several weekly prayermeetings, as also anything that should require the cognizance of the Session, or the attention of the pastor.
Through these, by the aid of a faithful and co-operating
eldership, the pastor may always know the spiritual state
of his flock, and the particular wants of every member, as
also, of every opening from without for the extension of
his labors and usefulness. A good Staff is sometimes of
more importance than a good General-in-Chief. Indeed,
without a good Staff, how much could the most skilled
generalship avail? So, here, how important a discerning
and faithful staff to secure ministerial success! Many
fruitful fields and inviting openings for doing good are
overlooked and lost to the pastor through the neglect of
an eldership defective in systematic vigilance.  Pastors
are often charged with dereliction in duty while ignorant
98 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
of the occasion of such reflections. And when a vigilant
eldership brings to the notice of a pastor openings for
doing good, that pastor must be wanting, indeed, who
would suffer himself to fail in answering such calls. To
meet all such contingencies in the administration of the
affairs of a congregation, and to promote its peace and
prosperity, such Sessional prayer-meeting is important.
In congregations, where numbers and other circumstances will warrant, there should be young men's prayermeetings. Obvious considerations suggest the importance
of such meetings. Young men unwilling and unfit to
form prayer-meetings, will generally be found unfit for the
membership and the privileges of the church. If it be a law
of our Master's kingdom, that from the mouth of babes he
perfects praise to the glory of his grace, then every young
man in the church should be competent and willing to
pray in company with his equals. Here young men of
promise can be brought forward and trained for usefulness
more successfully than in promiscuous meetings-much
more certainly and happily than without the advantage of
such associations. Here young men feel themselves among
equals, and surrounded by those who can reciprocate sympathies. Here they can give utterance to their feelings
and views with greater freedom from disabling fears from
the presence of supposed superiors. And here the exchange
of experience and sentiments will be more congenial, and
the communion more of kindred spirits. Here young men
can, with more liberty, discuss theological questions, benevolent enterprises, and schemes for mutual improvement.
And here, beyond question, they can be trained and prepared for higher spheres of usefulness in every department
of the church, and of society. By analogy, all young
men's Lyceums, debating clubs, associations for literary
and all other laudable organizations for mental or moral.
:~-.
....
~, eee. -
99 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
mprovement, furnish strong, indeed, irrefutable argument
for young men's prayer-meetings. For, if religion and religious improvement be more important than all these,
then the prayer-meeting is expedient, and more important
than they all.
Once more in this connection. We feel confident in
affirming that it will tend greatly to promote the cause of
religion, the spiritual health of a congregation, as well as
the personal advantage in spiritual edification, and progress in the divine life of the persons concerned, to organize
female prayer-meetings wherever a sufficient number of
praying women can be conveniently gathered together for
that purpose. Can any congregation deserve an organization, and be fit to sustain its efficiency, which has not in
its membership as many praying women as could form a
prayer-meeting? Churches encouraging and -fostering the
female prayer-meeting have pre-eminently the advantage
of all other churches. The history of the past fully demonstrates  this.   John  Wesley  understood  here  two
things: The spirit of religion and its power as taught
in the word of God, and human nature. In his discipline,
according to which he organized his societies, he drew
largely upon his knowledge of the latter. Hence is
sketched the plan of his female band societies for married
and single women, each separately from men, and from
each other. In the better days of his societies, women
prayed much and frequently together. History furnishes
abundant and cheering example of the importance and
efficiency of female prayer-meetings.
The age is upon us when female influence is beginning
to be appreciated as never before in the history of civilization and progress of the gospel. Foreign mission fields
begin to resound with their earnest calls for woman to
come over and help. As the spirit and power of Chris
100
I... i 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
tianity pervade, so will woman's place and work be accorded to her. The propriety of an organized female
missionary society, in every congregation where numbers
justify, is conceded by, perhaps, every one. Then why
not have the same material organized into a prayermeeting?  Would Christ be among them less?  Would
they have Christian gravity more or less? Would the
bonds of sisterly affection be less strong or lasting? Would
their influence upon their children for good be more or
less? Would the whole generation of the seed of the
church be affected for better, or for worse, by earnest female
prayer-meetings in every congregation of the church? If
our youth grow up in the house of God like the flourishing
palm-tree, towering erect and strong, much must depend on
the inclination given to the twig. And this is pre-eminently the work of pious mothers' hands.
The more praying force there is in any congregation,
and the more that praying force is employed, other things
being equal, the more effective power is there, the more
work is done, the more growth is secured, the more prosperity is enjoyed. Then, the important practical question
arises-How can that praying force be effectively called
out and employed? Surely the church needs the use of
all the grace that is in her. She has no surplus grace to
spare, or to lie at rest and dormant-nothing to be buried
in the earth-all to be put in good bank, returning her
own with usury. Then, if three praying women can be
found in any congregation to begin with, with those three
begin the female prayer-meeting. That much is bearing
interest. So much is well invested.
Thus far we have stated principles and rules for the ordinary prayer-meetings of congregations settled, or ripe
for settlement, with memberships sufficient to maintain
such full organizations. Small congregations, congrega       9*
101 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
tions greatly scattered-missionary stations, and small
groups of families providentially cast together, wishing to
form nuclei around which material may be gathered for
the organization of cnLgregations-these all, according to
the peouliar circumstances of their several localities and
surroundings, must more or less apply. general principles
and rules, varying and supplying as Christian prudence
may dictate. Probationers and missionaries ministering
in vacancies and mission stations, should perseveringly
labor to secure the organization of Sabbath schools and
prayer-meetings, so that every family and every member
may enjoy them and give them regular attendance. If
Sabbath schools and prayer-meetings were organized in all
such places, and the people taught and encouraged to
work in them and sustain them, so that on every Sabbath
they sustain Sabbath school, and on every Sabbath day,
without supply of the preaching of the word, they occupy
the time of ordinary public service in prayer-meetingthese, together sustained, unite, and consolidate, and mature
into vigorous growth many flourishing congregations that
otherwise "die e'er they be grown." One reason why so
many of our vacancies and mission stations dwindle and
fail, is simply because, when visited by their supplies, the
probationer preaches his sermon on the Sabbath, receives
his "per diem," and is away: and the people are seldom,
if ever, together for Sabbath school, or for the prayermeeting, on week day or Sabbath, till another appointment
of supply is to be fulfilled. If people professing a desire
to build up congregations cannot be induced to sustain
Sabbath schools and prayer.meetings, they had better dis.
band, and Presbyteries had better send their supplies to
labor where they can find material that can be permanently built into the church for beauty and for strength.
Untempered and uncongenial material built-not into
102 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
but only about the church, will be but lumber marring
her unity and power. If well organized congregations,
vigorous and growing, find from experience they can neither
advance their growth nor even sustain themselves without
these appliances perseveringly administered, much more
will infant organizations fail of success without them. No
congregation, great or small, will ever succeed without
continuing steadfastly their assembling together every
Sabbath day, and observing means divinely appointed for
the building up of the church. Congregations are not
like indigenous plants, or like Satan's tares, growing up to
perfection without culture.
Our Home Missionary operations must be subjected to
failure, more or less, without some radical change, not so
much in principle as in the vigorous and systematic carrying out of well known and recognized truth. While the
prayer-meeting is never to supplant, or interfere with public
worship appointed in the word, yet when a brotherhood
of disciples are grouped together, recognizing their organic
fellowship and its conditions, they should feel themselves
bound the more to observe the prayer-meeting in the absence of public worship, after the example of the discilies,
in meeting during consecutive weeks for prayer, with the
women, in their upper rooms, in the evenings of the eighth
day. Just here the assembling of ourselves together has
its greatest power: for just here its careful observance is
most of all needed. Here it proves, as its institution indicates, the vital cord binding together, above all others,
those of like spirit and faith.  How, we may well challenge,
can a group of Christians, of like profession, bound together in bonds of ecclesiastical organization to maintain
all divine ordinances of worship, for a time destitute of
ordinances, maintain their organization without either
prayer-meeting or Sabbath school?
103 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Still more, might we challenge, how can any congregation, especially one while forming and in the process of
compacting, gather numbers and power while forsaking
the assembling of themselves together? Who will be persuaded of their high claims upon the accession of those
without, when the attractive power of their profession fails
to gather themselves together in the maintenance of the
institutions to which they have given their sacramental
pledge? The man who believes not his own creed, will
find it hard to persuade honest men to embrace it. And
the man who fails to endeavor, even, to practice the duties
of his profession, will find few to respect either himself or
his creed. Next to the word and Sacraments stands the
prayer-meeting as an instrumentality for building up the
church both in holy faith and membership.
Condensing these general principles into specific rules,
in reference to the Home Mission field, we notice the
following:
1. In every vacant congregation, mission station, or
group of church members, week-day prayer-meetings
should be organized, and these should assemble weekly, or
semi-monthly, or monthly, as circumstances may permit.
2. In connection with the Sabbath school, Sabbath day
prayer-meeting should be held, occupying the hour of
public worship when that is not supplied.
3. The prayer-meeting and Sabbath school should be so
arranged that on every Sabbath all can participate in
both, and so the church organization encouraged and
strengthened.
4. It should be recognized as the imperative duty of all
ministerial supplies, sent by Presbyteries or the Home
Board, to aid, superintend, and encourage the prayermeetings, both for the week-day and the Sabbath.
104 
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
5. Presbyteries should exercise supervision and control
over all these, holding congregations, missionaries, and
supplies to account, as having higher pastoral charge over
all vacancies, and ecclesiastical control over all their
supplies.
105 
I 
HISTORY OF
THE PRAYER-MEETING.
:PART II.
INTRODUCTION.
THE Second Part of this work-The History of the Prayer  Meeting-is designed to illustrate and confirm the truth
and importance of the Prayer-meeting itself, and the view
taken throughout this discussion.
If the true church from the beginning down through the
ages, has observed this institution of religious worship as a
divine ordinance, this historic fact, well established, must
tend to confirm our faith in its divine authority, and in the
importance of the faithful observance of the ordinance in
spirit and in truth.
It is at all times the duty of the Christian and the
church to observe carefully that wholesome direction of the
prophet, "Thus saith the Lord, Stand ye in the ways, and
see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and
walk therein, and ye shall find rest to your souls." Often,
it may be, the Christian is in doubt in regard to what is
the way to which the word of God really directs. In the
midst of this doubt he may hesitate to go forward at all,
but may be tempted to stand still, and remain inactive,
halting between opinions where decision and promptness
107
q 
INTRODUCTION.
are demanded. Just here, that very word, which, through
our weakness, seems to fail to shine directly upon our pathway, utters clearly its voice of instruction and direction,
final, decisive and satisfactory: "If thou know not, 0 thou
fairest among women, go thy way forth by the footsteps of
the flock, and feed thy kids beside the shepherds' tents."
The footsteps of the true church are marked distinctly by
the prayer-meeting, all along, down the way of her past
history.
God has had a covenant people, in all ages, distinct and
separated from the world; and in nothing more distinguished than in the faithful observance of the worship of
thb true God, as required by himself. The footsteps of
that covenant society may be traced from Enos to Malachi;
from Jesus of Nazareth down through the ages to a scattered people, and holy, now in the close of the reign of
antichrist-the people who worship God in all the ways of
his appointment.
Christ and his disciples, instant in prayer, in their upper
rooms, with the women, often at night, the doors being
shut, left their testimony to the prayer-meeting. The
primitive Christians, true to their allegiance to the Master
whom they professed to follow, and whose footsteps they did
promptly follow, "continued steadfastly in the apostles'
doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in
prayers." In times of trial and persecution, which soon
succeeded the apostolical period, "the church in the house,"
the church in the catacombs, the church in the "dens and
caves of the earth," the church "of whom the world was
not worthy," was found clustering around this precious ordinance, which holds the Master's presence.
For centuries that heroic band, in the wilderness, during
the dark ages, walked through the fires of persecution; yet,
like the bush burning and not burnt, that church lived by
108 
INTRODUCTION.
the soul-nourishing prayer-meeting-that church known
and read of all.  The Waldensian church stands to-day,
and points back to her footsteps, extended over a thousand years, stained with blood, and marked by social
prayer.
True to the'footsteps of the Waldensian witnesses, the
Huguenots, the churches of the Netherlands, the churches
of the Covenants, National and Solemn League, were all
formed with the prayer-meeting prominent in their organization. With this Knox laid Scotland's corner-stone.
With this her martyrs built, and by this her faithful remnants lived and survived her "killing times." On this her
faithful sons still thrive in every land where her children
are dispersed, and where religion, true and vigorous, lives
and grows.
The Prayer-meeting has its history. Its record will be
found with that church whose footsteps are marked with
blood. And, like the Ark of the Covenant, it has ever
been found with those of whom the world was not worthy.
History confirms the truth that wherever evangelical and
vital religion flourish, there lives the earnest gatherings for
social prayer. Wherever religion is revived, there the
prayer-meeting is revived. Wherever religion declines,
there the prayer-meeting dwindles, pines away and
dies. Such are the confirmations of history.
Antichrist, with all the Sectaries which "deny the Lord
that bought them," have, in their whole line of history,
failed to preserve intact the prayer-meeting. Where and
when have even Catholics, "good and true to holy
mother," observed the prayer-meeting?  Where and when
have Arians, and their kindred spirits, preserved the earnest prayer-meeting?   Never!  NOWHERE!! unless  under
some unnatural spasmodic excitement; and then for only a
brief season. The prayer-meeting has ever been cherished
10
109 
INTRODIJCTION.
by evangelical and living churches only. History establishes this.
But this history has never been written. And we are
led to believe no attempt really has ever been made to
write it. Incidentally much that is valuable has been
written. The History of Revivals, indeed the History of
the Church even, could not well be written without incidentally writing more or less of the History of the Prayermeeting. We have not written its history. We have not
even pretended an approximation to such a history as
would be worthy the title.  We have not even attempted
an outline of such a history. At most and best, we have
only shown that it has a history. And we shall rejoice if
we have succeeded in showing that such a history might be
written-that it should be written-that the interests of
true religion and of the true church demand the writing of
such a history. The material is abundant; but it has
never been collected or arranged. The labor adequate to
such a collection alone would require as many years as the
months we have spent in this work of mere incipiencythis mere gleaning from a few corners of the field. To
find the material for a few of the closing chapters of such a
history, and that history, too, confined to our own country,
and to only fifteen years of the prayer-meetings of this land,
would require the research of the files of all the leading
journals which made a record of the revivals and religious conventions for some five or six years before
and after 1857.
And in addition to all such research and compilation,
the hidden life and practice of all the live evangelical
churches, with the full detail of their church organizations,
would have to be scanned and studied before such history
could be even epitomized. Many histories of revivals have
been written. Here more, perhaps, than anywhere else, we
110 
INTRODUCTION.
have collected history of prayer-meetings; but incidentally
only. If, by our feeble effort to write a brief essay on this
interesting department of church history, we shall succeed
in turning attention to its study, this will far more
than reward us for our feeble attempt to do what
we know we have but very imperfectly accomplished.
p
ill 
CHAPTER I.
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
The Patriarchal Prayer-Meeting-Summary View from Adam to Moses.
T HE History of the prayer-meeting is important from
two considerations, especially.  It confirms our faith in
its divine institution: and illustrates the Divine will in regard to its observance.
If it has a divine warrant, and a place among divine
ordinances of religious worship, then it will take hold upon
the conscience, and impress a sense of obligation to observe
it. Its observance will, at the same time, call out the exercise of faith in the promise of its Author. The Christian
feels at home where Christ's name is recorded.
It has always formed the way-marks in the progress of
religion, and the criterion by which its vitality has been
tested. Its history establishes its relation to revivals of
religion as inseparable. Wherever revivals have been enjoyed, the prayer-meeting has been the most prominent
instrumentality employed in promoting them; and in retaining the spiritual vitality and activity imparted by
them; and it has always followed, as a result of revivals,
jblessed fruit. The prayer-meeting and the revival have
always been so identified as to exhibit, in their influences
and fruits, the relation of cause and effect reciprocal, each
producing and reproducing the other. Many other minor
considerations show the importance of the history of the
prayer-meeting.
112 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
The fields from which we must glean our history here
are the records of the inspired historian-the way-marks
and foot-prints of the church in all her journey, from her
first organization down to our own time-the history of
religion and the history of revivals: for, the history of the
church, the history of religion, the history of revivals —all
record the prayer-meeting. The history of the one is the
history of the other; sometimes the one, sometimes the
other, occupying the foreground in the sketch.
It may be well to note carefully here, that this whole
history is intimately connected with the history of evangelical and vital religion, whose progress always, and its
very existence often, stands identified with the history of
social prayer in this form. Like the history of everything
else connected with the church, and forming a part of her
history, and like the history of everything identified with
the cause of Christ and his kingdom, in the field of the
world, at first small as a grain of mustard-seed-true religion, surrounded and intermingled with prevailing false
religions, the lines of the history of social prayer during
the early ages must, of necessity, be very dimly drawn.
Much must be left to induction and inference from facts
known, and from parallel lines of history marked with
more distinctness. Gnided by known historic facts and
first principles, which must have a place in dealing with
history, as well as in all our reasonings and researches
after truth, we shall be aided in forming satisfactory conclusions in regard to those periods in which the direct
evidence upon this subject rises no higher than tne suggestive or probable.
Man, as a moral, religious, and social being, the subject
of our history, will form a basis, or stand-point, fioni
which our reasonings and inferences will shape their direction in reaching safe conclusions in regard to historic
10*
113 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
truths and their moral lessons in this investigation. Soon
after the fall, intercourse was opened, through a Mediator,
betwixt God and our first parents. God, the Mediator,
talked with them in the garden: settled, in form, a talking
place after their expulsion. The Cherubim, a symbol of
Divine mercy and its administrations toward rebel and
outcast man, was placed at the gate of the garden, over
against the flaming sword, the symbol of inflexible retributive justice. There, under the outstretched wings of the
cherubic forms, poor, trembling sinner man might creep,
and again safely enter the garden, or at its gate hold
communion with Him who dwells between the Cherubim,
and who, from above the Mercy-Seat, talks as a reconciled
God with offending man. There, at the gate, before the
Cherubim and Mercy-Seat, could Adam and Eve once
more together talk with God, and with one another. There
they did talk with Him. There, as before the Tabernacle,
and as in the Temple-there, at the gate before the Cherubim, till the increased and succeeding generations receded
from the birth-place and homestead of the race, men were
accustomed to meet and worship the true God as revealed
in the promise. And just as the children of Adam wandered away far from access to this meeting place with
God, they became wanderers, and prodigal, and vagabond,
and heathenized. "Cain went out from the presence of
the Lord, and dwelt in the land of Nod, on the east of
Eden." There the Jehovah Aleim placed his TabernacleShekinah-in which he placed the Cherubim, the visible
symbol of his presence-there, where that symbol was
placed, was his spiritual presence enjoyed, at the gate of
the garden. There Adam, and Abel, and Seth, and Enos,
and the sons of God called on his name-for there it was
recorded, and there, from between the Cherubim, he sent
out his answers, "And to Seth, to him also there was born
114 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
a son; and he called his name Enos; then began men to
call upon the name of the Lord."
The days of Enos were times of the general apostasy of
Cain and his descendants, who forsook the place of the
worship of their fathers and their brethren-the place
where Adam and Eve together held conference, meeting
with God-where Abel offered his acceptable sacrifice
where Adam, Seth, Enos-" men began to call upon the
name of the Lord." And have we not here substantially
the prayer-meeting? We have men of God calling on the
name of the Lord.  This is prayer.  The terms of historic
record leave no historic doubt. To call on the name of
the Lord is no inferential phrase. It represents, and so
fixes in the mind, historic fact, prayer. Men prayed.
This is more than suggestion. The deduction is naturaleasy. Men together called on God. This is the social
prayer-meeting?
In the early part of the life of Adam, social worship
was confined to the family.  Adam  and  Eve conferred
with God in Eden, and at its gate after the erection of the
Shekinah and the Cherubim.  Here Adam  and  family
united in their religious and social devotions. After the
race had increased, and Adam's children of the second and
third generations were formed into families, Adam, Seth,
and Enos, with their families, drawn the more closely together by the influence of the surrounding apostasy, united
for the maintenance of the true religion, and for the enjoyment of social fellowship in the communion of saints.
This must have been the highest ordinance of religious
worship enjoyed. Neither Tabernacle nor Temple services
were yet instituted. The head of each family officiated as
its priest in offering up its sacrifices, as Noah after coming
out from the Ark. Or, individuals, as Abe], offered their
offerings  for  themselves.   But  now,  the "men"  who
115 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
"called upon the name of the Lord," with their households, Seth and his younger brothers, Enos and his junior
brethren-all these households, meeting together to call
on God by prayer, would form a prayer-meeting of great
interest, as affording a rallying point where the "sons of
God" could enjoy each other's fellowship, sustain the cause
of God in jeopardy in evil times, and secure his favor and
fellowship in the institutions of his grace. This form
of organism being the only visible one by which the
church was distinguished from the world-the "sons of
God" from the "sons of men "-would be retained so long
as the spirit animating Enos should continue, which was
probably till the time of Noah, when corruption almost
universally prevailed. After the flood, Noah and his sons
would probably preserve visible organic worship as it obtained in the days of Enos. His family, with the families
of his three sons, like Adam, Seth, and Enos, would as
carefully observe their assembling for prayer as retain the
worship of the Altar, which, we know from the record,
he did.
After the Flood-till Abraham-and during patriarchal
times.
That the state of religion began soon after the genera
tions of the flood to decline, is evident from the very brief
history of the times. During the period covering the time
of Cush and Nimrod, the tower of Babel, the confusion of
tongues and dispersions of mankind, to the calling of
Abraham, irreligion, idolatry, and corruption of the true
worship, greatly prevailed. During this dark period
scarcely a trace can be seen of the visible church, as
marked in the history of the times, or of the social worship
of God in any form. The times of revival came. Abraham
is separated from the prevailing idolatry, and appears as a
patriarch at the head of a numerous and powerful house
116 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
hold, numbering its many hundreds, and all trained in the
knowledge and practice of the true religion. He immediately, after migrating from Haran, and pitching his tent
in the land promised him, set up the worship of the altar
and social prayer. As prophet and head of the church in
his household, consisting of scores of families, each with its
own family religion, family instruction, and family prayer,
he gathered them together, and by system "trained" them.
As priest, he built his altar, and there, in the presence of
his numerous household, forming a congregation of the
Lord's worshiping people of many hundreds assembled
around the bloody sacrifice, and in awful silence contemplating the way of salvation through the blood of atonement, he trains them in the true worship of the true God.
For, let it be remembered, the patriarchal religion, government, and worship, were both domestic and social.
There were single families in which the relations of parents
and children, with all their corresponding obligations,
were recognized. "Abraham commanded his children and
household after him." In his family were parental training
on the one hand, and filial obedience on the other, as required
by the Fifth Commandment. Here was the plan for the
family altar and its worship, morning and evening, a worship incorporated with the religion of the Abrahamic and
Mosaic economy, so that this was familiar to every pious
Hebrew-" Let my prayer be set forth before thee as incense," referring to the morning worship-"And the uplifting of my hands as the evening sacrifice," referring to
evening worship.
Many families voluntarily grouped under one head and
civil lord-not altogether like the feudal lord, yet in some
respects similar, or similar to the chief ef a Highland clan
of Scottish history-as also, under one head and religious
teacher, they formed a household and enjoyed a social and
117 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
select worship corresponding. Eliezer was head of a single
family, where were all its relations and obligations, its
worship and family privileges. He was also a member of
Abraham's household, not of his family. To him he stood
related as a subject, and, in common with others of the
household, he sustained the relation of a brother in the
household of faith, and of the circumcised in the same
covenant with God, enjoying the privileges of social worship, as well as of private family religion.
The school of the altar was not enough for the father of
the faithfiul. He planted a grove where, according to the
law regulating the worship of God, no altar could be permitted. "And Abraham planted a grove in Beersheba,
and called there on the name of the Lord, the everlasting
God." For, in the giving of the law by Moses in the wilderness, the worship of the altar and the grove were clearly
distinguished and regulated. "Thou shalt not plant thee
a grove of any trees near unto the altar of the Lord thy
God, which thou shalt make thee." Deut. xvi. 21. Abraham faithfully observed all God's commands. He faithfully observed the ordinance of the Proseucha, or worship
of the grove, as he did the worship of the altar. In all
this, as the father of the faithful, he was a pattern of
faithfulness. So he taught and trained his children and
his household; and so, by the power of his moral and spiritual influence, commanded their affections and obedience
after him. Then here, by induction, we know that Isaac,
and Jacob, and their children and households, observed
the worship of God, as taught and exemplified by their
father Abraham.
Though the prayer-meeting, in the latter days of the
bondage of the children of Israel in Egypt, may have
been more or less neglected, we are certain when the deliverance came, with it the great revival came, and
118 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
with this the institution of social prayer was revived,
and by statute separated, in its observance ever after,
from the altar worship, whether under the Tabernacle or
Temple service. As the law was given very soon after
entering the wilderness, Moses would put into operation
that law in regard to both the altar worship and the grove
worship. Consequently, that generation, which entered
the land promised to Abraham, was a race well trained
in all the statutes and ordinances of worship as observed
by their fathers.
119 
CHAPTER II.
SUMMARY SKETCH FROM MOSES TO CHRIST.
IRECT history, in form, makes very little reference to
the worship of the grove till the times of the revolt of
the ten tribes. We are, however, more than compensated
in the abundant moral evidence furnished in another
form.
That revolt was quickly followed by a general decline of
religion, and by the gross corruption of divinely instituted
worship. Among those corruptions was that which sunk
the proseucha into oblivion. The humble prayer-meeting,
with its spiritual exercises and its sweet communion with
God, was lost to those apostate sons of praying fathers.
The grove was changed from being the place of quiet and
retirement for prayer-as at the river side, where praying
women, in after and better times, resorted-to a place for
the revels of the noisy worshipers of Baal, and the blood,
and smoke, and incense of his bloody sacrifices. Thus that
ordinance, which always flourishes where true religion is
strong in its vital and spiritual power, was, for political
reasons of state policy, suppressed by the leading spirits of
the revolt.
The entire silence on the subject of the abuse of the worship of tbe grove, during the long period from Joshua to
Jeroboam, and then afterwards that abuse so often and so
prominently denounced, is evidence that it did not prevail
during that period of silence. This is the more evident
from the record of the lives, and labors, and character of
the men of those times-the Judges, the Kings, the
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HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Prophets sent of God, and the Priests, the expounders of
thile law, and the guardians of the public institutions of religious worship.-And still more, from the character of the
writers of the devotional books penned by inspired men,
from Moses to Elijah. Here we may find the compensating
testimony condensed, and embracing the true history of the
state of religion during that eminently historic period of
the whole history of that historic people-in their formulary of worship. The hymnology of every worshiping
people, in every age, in every country, of every religion,
true or false, of every creed and kind of forms practised,
will reveal the distinctive features of their worship. So we
learn from the devotional complexion of the Book of
Psalms, whose compilation commenced with Moses, and
was carried forward during that entire period, and forward
till near the closing of the 0. T. canon. These inspired
songs, prepared for the use of the church, and representing
what should be the character of her religious devotions in all
ages, at the same time reflect upon the usages and form of
service to which they were at first adapted. Many of the
Psalms use a form of expression plainly requiring an application to the social worship of the saints in social meetings, distinct from the family, from the altar, from the
tabernacle, and from the temple. Now, if the Book of
Psalms, most of which was prepared during the historic
period before us, is full of allusions to social exercises, and
so much of it adapted to private social devotions, the historical evidence is conclusive, that during that long period
the fellowship prayer-meeting was known and observed by
the pious people of God, who spoke often one to another,
and who, in the familiar language of their manual of social
praise, were in the habit of saying one to another, and
singing, "All that fear God, come, hear, I'll tell what he
11
121 
122      HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
did for my soul." "Extol the Lord with me, let u together
praise his name."
"My God, my soul's cast down in me;
Thee, therefore, mind I will
From Jordan's land, the Hermonites,
And even from Mizar hill "
the "little" hill of social worship, when far from access to
Zion hill.
"Behold, bless ye the Lord, all ye
That his attendants are,
Even you that in God's temple be,
And praise him nightly there "
the prayer-meeting of the priests, who by wards and
during the night watches held private meetings out of season, and at hours when no other worship or service, public
or private, was held.
"With my whole heart I will God's praise declare,
Where the assemblies of the just, and congregations are."
"Bethsud," is the "private," as well as public assembly,
"I am companion to all those who fear, and thee obey "that is, "I associate with" the fearers of God in select social worship. We might multiply quotations of like character from the book breathing so much of the social and
private devotional spirit and form.
With reference to the captivity and return, Jeremiah
predicted social prayer: "Then shall ye call upon me, and
ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you.
And ye shall seek me, and find me, when ye shall search
for me with all your heart." Jer. xxix. 12, 13. This was
fulfilled in Daniel when he set his face to seek the Lord by
prayer and supplications, with fasting. Dan. ix. 3. It was
fulfilled in Ezra at the river Ahava. It was fulfilled in 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Zech. vii. 2: "When they had sent unto the house of God
Sherezer and Regem-melech, and their men to pray before
the Lord." It was fulfilled as in Mal. iii. 16: "Then they
that feared the Lord spake often one to another; and the
Lord hearkened and heard" their social prayers.
In seeking historical evidence it is proper to refer to the
habits the devout Hebrew captives would carry with them
in their captivity. So we find them grouped together by
the rivers of Babylon, in solemn, sad devotion-in praise
with unstrung harps, while far from temple service-while
remembering Jerusalem they send up their prophetic
prayers: "Remember, O Lord, the children of Edom."
Daniel called his pious and worshiping associates together for select social prayer according to the custom and
religious usages of his fathers. "And Daniel went to his
house, and made the thing known to Hananiah, Mishael,
and Azariah, his companions: that they would desire
mercies of the God of heaven concerning this secret; that
Daniel and his'followers should not perish with the rest of
the wise men of Babylon." Can it be doubted by the
student of history that Daniel and his friends were familiar
with that great principle underlying this call for a special
prayer-meeting?-" That if two of you shall agree on earth
as touching anything they shall ask, it shall be done for
them of my Father which is in heaven. For where two or
three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the
midst of them." Esther, in her extremity, according to the
well-known usages of her people, bade Mordecai "Go,
gather together all the Jews that are present in Shushan.
I also, and my maidens, will fast likewise." Since prayer
is an established concomitant of fasting, this was an example of the prayer-meeting.
Emergencies furnish the surest tests of men's real principles, and their faith in God. When in affliction, they
123 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
feel the occasion is not opportune for indulging in hypocritical show. If men will ever truly exhibit what they
really are, or what they feel they ought to be, it will be
when death comes, or when troubles overwhelm like a resistless flood. "In straits they cry to God." This is
even nature's law. God's people feel their natures subjected to its control, and by gracious impulses cling to God
in all their straits.
Ezra, conducting a column of captives, returning from
Babylon, through an enemy's land, dangers besetting them
on every side, gathered them together at the river Ahava.
Independent of both Priest and Levite to conduct any
public service, he proclaimed a fast, that they might afflict themselves before their God, to seek of Him a right
way for them," for the hand of our God is upon all them for
good that seek him."  "So we fasted and besought our God
for this; and he was entreated of us." In these exercises
Ino official ministrations were required.  Neither Temple
nor altar was there. This special prayer-meeting was to
meet the emergency. The priests and Levites were not, as
yet, separated and consecrated, either for offering the regular sacrifices, or for conducting the public worship as divinely instituted. Afterwards, at the organization of the
synagogue and its worship, by authority of Ezra the
Scribe, the priests and Levites expounded the law to the
people. As the priests, the sons of Levi, were the legal
expounders of the law, they, at the institution of the synagogue worship, were called in to exercise their official
functions. These functions we learn from their commission: "And now, O ye priests, this commandment is for
you. And ye shall know that I have sent this commandment unto you, that my covenant might be with Levi.
The law of truth was in his mouth; for the priest's lips
should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law at
124 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts."
Mal. ii. 1-7. So, when first called by Ezra in setting up
the worship of the synagogue (Neh. viii.), "Ezra the priest
brought the law before the congregation both of men and
women, and all that could hear with understanding, upon
the first day of the seventh month. And he read therein
before the street that was before the water-gate, from the
morning until mid-day, before the men and the women, and
those that could understand; and the ears of all the people
were attentive unto the book of the law. The priests and
the Levites caused the people to understand the law; and
the people stood in their place. So, they read in the book,
in the law of God, distinctly, and gave the sense, and caused
them to understand the reading." From the first institution of the synagogue, its worship was always conducted by
official persons-by the ordained, legalized, expounders of
the law, to which the official preaching and teaching in the
gospel ministrations of the Sabbath corresponds, as illustrated in the Saviour's example. Luke iv. 27.
This synagogue worship, then instituted, and specially
for the reading and expounding of the word of God, obtained as the leading ordinance of divinely instituted
worship among the Jews till the coming of Christ, when,
under his ministrations and his apostles', it was merged
into the ordinary weekly public worship of the New Testament, and so passed over and into the new dispensation.
For it is conceded on all hands, that the New Testament
church, in her worship and order, is modeled, not after the
temple, but the synagogue service. The temple with its
entire ritual, was typical and abolished. The service of
the synagogue was spiritual and moral, and was not
abolished, but substantially retained and transferred into
the New Testament service. The synagogue worship was,
therefore, distinct from the temple service, and was as cer       11*
125 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING
tainly distinct from the grove or proseucha worship, and so
from the prayer-meeting recognized by Malachi, by Christ,
by his apostles and the early Christians, who "continued
steadfastly in prayers," "in their upper rooms, with the
women, the doors being shut," and who "forsook not the
assembling of themselves together, as the manner of some
was," but observed the ordinance in which every private
Christian could enjoy the privilege of "exhorting one
another." 
It is remarkable that so soon after the revivals and reforms under the teachings of the prophets Haggai and
Zachariah, and under the governments of Joshua and
Zerubbabel, and later under Ezra and Nehemiah, there
should be such a falling away from practical and vital religion as in the time of Malachi. And yet it is as remarkable that there were some, in the midst of general defection
among priests and people, who recognized each other as
kindred spirits, and by a mutual attraction were drawn together in pious conference. "Then they that feared the
Lord spake often one to another; and the Lord hearkened,
and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought
upon his name." In the history of these times, we have
the most humbling lessons of the depth of human depravity. After the sorest judgments, followed by wonderful deliverances, and these accompanied with warnings,
instructions and exhortations, still the tendency of the
masses with their leaders was backward from God and the
ways of true religion. In these times we have also the
cheering historical fact that God, in accordance with the
analogy of the divine government, and the dispensations
of his grace, preserved a remnant of pious and practical
adherents to his cause, who mourned over the defections
of the times, and were drawn the more closely together in
126 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
private religious conference and prayer. "They spake
often one to another." The Lord hearkened and answered
their prayers. In these select private assemblies, piety
was cultivated, and a seed preserved in the church during
the waning period, and during the long, dark night which
preceded the rising of the Sun of Righteousness with healming in his wings..
127 
CHAPTER III.
FROM CHRIST TO THE REFORMATION.
Revival-Means of-Fruits of-Concerted Social Prayer-Church in the
House-Church in the Catacombs-Pliny to Trajan-Pagan Persecu tions-The Waldenses-Papal Persecutions-Lessons of this Period.
THE history of the Prayer-meeting at the introduction of
Christianity, and in connection with the history of the
ministry of Christ and his apostles, and the revival of religion, which so remarkably distinguished the first century
of the Christian era, might justly occupy a large space in
this historical sketch. Inasmuch as the historic incidents
will be found in another connection, and interwoven with
the evidences of the divine appointment of the prayermeeting as an ordinance of grace, references, which
might otherwise be greatly extended, will here be brief.
Revival of religion, the means of promoting it, and its
fruits will ordinarily appear simultaneously together,
maintain their inseparable connection, and move on together harmoniously, as one simple monument and display
of divine gracious power. Means produce a revival, in the
popular sense as used here. Revival gives increase and
power, life, invigorating efficacy to means. And this identifies means with fruits. Means would be nothing but
hardening instrumentalities without the grace of the divine
Spirit, as a Spirit of life, moving upon the heart renewed,
and prompting to the use of means.  Earnest resort to
means of revival is evidence of the inward impulse of the
grace of revival, and at the same time the mneanis and fruit
of that revival. Such are the apparent anomalies, and yet
128 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the real laws of revival of religion. Revival ordinarily
begins with some individual. Its first impulse is felt by
some one in whose heart is the grace of the divine Spirit.
That first impulse leads to prayer. The social principle,
as a religious element of our nature, moved by this first
impulse of revival, leads its subject revived to the society
of kindred spirits and to social prayer. Two or three are
brought together; they agree and ask for the Spirit. The
Spirit already prompting to prayer is enjoyed in his enlarged influences more and more in answer to prayer by
concert in the social prayer-meeting. Thus the Spirit of
God gives revival, and by his grace carries it forward.
Revivals during the ministrations of Christ and his apostles furnish historicrillustration of these views.
Christ was himself eminently a man of prayer. When
he gathered about him a group of disciples, he taught them
to pray. He so practised social prayer with his disciples
that it formed a custom with them. He went, "as he was
wont to do," with his disciples to the Mount of Olives to
pray. Prayer with his disciples apart, secluded from the
multitudes, was by him and them formed into a religious
habit. It was in this school of prayer and religious conference-for their prayer-meetings were conference meetings-that the disciples were trained for that active and
glorious work of revival in which they were afterwards employed, and which turned the world upside down. In
connection with their prayer-meetings in Jerusalem, in
which they waited the promised outpouring of the Spirit,
revival came.  The Spirit was poured out and greatly en joyed by them, and by the first Christians, imbued by
the same Spirit, and who, "continued steadfastly in
prayers." They had a well known social ordinance "called
prayer."
If anything characterized and distinguished the apostoli
129' 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
cal Christians, it was devotedness to the cause of Christ as
manifested in their steadfast continuance in prayers.
Their alms, and, indeed, their whole Christian deportment,
which made them living epistles, known and read of all
men, made them conspicuous. But the power of prayerconcerted prayer eminently-formed the life-spring and
impulsive cause of all that distinguished them, and their
revived religion, from all others.
The practice of Christ and his disciples, in meeting together in private rooms-upper rooms-with the womenwith the doors shut, for prayer and conference, distinct as
to place, time, and form of service, from both Temple and
Synagogue, was long retained among the early Christians.
Toward the close of the first century, and in the time of
the Epistles to the churches, probably vacant, this institution was called "The church in the house." This cannot
refer to the family, or the church there: for that is never
spoken of as an assembly called out, or called together.
"Ekklesia " is the proper term for an assemblage convened
together for social worship. The Christians of the churches
at Rome, at Corinth and Colosse, especially when without
pastors, were conspicuous for their steadfastness in prayers,
for which they assembled, as did the pentecostal church,
in their private houses, in little bands. They observed
these Christian conference meetings in their houses for
mutual edification, as the principal means of keeping intact their incipient organizations, and of preserving from
scattering and from final disintegration. While it was
safe to meet in their houses, they did so, "not forsaking
the assembling of themselves together; but exhorting one
another; and so much the more as they saw the day approaching" when persecutions would set in-remove from
them their faithful pastors, make it unsafe to assemble in
their public meeting places for the hearing of the word,
130 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
and even in their private houses for prayer, and so drive
them to the caves and dens of the earth, and finally to
the "Catacombs, for safety from the rage of Pagan persecution."
With pleasure we here insert a paragraph from Dr.
Houston, Ireland-P. 67. "Fellowshtp Prayer-meetings,"
taken from "The Church in the Catacombs," by Charles
Maitland, Esq.:
"The records of the Church in the Catacombs, so singularly brought to light in late years, show that when the
power of Imperial Rome was wielded against the religion
of Christ, his church found a secure shelter among the
tombs of believing brethren, and received nourishment
and comfort, too, from the private communion of saints in
feeding on the word, and in united prayer and praise."
Pliny, writing to the Emperor Trojan, in the year 103,
on the subject of pressing the edicts for persecuting the
Christians, earnestly dissuades from persistence, assuring
him they were a harmless people, chargeable with no
crime, only they were in the habit of "meeting together
to sing songs"-"discere carmen"-" and to worship Christ
as God." This was the practice of the Christians throughout all the Roman Provinces; a practice retained from the
Apostles' times, of "continuing steadfastly in prayer," the
well known term for the prayer-meeting. During the imperial persecutions, from the best evidence gathered from
the writings of the Fathers, and the history of the times,
we have good reason to infer the continued practice of the
persecuted Christians during the periods of the decline of
true religion and the rise of the man of sin. This view is
confirmed by the historic evidence that "The Two Witnesses," who, after the rise of the man of sin, were seen in
the ecclesiastical heavens, re-exhibiting apostolical purity
in doctrine and worship, the ordinance of the prayer-meet
131 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
ing reappears in its former simplicity.  "The church in the
house" is again frequented, and the humble assembly of
private saints gathered together for "exhorting one
another "-like the Ark in the city of the wood-is found
in the valleys of Piedmont and among the dells of the
Alps.
The Waldenes.
The period of the history of the Waldenses, as a distinct
and witnessing people appearing on the page of history,
brings to view the importance of the prayer-meeting in its
historic features and consequence. The church had, by
prophetic monition, been forewarned of that terrible power
which should make war with the saints, scatter the power
of the holy people, cast out of his mouth water as a flood
after the woman driven to the wilderness, and that should
make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep the
commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus
Christ. She had been warned of the times when her
faithful sons must put on the garments of mourning, and
retire to the seclusions prepared for the sackcloth wearers,
while the holy city should be trodden under foot forty and
two months. "And I will give power unto my two witnesses, and they shall prophesy a thousand two hundred
and three-score days, clothed in sackcloth."
It is, doubtless, well said by the historian of this wonderful people-" The Waldenses preserved divine truth in
its purity, when Christendom was overrun with antichristian corruptions, and were true to their motto,'Lux in
tenebris,' and maintained a faithful profession, and enjoyed
the communion of saints in meetings for prayer and spiritual converse. When the savage persecutions of the
papacy destroyed their sanctuaries, and interdicted their
public assemblies for worship-when their humble, but
devoted'Barbes' were cut off, or forced into exile-and
when, by the rage of the enemy, the'Waldenses were ex
132 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
pelled in a body out of their native country-in all emergencies they had recourse to meetings for united prayer,
as the great means of support and relief under long continued and severe persecution, and as the divinely appointed way of animating the hope of future deliverance.
Ecclesiastical history records the marked attention of
these early witnesses to this ordinance at different periods
of their eventful history; and there can be no doubt that
to it, in a large measure, are to be ascribed their remarkable unity in faith, and in godly practice, and their heroic
constancy in sufferings. In the latter period of the Waldensian trials, shortly before the dawn of the Reformation,
when'darkness that might be felt' had settled down upon
the nations of Europe, when faithful witnesses had been
almost wholly exterminated-when the voice of public
protest against Rome's idolatry and oppression was nowhere distinctly heard throughout western Christendom,
we have on record an affecting testimony to the value
which the remnant of these ancient confessors still set upon
the social prayer-meeting."
It is recorded, that at that time one lonely society, which
met in one of the secluded valleys of the Alps-brooding
over the low condition of Christendom, and deeply concerned to see if there was any quarter whence deliverance
might be expected-after prayerful consideration, dispatched four of their number, with instructions to travel
north, south, east, and west, to inquire if there were any
churches that held fast an evangelical profession, and
maintained separation from the general corruption. After
an absence of more than a year, these delegates returned
with the melancholy intelligence that they had found none.
Still these "marked ones," who sighed and mourned for
the "abominations of the land," did not relinquish prayer,
or'forsake the assembling of themselves together."
12
133 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
History is important mainly for its inductive moral lessons, marking out, in the footprints of the past, the ways
of safety, and the ways of danger. Its beacon errors warn
us, and its records of truth and virtue shine upon our
pathway, and stimulate us to perseverance in the footsteps
of "them who through faith and patience inherit the
promises." In studying the history of that wonderful
people, who, for a thousand years, have, like "the bush
that burned and yet was not consumed," survived the fires
of persecution, the earnest student will, almost irresistibly,
inquire-Where lies the indestructibility of that venerable
church of the centuries? How has she outlived the earthquake shocks and revolutions of the ages? And with her
surviving identity, how has she preserved, through all the
successive cycles of declensions and revivals, her untarnishled historic form, whose kindred and affinity all the
evangelical churches to this day would assume as theirs?
What vital principle, or recuperative element, in her organic structure has been so signally owned and blessed by
the Head of the church, as the instrumentality honored in
her wonderful preservation? While other means had their
happy influences here, yet nothing but a continued series
of miracles could have preserved that people through a
thousand years of fiery trials, had they abandoned their
fellowship meetings for prayer and conference. Whether
at times when they enjoyed the gospel with the living ministry, or when scattered as sheep without a shepherd, as
often they were-destitute, afflicted, tormented-wandering
in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens, and in caves of
the earth, these meetings were ever their rallying-pointsthese their muster-fields-these their burning watch-fires
and signals, seen from mountain top to hill top-these the
bond that bound in one, firom generation to generation,
and saved from disintegration. Try it-What church
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HISTORY OF TIIE PRAYER-MEETING.
organization, now, with its loose views and looser practice
in regard to the prayer-meeting, could, for one generation,
survive the fiery ordeal through which that people passed
for successive ages? Take any single church among us,
boasting of its evangelical character, its unity, its numbers,
and its power, place it without the prayer-meeting, under
the scathing power that was brought to bear upon the
Waldenses, and, like the snow beneath the rays of an
August sun, it would soon pass into vapor. What one
of the popular churches of the day could stand the fiery
trial?  Not one.  Why, without stated supplies-without
the gaudy appendages of a fashionable ecclesiastical organiization, in the sunshine days of perfect peace, liberty
of conscience, no over-riding civil establishment, what
group of emigrants of the same profession, thrown together
in the same remote locality, can be held together for a few
years only, and by the attraction of principle, and love for
one another, can be kept from scattering to the winds? A
group of Christians imbued with love to Christ, love to his
cause, love to brethren and their fellowship, and possessing
within themselves the principle of reciprocal attraction,
the inward principle of spiritual gravitation, will be drawn
together, as kindred spirits, and then bound together by a
weekly prayer-meeting, will, almost infallibly, form a nucleus that will, in a short time, gather around it a permanent and live congregation that will survive trials, and
persecutions, and even destitution of pastors, of supplies,
and of gaudy accommodations. Such are the historic lessons taught us by a survey of the history of that wonderful
people.
On the other hand-how many, perhaps hundreds every
year, emigrate from abroad to our Atlantic shores, connect
with our Eastern churches, by-and-by take their certificates of membership, and with others, home-born  and
's.-~
135 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
trained in our midst, settle in the West, and some half
dozen of families are thrown within a radius of three or
four miles, and because they have no minister to organize
and conduct the prayer-meeting, as was the custom under
which they were trained, they neglect it, attend "higher
ordinances" in some other communion, and in a brief
time all are gone. The farther use of this lesson we pass
now, transferring it to another connection.
136 
CHAPTER IV.
FROM THE REFORMATION TO THE REVOLUTION, 1688.
Continental Reformation-The Church of Scotland-John  Knox-His
Letter-The General Assembly of 1641-Its prolonged consequences Prelatic domination-Prayer-meeting spirit brought from Ireland
alarmed the Prelatists-Five Articles of Perth-" The Society People."
W E  may trace the same lines in the history of the
Reformations under Wickliffe, Huss, Jerome, the
churches of Bohemia, the Culdees of Britain, the Huguenots of France, the churches of Switzerland, and we find
that the prayer-meeting has been the life ofthem all. So
true is this in the history of all those reformations, of their
times and of their people, that the armies of the Zuinglians, of the Huguenots, of the Dutch Republics, of the
United Netherlands, and others, held their prayer-meetings
in their camps, as Cromwell's, in later times; and even in
the face of the foe, when drawn up in line of battle, quickly,
before joining issue, the soldiers drew their Psalters from
their vest pockets, sang a psalm, dropped down on their
knees, their firelocks at stand arms-a brief prayer-then
up and at them. (Motley's Hist) These prayer-meetings
among the soldiers of the armies of the Dutch Republics,
as far back as the times of William the Silent, Prince of
Orange, have much to do with the full tide of civil and religious liberty enjoyed by us to-day. Trace back American liberty-all that is noble and Christian in it-along
whatever line of history we may, to English Puritans, to
Holland or Scotch Presbyterians, we will find its cradle is
the prayer-meeting.
12*                                       137 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
A chapter of thrilling interest might be written here,
showing, from unquestioned history, that the prayer-meeting has ever been the nursery of civil and religious liberty.
It is an institution thoroughly democratic-an institution
of the people, for the people, and administered by the
people; an institution that recognizes the perfect equality
of every one admitted to its privileges-and to these all
have a right.  It knows  no aristocracy-no caste-no
class. Here the Prince and the beggar sit down togetherhere the Pastor and the layman officiate alike-here the
male and the female, the old and the young-all that pray,
may mingle together in the enjoyment of equal rights and
equal powers. This institution of the free in Christ could
not live or breathe in the atmosphere of popery. Nor can
popery breathe in the atmosphere of the free prayer-meeting. Think of it.-Imagine a prayer-meeting of the
Catholic peasantry, in any Catholic country, met together
to pray, to sing psalms, to read the Bible, to explain and
confer on its blessed teachings!  Could it live a year?-a
month? Would not the priesthood suppress it in less
than a fortnight?  And why?  Just because it would promote, not only intelligence and piety, but especially because
it would foster liberty, civil and religious. The same reasons for separating the people from all participation in any
social religion, not conducted by the priesthood, will separate the people forever from the free privileges of the people's
institution-the free prayer-meeting. Why has a Catholic
no family worship? Why has he no religious worship,
as his own, higher than his bead-counting prayers, or his
lone "Ave Maria"? Because social religious rights-social
religious worship, are all in the hands of the priesthood.
We must pass over, with very brief notice, a long period
of the early Continental RefQrmations. Our space limits
us to mere selections and sketches, and admonishes us of
138 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the importance of judicious selections here. We shall,
therefore, now for a little, turn, for gleanings, to
THE CHURCH OF SCOTLAND.
This noble old church-the mother of us all-not at all
particularly singular here, but like most of the daughters
of the Protestant Reformation, was born and nursed in the
prayer-meeting.  Protestantism itself is a social religona religion of the people-a religion for the people; it
flings away the shackels of Papal tyranny from the conscience, puts the Bible into the hands of all, and opens for
the masses free, social intercourse, and unrestricted Christian fellowship; and it points to the social prayer-meeting
for its fullest enjoyment. The Church of Scotland seems,
from the very incipiency of her organization, to have
recognized the claims of the prayer-meeting as a divine
ordinance, more distinctly and formally than other churches
of the Reformation, which retained more of the shadows
of the Romish ritualism.
It is well known to all familiar with its history, that
the Church of Scotland received much of its distinctive character and spirit from its leading Reformer,
John Knox. While the reformer was a refugee from persecution in his own native land, he wrote from the continent in the year 1557, to his countrymen friendly to the
cause of the Reformation, with the express view of calling
the people to a leading and active part in the work without,
and independently of the ruling powers both of the chulrch
and of the state. At this time the people were destitute
of reformed pastors to lead them in the cause of Reformation. Calderwood records, in his History of the Church of
Scotland, thus:
"In October following, he sent some letters to the
Lords, and to particular gentlemen, wherein he proved
I
139 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
that the reformation of religion and public enormities did
appertain to more than to the clergy and chief rulers. His
letters being read, it was concluded, after consultation,
that they would prosecute their purpose once intended.
That every one might be the more assured of the other, a
common band was formed, wherein they promised before
God, with their whole power and hazard of their lives,
to set forward, and establish the true religion."
Dr. McCrie, in his "Life of Knox," writes of the same
letter, (p. 58,) thus:
"In this letter he warmly recommended to every one
the careful and frequent reading of the Scriptures.  He
inculcated the duty of attending to religious instruction
and worship in each family. He exhorted the brethren to
meet together once every week, if practicable, and gave
them directions for conducting their assemblies in the
manner best adapted to their mutual improvement, while
destitute of public teachers. They ought to begin with confession of sins, and invocation of the Divine blessing. A
portion of the Scriptures should then be read; and they
would find it of great advantage to observe a regular
course in their reading, and to join a chapter of the Old
and New Testament together. After the reading of the
Scriptures, if an exhortation, interpretation, or doubt occur
to any brother, he might speak; but he ought to do it with
modesty, and a desire to edify or to be edified, carefully
avoiding multiplication of words, perplexed interpretation,
and wilfulness in reasoning. If, in the course of reading
or conference, they met with any difficulties which they
could not solve, he advised them to commit these to writing
before they separated, that they might submit them to the
judgment of the learned; and he signified his own readiness to give them his advice by letters whenever it should
be required. Their assemblies ought always to be closed,
140 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
as well as opened, with prayer. There is every reason to
conclude that these directions were punctually complied
with; this letter, therefore, may be viewed as an important
document regarding the state of the Protestant Church in
Scotland, previous to the establishment of the Reformation,
and shall be inserted at large in the notes."
In turning over to the letter itself in full, (p. 159, note
25,) we find, farther:
"It shall greatly comfort you to hear that harmony and
well-tuned song of the Holy Spirit.-Like as your assemblies ought to begin with confession and invocation of
God's Holy Spirit, so would I that they be never finished
without thanksgiving."
This letter certainly furnishes a remarkable directory for
the government, order, and exercises of the prayer-meeting
among the laity. Here are recommended, as agreeable to
the teachings of the word of God, prayer, praise, reading
the Scriptures, and religious conference; as also the full
and free expression of opinion in regard to the meaning of
any portion of Scripture that might come before them,
without superstitious fear of expounding, as if the exclusive
and official prerogative of the clergy. What a glorious
deliverance secured by the Protestant Reformation, asserting to every man the right to use the Scriptures, as the
noble Bereans did when testing the teachings even of Paul
and Silas, who were ordained official expounders of the inspired oracles.
Another historian remarks of this period:
"Especially in many country districts, and in remote
localities, the cause of the Reformation was nursed into life
and vigor, and the souls of believers were edified by
reading the Scriptures, and by united prayer and
praise."
Here we may notice a significant incident, which oc
141 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
curred in the time of the Second Reformation in Scotland,
and in the General Assembly of 1641. A malcontent, and
soon afterward an apostate and bishop, made complaint in
regard to some supposed liberties or abuses in these prayermeetings in regard to expounding Scripture, and also of
the practice of families grouping together for family worship. Here prelatic proclivities might pervert a prayermneeting into the family worship by proxy. The Assembly
passed an Act limiting family worship to the members of
the household, and forbidding several families from
uniting together in worship, directing each to worship separately; also forbidding the laity to expound Scripture in
the prayer-meetings. Hetherington, in his History, notices
this Act, and refers to the injurious consequences which
long followed.   While it did not prohibit the prayermeeting by any means-for that object avowed would have
taken off the mask and have revealed the covert prelatic
design-yet the ill-disposed abused it to the harm of religion.
Hetherington, giving the occasion of the action of the
Assembly, says:
"During the domination of the prelatic party, many religious people had withdrawn from the ministry of men
from whom they derived no spiritual instruction; but, to
supply the want to the utmost of their power, they had
adopted the measure of meeting together in private, and
engaging in reading the Scriptures, exhortation and
prayer, for their mutual edification.'Several who had
been in Ireland and other countries for a considerable
time, had been so confirmed in this custom, that even after
the Assembly, the abolition of prelacy, and the restoration
of the purer and simpler mode of Presbyterian worship,
they still continued their practice of holding these private
religious meetings. The more pious ministers saw nothing
142 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
offensive or improper in such private meetings of Christian
worshippers; but there were others who looked on them
with less favorable regard."
It is judiciously remarked by the same author, that the
discouragement shown to private fellowship meetings, at
this time, produced afterwards the most injurious consequences. He says:
"This unseemly and ill-omened contention may be regarded as the first insertion of the wedge by which the
Church of Scotland was afterward rent asunder; and it deserves to be remarked that it was pointed and urged on by
a prelatist!"
Here is a remarkable historical incident, the only one of
the kind on record, in regard to ecclesiastical action of a
reformed and reforming church, which seems even to discourage the prayer-meeting, and that, too, led on by a
covert enemy, through whose deep design something not
suspected or designed by true friends of the Reformation
and living piety, was partially accomplished. All evangelical and pious historians of the times concur in lamenting the unfortunate and unhappy mistake of the Assembly
of 1641. Though designed by the Assembly to correct
some supposed irregularities only, enemies took advantage,
to the lasting damage of true religion. At the same time,
this section of the history of the prayer-meeting attests its
importance, its universal prevalence among the Evangelical
Reformed Churches, and that neglect of its observance or
hostility was confined to the prelatic and ritualistic party,
or to enemies of vital and practical godliness.
We suggest farther here: We have a warning of the
peril of hasty "declaratory legislation of General Assemblies."
It will, perhaps, throw some light upon this portion of
our history, as also upon the general history of the prayer
143
0
I 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
meeting, as identified always with the history of revival of
religion, to notice the connection of this incident of 1641
with a remarkable revival in Ireland in 1625, and persecutions following, which drove many persecuted Christians to
Scotland for shelter from the rage of the storm. These
refugees, of warm-hearted piety, carried over with them
their custom in regard to the prayer-meeting.
And to bring it the better to bear on our point just
here, it may be well to look back a little farther upon some
of the historic events preceding this revival, and some of
the co-operating causes producing it; as also the effects
of the reformations and revivals of those times, together
with the surgings of parties and persecutions, and the
counter influences of those revolutionary days, affecting for
good or for evil the cause of true religion.
The famous "Five Articles of Perth," passed in the
General Assembly August 25th, 1618, under the influence
and at the dictation of King James, were followed by
lengthened and complicated vexations and persecutions in
Scotland, which drove multitudes of the people from the
ministrations of the dominant party, led by the royal influence, and to their private fellowship meetings, as the means
of preserving the suffering cause of truth, and as the only
substitute for public ordinances when so grossly corrupted.
These "Articles," afterwards, in 1621, received the ratification of Parliament, and were rigidly enforced, and consequently many able and godly ministers were driven from
their flocks, and into banishment. Among these were
Brice, Glendinning, Ridge, Blair, and others who fled to
Ireland. When they arrived there, they found the
Province of Ulster-which has so long been the brightest
spot on the map of Ireland-in a most deplorable state of
ignorance and ungodliness. Their missionary labors-for
such they were-were crowned with success. Shortly after
144 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
they had entered upon their labors, awakenings under the
ministrations of Glendinning occurred at "Oldstone," in
the district of" Six Mile Water," where a Scottish Calvinist, of prayer-meeting affinities, opened his house for that
purpose. Many resorted to the prayer-meetings. Many
others were organized over the Province, where the other
Scottish ministers labored. So one of the most remarkable
revivals occurred, whose fame spread to distant countries,
and whose effects are yet manifest in the striking contrast
between the moral, spiritual, and physical condition of
Ulster and other parts of Ireland.
These prayer-meetings among the people were encouraged
by the ministers, and were found to be the strength of their
right arm in the glorious revival work then in progress
under their ministrations. Out of these private fellowship
meetings, held in private houses all over the North of
Ireland, grew those "monthly meetings," of such fragrant
and extensive fame, first organized and held at Antrim,
and known in history by the designation, "Antrim Monthly
Meetings," held on the Saturdays or some other day before
communions, when ministers and many others from distant
parts of the country assembled together for prayer and
Christian conference. These aided in making their communions seasons of revival, and dew-like refreshings from
on high.
A very judicious and accurate historian, Dr. Houston, of
Ireland, drawing from Fleming on the fulfilment of Scripture, and Reid's History of the Presbyterian Church of
Ireland, says:
"The remembrance of these hallowed meetings was cherished long afterwards, and when prelatic oppression and
the.Popish massacre of 1641 served to expel faithful ministers from the North of Ireland, and their attached flocks
were deprived of the pure administration of public ordi      13
14r) 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
nances and scattered, the prayer-meetings were resorted to
as the grand means of supplying their spiritual destitution, and of light and refreshment in the cloudy and dark
day.
"In subsequent times, too, the written or traditionary
record of the blessed effects of these solemn assemblies has
been of eminent advantage to the cause of true and undefiled religion; so that in times of trial, and wherever evangelical religion has been preserved in its purity, and the
power of practical godliness has been displayed, these
blessings have been sought and obtained by means of
associations for united prayer and Christian fellowship."
The persecution in Ireland, in 1641, referred to,
drove very many back to Scotland, at a time when
earnest religion was being put to the test-a time when
many ministers of the Church of Scotland were falteringas Henry Guthrie, who afterward accepted a bishopric, and
who pushed in the Assembly the action in relation to
prayer-meetings. At this time the warm-hearted Ulster
emigrants threw their influence and the fire of their revived
piety into the cause of the meetings in question, and gave
new life to the prayer-meetings in Scotland when these
ministers, declining towards the prelatic party, aimed their
blow at them, and through them at earnest practical godliness. It is in the light of these historic incidents that
the action of the Scottish Assembly of 1641 obtains so
much prominence in the history of the prayer-meeting.
It demonstrates the importance of this ordinance to the
life of experimental and practical religion, and to the cause
of its revival. Eminently godly ministers, with many of
the intelligent and pious laity, retired from persecution in
Scotland, carried over to Ireland their zeal in the cause of
revival, and for this precious instrumentality, so dear to
146 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
them in their native land, and by persevering labors and
prayers turned almost all the North of Ireland into a
spiritual garden, dotted all over with its organized, lifeinspiring prayer-meetings.
In the ever-changing tide of affairs, active piety was
thrown back into Scotland, making its currents felt among
the people. This excited the cold formalists of prelatic proclivity to the insidious attack upon the prayer-meeting in the
Assembly of 1641. The importance of this historic incident,
in this connection, is our apology for extended notice. Its importance will be enhanced by its connection, in the current
of historic events, with the sore trials to which the prayermeeting and its friends were so soon subjected. Elements
were then in commotion which ultimated in that terrible
storm of persecution which drove praying people to the
fields, to the glens, to the mountains, to the caves of Scotland, there to enjoy the sweet privileges of their fellowship
meetings, while their pastors breasted its fury in dungeons,
in the fields, or on the scaffold. The dark cioud, bearing
in its deathly folds Scotland's "killing time," had now
begun to lower. The significance of the stroke of 1641 in
the Assembly was but as the distant, low mutterings of
fury, pent up and still lying beyond the horizon, soon to
develop its power, and direct its arm against a people
trained to prayer.
"THE SOCIETY PEOPLE."
In 1660 Charles II. ascended the throne, placed himself
at the head of the prelatic party, and soon'inaugurated, by
system, one of the most dastardly persecutions, blackened
with perjury, ever staining the history of modern times.
The sequel of this bloody history, closing with the reign of
the second James, identifies with and brings to view the
particular history of the "Society People," justly entitled
147 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
to a page in our hurried historic sketch of the prayermeeting.
In regard to this people, we, with pleasure, insert a page
of history borrowed from a living historian of the Reformed
Presbyterian Church of Ireland, Rev. Thomas Houston,
D. D. We quote from " THE FELLOWSHIP PRAYERMEETING," pp. 80-84:
"When the prelatic persecution, under Charles II., drove
three hundred faithful Presbyterian ministers from their
pulpits, and hireling curates were intruded upon their
reluctant flocks, the value of private social prayer-meetings was again experienced in upholding and comforting
the servants of God in evil times. Thus were they fitted
for patient endurance of privations and sufferings, and
thus they were nerved for the noble conflict in which they
engaged against Erastian power. In the latter part of the
twenty-eight years' persecution, when under the cruel and
arbitrary measures of the Popish and bigoted James, the
number of faithful witnesses was greatly reduced; and by
indulgences, and every other means that anti-Christian
policy could invent, apostasy and defection were encouraged, the few resolute Covenanters who remained had recourse to united prayer, and cultivated fraternal fellowship, as a precious means of preservation and safety amidst
manifold danger and suffering. Hence, they were called
' THE SOCIETY PEOPLE;' and the history of this disastrous
period, whether as written by persons friendly or unfriendly
to their cause, bears unequivocal testimony that it was, in
a great measure, owing to their cordial, intimate union, and
to their faithful exertions, that the precious truths (;f the
gospel were preserved, and that the civil and religious
liberties of Britain were rescued from the grasp of despotic
rulers."
Even the prejudiced Wodrow is forced to confess that
148 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
"The Society People," and not the "Indulged," preserved,
in perilous times, true Presbyterian principles; and though
he blames them for maintaining extreme sentiments, and
for extravagant practices, he admits that among them
were the honest and faithful martyrs at the period which
was significantly designated "The killing time."  Hetherington, a much more candid and impartial historian, freely
acknowledges the eminent advantages reaped by Scotland's
suffering Church from association in prayer-meetings, and
the obligations under which the nation lies to the example
of faithfulness and heroic self-devotion exhibited by "The
Society People." The following testimony is alike honorable to the head and heart of the writer:
"While Cargill perished on the scaffold, that determined
band of Covenanters who had adhered to him were left
without a minister-no man for a time daring to take up
a position so imminently perilous. In this emergency,
those fearless and high-principled men resolved to form
themselves into a united body, consisting of'Societies' for
worship and religious intercourse in those districts where
they most abounded; and for the more effectual preservation of their opinions, and security against errors, in the
absence of a stated ministry, these smaller societies appointed deputies to attend a General Meeting, which was
empowered to deliberate upon all suggestions, and adopt
such measures as the exigencies of the times required.
"From the fact that these people, in the absence of a
stated ministry, formed themselves into societies for mutual
religious intercourse and edification, they came to be designated the'Society People'-a term frequently applied
to them by Wodrow, as that of'Cameronians' has been
generally given to them by other historians. Superficial
readers are liable to be misled by names, of the origin and
application of which they have no accurate conception.
13*
149 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
But the affixing of a new name to a party is no sure proof
that it has taken new grounds. That'persecuted Remnant,' as they called themselves, had, indeed, taken up no
new principles. The utmost that they can be justly
charged with is, merely that they had followed up the
leading principles of the Presbyterian and Covenanted
Church of Scotland to an extreme point, from which the
greater part of Presbyterians recoiled; and that, in doing
so, they had used language capable of being interpreted to
mean more than they themselves intended. Their honesty
of heart, integrity of purpose, and firmness of principle,
cannot be denied, and these are noble qualities; and if
they did express their sentiments in strong and unguarded
language, it ought to be remembered that they did so in
the midst of firm and remorseless persecution, ill adapted
to make men really cautious in the selection of balanced
terms, wherein to express their indignant detestation of
that unchristian tyranny which was so fiercely striving to
destroy every vestige of both civil and religious liberty.
(See'Hetherington's Hist. Church of Scotland, Vol. II.,
pp. 122-124.')
"The Reformed Presbyterian Church in those countries,
which claims to inherit the principles, as it occupies the
position, in relation to the civil and ecclesiastical establishments of the land, of the Society People, has carefully
maintained, to the present day, the institution of Fellowship Prayer-meetings. Under the Divine favor, this has
been to this section of the church a means of safety and
extensive blessing. During the eighteenth century, when
in these countries, and throughout Continental Europe,
evangelical religion everywhere declined, and purity of religious ordinances was generally undervalued, the Covenanting Body held aloft a standard for the truths of the
gospel-maintained a faithful discipline-and the lives
150 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
and conduct of its members were exemplary. These attainments were reached, not only in a state of complete
separation from corrupt civil and ecclesiastical systems,
but often amidst the positive hostility of persons in authority, and the apathy and opposition of the community,
bent on backsliding and defection.  The'Societies' in the
Reformed Presbyterian Church have all along seemed to
fan the flame of genuine piety among her members, as they
have united them in fraternal bonds-been the birth-place
of souls, and seminaries for the godly training of the
young-and as the'beds of spices' where the Beloved
feeds, and holds delightful communion with his people."
From an intimate acquaintance with this people, whose
Fathers were called "The Society People"-a people in
compact organization now found in England, Scotland,
Ireland, the United States, Nova Scotia, Canada and Syria,
of whom we are well satisfied, their very existence, their
distinctive principles, the compactness of their organization, and their influence among the evangelical churches,
are indebted to their systematic and persevering adherence
to the letter and spirit of the prayer-meeting more than to
all other instrumentalities beside. This is not saying too
much. For, like the Waldenses, who, when their beloved
and devoted "Barbes" were cut off, or exiled, had recourse
to their prayer-meetings, these "Society People" in Scotland,
for eighteen years, firmly bound together organically, multiplied and grew without a single pastor to break to them
the bread of life. So, in Ireland, often, for long periods,
destitute of public ordinances, they were held together by
their well organized social meetings-their youth well
trained and preserved in the church, taking the place of
their fathers; and of their entire membership scarcely ever
one abandoning his profession. With- a tenacity and perseverance unparalleled in the history of churches of modern
151 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
times, they have, for two hundred years, retained their organization, their distinctive principles, their established
usages, and their exemplary lives as professed Christiansand, perhaps, above all, the religious intelligence and
evangelical training of their youth and the masses of their
people.
For six generations, this people have preserved their organization, with its time-honored distinctive features, amid
revolutions and trials that would have disintegrated almost
any other people in less than one generation without this
ever-present principle and bond of organic unity-their
prayer-meeting. It is this that, in the tides of emigration,
so deeply draining the energies and members of other denominations, preserves their strength intact.  Families
migrating and settling in the far West are seldom lost to
their communion.  They carry with them the principles
and practices, ingrained in their religious natures by the
prayer-meeting; and wherever even two families can be
found together, they organize the prayer-meeting, and rally
around it with their children-form at once a nucleus for
a congregation-gather in from the society around them
and from immigration, and in a reasonable time either secure stated supplies of public ordinances, or migrate elsewhere with hope of better success. To such a people
emigration is not to scatter numbers and diminish strength.
It is to lengthen their cords and strengthen their stakesto scatter seed with broader cast in hope of more abundant
harvest gathering. Expansion is their very life.
How many thousands of members, and hundreds of
thousands of dollars, might larger churches save to their
organic strength, if they firmly believed their profession,
and loved and exemplified its practice-and especially
here, if they carried with them the love and practice of the
prayer-meeting!
152 
CHAPTER V.
FROM THE CLOSE OF THE 17TH CENTURY TILL THE GEN  ERAL DECLINE OF RELIGION TOWARD THE CLOSE OF
THE 18TH.
Wesley and his followers-Whitefield-Revival in Wales-Reynolds, Har ris, Rowlands, etc.-Prayer-Meetings and Revival Identified-Revival
and Prayer-Meetings in the Englieh Army-Soldier's Letter from the
Army-Cambuslang Revival-Its History Closely Identified with the
Prayer-Meeting-History of the Second  Cambuslang Communion  Lessons of this Revival-Extends to other Parishes —Reports of Presby  teries on Revivals and Prayer-Meetings-Prayer-Meetings Among Chil  dren-Lessons of this History-Baxter's Times, etc-Lessons-Fletcher,
Romaine, Berridge, etc.-American Colonies-Edwards' History of Re  vivals-Reflections.
AT the close of the seventeenth century, and the begin  ning of the eighteenth, as acknowledged by all historians, the whole kingdom of England was tending rapidly
to Infidelity and  licentiousness.   In  the  Established
Church, and to some extent even among the Dissenters, religion was at a very low ebb. Of the state of things then
existing, Bishop Butler says:
"It is come, I know not how, to be taken for granted by
many persons that Christianity is not so much as a subject
of inquiry; but that it is now at length discovered to be
fictitious; and, accordingly, they treat ils if, in the present
age, this were an argument among all people of discernment, and nothing remained but to set it up as a principal
subject of mirth and ridicule, as it were, bv way of reprisals
153 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
for its having so long interrupted the pleasures of the
world."
Dr. McFarland, in his History of Revivals of the
Eighteenth Century, says:
"About the end of the seventeenth, and beginning of the
eighteenth century, most of the churches, whether in the
United Kingdom or the American Colonies, were in a comparatively low state. Arianism and Deism prevailed in
England. In Scotland the old style of preaching was
being fast laid aside, and cold, formal addresses, verging
toward semi-Arianism, were becoming fashionable."
Stevens, in his History of Methodism, speaking of the
same period, says:
"From the Restoration, down to the early part of the
eighteenth century, both Churchmen and Non-conformists
unite in deploring the decayed condition of religion and
morals."
Taylor, in his History of Methodism, says:
"When Wesley appeared, the Anglican Church was an
Ecclesiastical system, under which the people of England
had lapsed into heathenism; or a state hardly to be distinguished from it."
Dr. Houston, in his History of the Prayer-Meeting,
says:
"The awakenings which took place in various parts of
England, under the ministry of Wesley and Whitefield,
led to the establishment of social prayer-meetings; and, at
this period, when within the pale of the National Establishment, and without it, all was under the torpor of spiritual death, this organization was a powerful means of exciting earnest muds to pursue after eternal concerns,
and to impress them upon the serious attention of
others."
While spiritual death thus reigned, a fewv students at
154 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Oxford formed a prayer-meeting, which, by the blessing of
God, spread its hallowed influences over that kingdom for a
period of one hundred and forty years, down to our own time.
Whitefield and Wesley were there. Revived in their humble
little prayer-meetilg they gathered others around them who
were warmed by the fire of their burning zeal And in the
course of ten years from the organization of that praying
circle-a despised little band of students though they
were-there went forth earnest men, like apostles, over
England, and Wales, and the American Colonies, reviving
not only religion in the dead churches, but reviving the
prayer-meeting wherever their influence extended; so that
from that time forth, the history of revivals and of
prayer-meetings became identified and inseparable, as in
the preceding times, Reformation and the prayer-meetings
had been.
Wesley, whenever he began to organize churches, organized the prayer-meeting, where from ten to twenty members could be grouped together. These "class meetings,"
subordinated to the most rigid and methodic rules, have
been the instrumentality, perhaps, more than any other, in
giving to that church compactness, union and increase.
Among groups of emigrants cast together in any locality,
in any newly-settled country, soon formed into a classmeeting, assembled together weekly, held together by this
bond, seldom ever were they turned aside from the church
and lost to her communion. With a steadfastness scarcely
exceeded by the Scottish Cameronians have they adhered
to their profession and to their church. Just here, per haps, lies the secret of the unparalleled success of the
Methodist Church, in its first organization, in all the early
settlements of the colonies, and in the new Territories of the
West. They were always organized into prayer-meetings,
or class-meetings, which held them together while other
155 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
churches, without prayer-meetings to rally and train their
scattered members, soon lost their sheep wandering without
fold or shepherd. So, history confirms the importance of
SOME fold, however humble, for the preservation of every
flock, however small.
Whitefield, though not so methodic as Wesley, and not
so successful in organizing as evangelizing, left behind,
wherever he labored, the spirit of the prayer-meeting.
Whitefield's revivals, like all true revivals of religion,
were characterized by their prayer and by their prayermeeting.
With pleasure, here, we quote a page from Dr. Humphrey's Revival Sketches. He says:
"One of the most important revivals of religion, when
the effects are considered, is that which occurred in the
'Principality of Wales,' during the second quarter of the
eighteenth century, under Howell Harris and the Rev.
Daniel Reynolds; and this was carried forward and fostered by means of private societies for prayer and religious
conference. The Welsh, who had been previously left
almost wholly neglected and in ignorance by the ministers
of the Established Church, when they were awakened embraced the truth in its simplicity, attended upon ordinances
administered with a large measure of Scriptural purity,
and exhibited a practice becoming  the gospel.   The
Welsh Calvinistie Methodsts, as they are designated, have
continued to be distinguished for a strict adherence to
evangelical doctrine, and for godly practice, above any
other class of Dissenters in England, and it is an honorable
testimony borne to the inhabitants of the Principality, that
the time when the last'census of religious worship' was
taken a much larger proportion of them was found attending upon public ordinances than of the inhabitants of any
other part of England. It is.related of Harris, who may
be considered'the father' of the body, that'He fre
156 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
quently attended the meetings which the people held for
the purpose of teaching to sing the praises of God, that he
might thus have an opportunity of impressing them with
a sense of their eternal state. On these occasions many
were convinced of their sinfulness. This encouraged Mr.
Harris to establish regular meetings of serious persons for
religious conversation in several other places; and this was
the commencement of the Private Societies, which have
ever since-taking into consideration the great importance
in strictness attached to their observance-formed a principal feature by which the Welsh Calvinistic Methodists
may be distinguished from every other denomination of
professed Christians.'
"Rowlands availed himself of the same ordinance to extend and perpetuate the revival; and when the Welsh
Calvinistic body became organized as a distinct section of
the church of Christ, they embodied in their Constitution
and Fundamental Regulation the ordinance of FellowshipMeetings, and required the members to attend upon them
with all diligence. It is, doubtless, owing to the punctuality
with which this regulation is observed by the Welsh Calvinists, in the various places where they are scattered, that
they are enabled to preserve among them the doctrines of
the gospel uncorrupted, and to maintain, above any other
religious body in England, a strict Scriptural discipline."
It is worthy of notice here that Dr. Scott, the venerable
Commentator, in his impartial vindication of the Synod of
Dort, and Harmony of the Confessions of Faith of the
Reformed Churches, gives the Confession of the Welsh
Calvinistic Church an honorable place.
THE PRAYER-MEETING AND REVIVALS.
Reformation was the cognomen formerly used to designate
improvement in religion, whether in regard to faith, prac      14
157 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
tice, or vital godliness. The history of reformation and
the prayer-meeting have always had a remarkable affinity
-they have always been found linked together in their
operations like the twin graces-faith and lovethe one
"working by the other."  We now use the term Revival,
as nearly a synonym of Reformation. Revival is the
Scripture term, and beautifully significant. True revival
lives in prayer. Prayer draws power from revival. We
need only to follow the way-marks of their remarkable
history to be satisfied of their inseparable unity.
Our limits forbid us to attempt, in noticing the progress
of revival during a period of over a century and a quarter,
more than to bring to view some prominent points in the
narrative. We have already noticed the prayer-meeting
in the armies of the Protestant Reformers, when in the field
battling for civil and religious liberty, and for national
and individual life. Let us turn from the peaceful walks
of Christian life at home and in the churches, and again
look over the tented field for revival and the prayermeeting.
Shortly after the wonderful revivals in England, Scotland, and Wales, under the labors of Whitefield, Wesley,
and their cotemporaries and followers, remarkable revivals
were enjoyed in the English armies, both at home and
abroad. The remarkable coincidents here, of the resort
to the prayer-meeting, under the most unfavorable circum stances, in the army, among the soldiers, in every instance
where revival has been enjoyed, are worthy of notice. In
the English army in Flanders, about the year 1745,
very interesting revivals arrested the attention of the
public journals of that period. From these, many im portant historic gleanings have been gathered and pre served, taken mostly from letters of officers and soldiers
of the army.
158 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
From these letters, McFarland, in his Revival of the
Eighteenth Century, quotes the following:
"Indeed there is a great awakening in our army. There
is one John Hairns, a dragoon in Major-General Cope's
Regiment; likewise one Clemens, in the First Regiment of
Guards; and one Evans, in the Train Artillery, who meet
together for searching the Scriptures, for prayer and other
duties, as also for rebuking others in following sinful
ways, and for setting before them their dreadful state
from Scripture and reason. In our last campaign there
was open field preaching, and there is now, in most of all
our Regiments, a remarkable awakening. In this company
there are three, who were notoriously wicked, and now
desire only to know Christ, and him crucified. There is
also a Society of praying people in this and several other
Regiments. This Society was erected before the awakening. In Ghent there is another assembly of the awakened
soldiers."
The following extract is from a soldier's letter:
"REV. SIR:-I received the book which ye sent me.
I hope it will be useful to me, and also to some others of
this army, who are ten thousand times more deserving,
and who on all occasions seek to do me good. There are
a few in this wilderness, where we are deprived of those
refreshing ordinances which you have among you, that assemble together; which we believe it to be our duty. There
are nearly forty of us, who meet as often as we can. But
we have not the same opportunities in this campaign we
had in the last; and in winter quarters we commonly meet
on Sabbath and Wednesday, and oftener when we can.
We begin with prayer; we then sing, then read a chapter,
we have then prayer again, and questions on practical
heads of divinity, such as are in the writings of Mr.
Isaac Ambrose.   After  the question  has gone round,
159 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
duty is gone about, and we conclude with praise. There
is a great work of conviction among the men, and I
hope that there are also some conversions. If it were not
too much trouble, I would be very glad to have your
advice concerning our Soiety, and the means whereby we
may obtain and preserve the presence of God among us;
and concerning myself."
These are very brief specimens of many letters from the
armies of those times, furnishing very suggestive illustrations of revival, and the accompanying and ever-present
prayer-meeting, wherever and whenever religion makes its
power felt. So, in other countries, in other armies of other
times, wherever revival has ever made its appearance in
the camp, there, invariably, we find, connected with its
history, the prayer-meeting.
PROMINENT REVIVALS OF RELIGION AND THE PRAYER     MEETING OF THE LAST AND THIS CENTURY.
In our hurried historic sketch, we can stop but to notice
a few only of the many revivals, and their associated
prayer-meetings, that have attracted the attention of all
the evangelical churches of this country, the churches
of the British Isles, and the churches of Protestant
Europe.
Soon after Whitefield made his first tour through Scotland, that country was visited with awakening, and a corresponding revived interest in social prayer. This Revival
made its first appearance in the church at Cambuslang,
from which place it has received the designation by which
it has ever since been known and distinguished-" The
Cambuslang Revival." It spread over nearly all Scotland,
and over much of England and Wales.
We here call attention to a remarkable historic fact,
which every reader should bear in mind while making the
history of the prayer-meeting a matter of study:-While
160 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
many and voluminous histories of revivals have been written, published, circulated, read, and studied with intense
interest, scarcely the skeleton of a single history, or even a
passing formal and designed notice, has ever been given
of the prayer-meeting. This belongs to the mere incidents
of revival history. It is the necessary and impelled prominence of these incidents, so essentially connected with the
principal line and design of the narratives from which we
glean, that gives our sketch its historic importance.
Dr. McFarland, in his History of the Revivals of the
Eighteenth Century, gives a graphic sketch of the Cambuslang Revival. He inserts an interesting letter from the pastor of the congregation, giving a detailed account of the
commencement of the work, bearing date May 8, 1742, in
which he says:
"On Monday, the fifteenth of February, there was a
general meeting, at the minister's house, of particular Societies for prayer, which had subsisted in the parish for several
years before. On Tuesday there was another meeting for
prayer in the same place; the occasion of which was a
concert with several serious Christians elsewhere about
solemn prayer relating to the public interests of the gospel. The people who met for prayer these two days,
apprehended that they had been so well employed, and
found so much leisure for it, that they appointed a third
meeting on Wednesday.
"Among the good fruits already appearing, both in
Cambuslang and elsewhere, the following instances seem
very encouraging: Desirable evidence of fervent love to
one another; the keeping up of divine worship in families;
the setting up of new meetings for prayer, both of old and
young, partly within the parish, where twelve such So cieties are now begun, and partly elsewhere, among the
awakened.
14*
161 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
"The sum of all these facts is, that this work-came
after such preparations as an extensive concern about religion, gradually increasing, together with extraordinary
and fervent prayers in large meetings, and particularly in
relation to the success of the gospel."
In the close of the letter, the writer says:
"I leave it with you to judge how far such facts make it
evident that the work is from God; that vain persons, who
minded no religion, but frequented taverns and frolics, passing, their time in filthiness, foolish talking and jesting, or
singing paltry songs, do now frequent Christian societies
for prayer, seek Christian conversation, talk of what concerns the soul, and express their mirth in Psalms, and
hymns, and spiritual songs."
In speaking of the wonderful outpouring of the Holy
Spirit at the first communiion after the commencement of
the Revival, the writer says:
"You might have seen thousands bathed in tears.  In
the afternoon the concern was also very great. Much
prayer had been previously offered up, and during the
whole night you might have heard the different companies
praying and giving thanks to God."
In giving the history of the second communion, held a
few months after, referring to what preceded, he says:
"And there was first one day, and then another, at some
distance of time from that, appointed for a general meeting
of several societies for prayer in the parish, at the manse.
The design of these meetings, and the business which they
were accordingly employed in-besides singing Psalms and
blessing the name of God together-was to ask mercy of
the God of heaven to ourselves; to pray for such as, unhappily, opposed this work of God here and in other
parts."
From these selections we see how the prayer-meeting was
162 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
interwoven with every step in the progress of this Revival.
The little groups of private societies throughout the parish
-their special and general gatherings, as the occasion
suggested-their special conferences and consultations,
and agreements for concerted prayers, directed to special
objects.   And  then, the fruits following.   The writer,
speaking of the after-lives of some of the converts,
says:
"They have ever since attended fellowship-meetings
weekly; and I have been sometimes with them, and have
heard them both pray and converse on matters of Christian
experience to my great satisfaction."
Again, in another connection, he says:
"They carefully observe seasons fixed for the concert of
prayer, and join in earnest supplication for the farther
spread of the gospel, and the outpouring of the Spirit on
the churches.
"To conclude, they abound much in prayer, both secret
and domestic; and also in the observance of thefellowshipmeetings. These are usually held weekly, and the exercises
are prayers, praises and Christian conference. In 1731,
when I came to this parish, there were only three of these;
in 1742 they increased to a dozen or more. In every town
or village almost in this country side, where there is any
competent number of serious and lively Christians, and
where religion is in a thriving state, meetings of this
kind exist; and the persevering subjects of the work in
1742 are, if at all near, sure to form a part of them."
Thus far the history of the Cambuslang Revival, and its
immediate and local fruits. And what a lesson! More
than twelve prayer-meetings in one congregation! But
there were serious and lively Christians there! Can there
be many serious and lively Christians in our large congregations-of five hundred and more communicants-and
163 
HISTORY OF ]HE PRAYER-MEETING.
yet have but one prayer-meeting!-that in the church,
conducted, too, by the pastor, else it would die!-and then
seldom more in number than from thirty to fifty, and, perhaps, four-fifths of these women!
In Cambuslang they had not only more than their
dozen vigorous and life-inspiring prayer-meetings, which
convened weekly, but they had their general meetings in
the church besides. And still more, we are told, they had
occasionally "meetings for fasting and prayer." They believed and felt that they were sinners, and acted accordingly.
Our system, as by us practised, will never secure to the
church  "serious and lively Christians,"  nor will ever
"serious and lively Christians" be satisfied with such system for the name of prayer-meetings. More, here: Such
will never bring revivals; nor will revivals, when they
come, ever be satisfied with such prayer-meetinigs.
We may learn something more here in regard to the
lessons of history on the importance of the Scriptural
prayer-meeting. The fruits of revival may soon be lost if
not carefully gathered into the prayer-meeting, and there
cared -for.
Of this lesson we shall have more elucidation in the reports from other parts of Scotland where the revival
spread.   Many  presbyteries, cities, towns, parishes, and
congregations made full and interesting reports of the
work from its beginning to its close, and of the results of
many years following.
The report from the City of Glasgow has the following:
"In October, 1744, a general concert for weekly and
quarterly prayer-meetings began to be observed, and in
the year following to become genera] among the more pious
on both sides of the Atlantic.   Manty prayer-meetings
164 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
and other special means of instruction came thus into operation, and were continued long after, preserving, in the
midst of a rapidly growing population, a large measure of
practical godliness among professors.
Of the Parih of Baldernock, we find the following narrative:
"A school teacher, who had been in the habit of giving
religious instructions to his pupils about the time of the
Cambuslang revival, soon realized the fruits of his labors.
One of his pupils who had been at Cambuslang returned
awakened, and asked his teacher whether he would allow
two or three of the scholars to meet for prayer and the
singing of Psalms. This was readily allowed, and in
the course of two weeks, ten or twelve more were
awakened and under deep convictions. Some of these were
not more than eight or nine years of age, and others twelve
or thirteen. And so much were they engrossed with the
one thing needful as to meet thrice a day-in the morning,
at mid-day, and at night. Several of the grown people
were first awakened at Cambuslang, Calden, and Kirkintillock, but the greater part were brought into a state of
concern while attending the prayer-meetings, which were
set up in the  parish.   These were  held among  the
awakened, twice a week; and almost daily meetings of this
kind were held in some place or other. At the second of
the general meetings there were nine awakened, at the
third four, and at another five or six."
From this example why not encourage children's
prayer-meetings? Why may not God still perfect praise
to the glory of his grace, out of the mouth of babes?
The Parish of Kirkintillock reports the following very interesting narrative in relation to children's prayer-meetings:
"In the month of April, 1742, about sixteen children in
165 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the town, were observed to meet together in a barn for
prayer. Mr. Burnside heard of it, had frequent meetings
with them, and they continued to improve. And this
being reported, many more were impressed. Soon after,
about a hundred and twenty were under a more than ordinary concern, and praying societies, as usual, were
formed."
Another instance of children's prayer-meetings in connection with the commencement of revival:
"In the Parish of Kilsith it was thought to be as the dry
place, while all around seemed to be bedewed, when several prayer-meetings had begun to be formed, and several
girls, between ten and fourteen years of age had been observed to meet in an out-house for prayer.   Soon the
general awakening commenced, which was followed by several hundred hopeful converts added to the church
there."
The Parish of Muthill, as reported by its pastor, who,
speaking of the children's prayer-meeting, says:
"There is also a meeting of themselves in the schoolhouse after the evening exercises, where some hours are
spent in prayer to their own edification, and, in some
cases, to the conviction of persons standing and listening
at the doors and windows. Our praying societies prosper;
they are still growing in numbers. The meetings formed of
boys and girls give me great satisfaction. They are frequent
in their meetings, and the Lord is obviously present with
them. One of them, which began after the late communion, has now increased to about twenty members. 0, how
pleasant it is to have the poor young lambs addressing
themselves to God in prayer! Sometimes standing outside the room, listening, I am myself often melted into
tears.
"There is another meeting of young ones in a different
166 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
corner of the parish. About twenty of them meet twice a
week, some of them having a considerable way to travel
homeward in the dark."
Noticing the progress of the work still going on among
the young, he says farther:
"We have three praying societies, at some distance.
One of them, at a place about two miles distant, made me
a very agreeable visit on the first Monday of the year-a
day that young people especially used to be otherwise employed. We had, I think, upwards of forty of them, and
they continued in prayer and other exercises till about ten
o'clock at night."
Passing many interesting-indeed thrilling-accounts
of prayer-meetings for the young and the old, noticed in
the reports of parishes, we stay to notice only one or two
more:
"In the Parish of Crief not fewer than eight prayer
meetings were also set up. Boys were found in the fields
engaged in prayer."
"In Atuchterarder, an adjoining parish, six prayer-meetings
were formed."
Willison, of Dundee, speaking of that place, says: 
"Still their numbers are increasing, and prayer-meeting8
setting up so fast in all places of the town, that our diffi culty is to get houses to accommodate them. Blessed be
God, we have also a great increase of praying societies in
this place. I think there will be above twenty of such so cieties here, and in several of them between twenty and
thirty persons, and much time is spent in them."
Of the Parish of Nigg, the following is reported:
"A great increase in meetings for prayer and religious
conference. Of this kind were two General Meetings, in
which the minister presided, and ten special meetings, in
different parts of the parish, and to which numbers were
167 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
admitted only on their giving satisfactory evidence of their
seriousness."
The records of history will be barren of improvement to
the student unless their lessons be carefully studied.
Unless we look behind the simple facts, and into their hid den philosophy; unless we comprehend the principle
underlying the facts on the surface-the mere creatures of
productive powers, operating according to the laws of
cause and effect-we shall have acquired little more than a
handful of pebbles, collected from the shore, without even
a hieroglyphic inscription on one of them, suggestive of an
idea. Still more: Unless we trace, in the history of revivals and the prayer-meeting, the hand of the Spirit of
God, and the controlling power of his grace, bringing up
from the barren soil of the human heart the spirit of
prayer, and from the dead fields of social organisms the
gatherings of renovated members, like bone coming to his
bone, until all stand together with one heart and one mind,
as a great spiritual army in the gathering, in companies for
prayer, we shall fail to be instructed. Unless we find illustrations of the teachings of God's word, and the counterpart of its historic lessons in the narrative of these
revivals and prayer-meetings, we pursue the story in
vain.
Here, however, we are not disappointed. Here we see
in history repeated-in its scenes re-enacted-the pentecostal revival and prayer-meeting baptisms. And here, in
the similarity of character and fruits pervading the narrative-though centuries intervene-we think we feel the
power of the same hand directing both.
From the history of the revivals of religion in Scotland,
with their accompanying and revived prayer-meetings,
which commenced at Cambuslang, we may learn some very
important and seasonable lessons.
168 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
First. Revival will bring prayer-meetings into the congregation. Like apostolical gatherings for prayer, private
meetings, in little select circles, in upper rooms, with the
women, the doors being shut. So, also, and as well, general gatherings, in which the minister presides-but these
never demand enough-revival demands more. A revived
state of religion always demands more. It must have
"ten special meetings in different parts of the Parish."
And as in Dundee congregation, under the ministry of Willison, "A great inerease of prayer-meetings in this place
about twenty of such Societies here-in several, twenty or
thirty persons each." Thus, revival brings small groups
of the people together in classes-boys, girls, women evenclosely and intimately, where they can speak one to another.
Secondly. In revival history we may profitably study
the Bible doctrine of the Prayer-meeting. In revival
prayer-meetings, exemplifying the Bible teaching especially, we may find aid in correcting the prevailing, and
sadly  inefficient, system  of prayer-meetings.   In  our
churches-in our  large congregations  particularly-the
rule is, perhaps, about this: one-tenth only of the members
receive the benefits of the prayer-meeting, because they
have nothing of the kind but the general congregational
meeting, conducted by the minister, which fails to meet
the demands of living piety. Then, for the want of the
"ten private meetings in different parts of the congregation," nine-tenths receive no benefit. We are now speaking
of the facts only of history. The principle underlying is
this: The congregational, ministerial, prayer-meeting, be.
cause not God's way, wants the vital principle and power
of attraction to draw out and hold the masses of the people
to its observance.
Thirdly. This history very distinctly, and in no whisper,
tones, suggests the inquiry-Should not a religious system
15
169
I 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
be abandoned, which fails to secure?nine-tenths of the end
for which it was instituted?-abandoned, as a human device displacing a divine ordinance?-abandoned, as the
failure of a human experiment? And, then, should not
the Bible system be restored, since its claims, from its
revival fruits, have been so signally and repeatedly confirmed?
And here, before pursuing farther the line of history,
let us prepare our minds for the inquiry-Are these lessons, of the Cambuslang and cotemporary revivals, peculiar
and exclusive; or, are they the lessons of all true revivals?
For, if we fail to find the same testimony to the prayermeeting, and lessons in them all, the claims of truth, and
the demands of duty, dictate a suspension of our final decision. Our labor may all be in vain.
A very accurate and discriminating historian of the
present century, and of our own country, has well remarked, that "The history of true Revivals of religion is
a history of the true church." We may as well, and as
truly, add, The history of true revivals of religion is a
history of the Prayer-meeting.
In England, in Ireland, and in the American Colonies,
from the beginning of the 18th century, up to the time of
the Cambuslang revival in Scotland, in 1742, we could
find in the history of revivals, as also under the ministry
of eminent men of those times, much valuable material for
our hasty historical sketch. The times and country of
Bunyan, Baxter, Flavel, Alliene, Howe, and many others,
furnish fruitful reminiscences of the prayer-meeting.
Baxter, writing an account of his charge and of his labors, says: "Every Thursday evening, my neighbors that
were most desirous, and had opporunity, met at my house,
and there one of them repeated the sermon; and afterwards
they proposed what doubts any of them had about the
170 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
sermon, or any other case of conscience, and I resolved
their doubts. And last of all, I caused sometimes one
and sometimes another of them to pray, sometimes praying
with them myself. Once a week, also, some of the young,
who were not prepared to pray in so great an assembly,
met among a few more privately, where they spent three
hours in prayer together. Every Saturday night they
met at some of their houses to repeat the sermon of the
last Lord's day, and to pray and prepare themselves for
the following day. Once in a few weeks we had a day of
humiliation, on one occasion or other.-Our private meetings always were fuill."  Speaking of the effects of this
course of religious training, he says: "Some of the poor
men competently understood the body of divinity, and
were able to judge in difficult controversies. Some of them
were so able in prayer that very few ministers equalled
them in order and fulness, apt expressions, holy oratory,
and fervency. A great number of them were able to
pray very appropriately with their families, or with
others."
We select this example-one of many of the same kind
that might be taken from the practice of many such faithful men as Baxter, and from men of like stamp of that
period, and whose congregations were subjected to similar
training in regard to social private meetings among the
people for prayer and religious conference —a selection
which holds up a contrast in principle, in practice, and in
fruits, with the order, practice, and fruits of the modern
congregational prayer-meetings, in our churches; a contrast from which it is high time we should begin to learn
and reform. Baxter had gathered together a few people
in his own house, and in other private houses, not in the
church only. And this seems to have been the common
and the principal form of conducting these social exer
171 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
cises. In these private gatherings the people conducted
the exercises, not the pastor exclusively. They talked
over and together the sermon of the past Sabbath, like the
noble Bereans in their private gatherings. The people
generally led in the prayer, Baxter, the pastor, only occasionally.  For their better training, they were grouped
together in classes, according to their grades of age and
attainments. The young, who were not prepared to pray
in larger promiscuous meetings, were classed together in
juvenile prayer-meetings; there the youth could pray together for "three hours." The private meetings were
"always full."  In our prayer-meetings, our churches are
always lamentably empty, unless under some spasmodic
excitement, which passes off like the morning dew. Baxter's people were intelligent, were thoroughly indoctrinated,
were mighty in the Scriptures-" some of the poor men
competently understood the body of divinity." Our people,
alas! too many of them, don't know what they professor the principles of the churches of which they are members; and consequently, so unlike Baxter's Christians,
they are not so "able in prayer that very few ministers
equal them in order and fulness, apt expressions, holy
oratory, and fervency." In our churches a few only can
be relied on to lead in prayer at all; and perhaps fewer
still can make intelligent, fervent, and edifying prayers.
Under the ministrations of such men as Fletcher, Romaine, Berridge, Howel Harris, Wesley, and Whitefield,
the masses were trained to social prayer. Groups of the
people were attracted together by the power of the social
religion of the times. Prayer-meetings were common
among the youth; and little children sometimes were
drawn together for prayer and conference. Ladies, too,
of the aristocracy, were not ashamed to group together in
the social circle for prayer. Lady Huntingdon, Hamil
172 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
ton, Chesterfield, Shirley, and others, were prominent in
forming female prayer-meetings.
In the American Colonies, about this same period, the
prayer-meeting was familiar to all classes of religious
people, of earnest and active habits. The Rev. Danforth,
of Taunton, Mass., wrote, in 1704-5, "We are much encouraged by a universal and amazing impression made by
the Spirit of God on all sorts among us, especially on the
young men and women. The young men, instead of their
merry meetings, are now forming themselves into regular
meetings for prayer, repetitions of sermons, and singing.
The profanest among us seem startled at the sudden
change upon the rising generation. We need much prayer
that these strivings of the Spirit may have a saving issue
and effect."
Edwards. in his History of Revivals, answering the objections made to the work in his times, writes: "Another
thing that many have disliked, is the religious meetings of
cildren, to read and pray together, and perform religious
exercises among themselves.-God, in this work, has shown
a remarkable regard to little children; never was there
such a glorious work amongst persons in their childhood,
as has been of late in New England: he has been pleased,
in a wonderful manner, to perfect praise out of the mouths
of babes and sucklings; and many of them have more of
that knowledge and wisdom that please him, and render
their religious worship acceptable, than many of the great
and learned men of the world.-I have seen many happy
effects of children's religious meetings; and God has
seemed often remarkably to own them in their meetings,
and really descended from heaven to be amongst them:
I have known several probable instances of children's
being converted at such meetings."
This quotation suggests some reflections: If our prayer      15*
173 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
meetings are to be congregational, held in the church,
conducted by the pastor, who is expected at every meeting
to address the people, as a part of his pastoral labors, by
either a studied lecture, or extempore remarks, how long
shall it be before we shall have prayer-meetings among
the youth, or among the women, or among the people at
all? We must first educate the people up to the principle
that the prayer-meeting is a divine ordinance-for them
appointed, by them to be controlled, and by them to be administered-an ordinance for the benefit of all the people,
to be enjoyed by them all and by their children. It is a
remarkable historic fact, that genuine revivals of religion
have always broken in upon these dead and formal, ministerial and official prayer-meetings, and have excited
among the people a demand for something more-a demand for the people's social private prayer-meeting-a
demand for the meeting in the upper, or the private room
-a demand for the meeting for the young men, and for
the women, too, where ministerial presence, or the presence
of superiors, cannot suppress the gushing spirit of prayer,
often like groanings that cannot be uttered.
Edwards, in the close of his work, gives us, in connection with interesting historical facts, some very instructive
reflections. He says:
"Before the first great outpouring of the Spirit of God
on the Christian church, which began at Jerusalem, the
church of God gave themselves to incessant prayer. The
inhabitants of our towns are now divided into particular
praying Societies; most of the people, young and old, have
voluntarily associated themselves in distinct companies for
mutual assistance in social worship in private houses;
what I intend, therefore, is, that days of prayer should be
spent partly in these distinct praying companies. Such a
method of keeping a fast as thi8 has several times been
174 
HISTORY OF tHE PRAYER-MEETING.
proved: in the forenoon, after the duties of the family and
closet, as early as might be, all the people of the congregation have gathered ii their particular religious Societies;
companies of men by themselves, and companies of women
by themselves; young men by themselves, and young women by themselves, and companies of children in all parts
of the town by themselves, as many as were capable of
social religious exercises; the boys by themselves, and the
girls by themselves; and about the middle of the day, at
an appointed hour, all have met together in the house of
God to offer up public prayers, and to hear a sermon
suited to the occasion; and they have retired from the
house of God again into their private Societies, and
spent the remaining part of the day in praying together
there."
Again, he says:
"There has been of late a great increase of preaching
the word, and a great increase of social prayer."
Thus far the unbroken current of historic evidence goes
to establish the doctrine we hasve previously presented on
this subject:
First, the divine appointment of the Prayer-meeting as
an ordinance of religious worship, indicated by the spirit
of true reformation and revival of religion, turning God's
people with renewed earnestness, faith, and delight, to
social prayer, in which the divine presence is pledged and
enjoyed.
Second, that general prayer-meetings, of entire congregations, or masses of the people, never satisfy a living
church, or a revived people; but more is demanded, and
more is always attained in revival-always the social private fellowship meeting of kindred spirits, where one can
speak to another-where any one can say, "Come, hear,
I'll tell what he did for my soul."
- 175 
CHAPTER VI.
FROM THE PERIOD OF GENERAL DECLINE, TOWARD THE
CLOSE OF THE LAST CENTURY, TILL NEAR THE MIDDLE
OF THE PRESENT.
Causes of Decline-Reign of Infidelity-Making common cause with
civil and religious liberty-Evangelical Christians alarmed and awa kened-Counter influences, though silent and hidden-Church Unions
and Divisions-Age of the Organization of Benevolent Associations Bible, Missionary, Tract Societies-Inscrutible providences-Bible and
Missionary effort a harbinger of Revival and Prayer-Revivals toward
the close of the last century and beginning of this-Dr. Sprague's Lec tures-Revival in the Eastern States-In the South and West-College
Prayer-Meetings-Hamden-Sidney  College Incidents-Prayer-Meeting
Lessons-Jefferson College Prayer-Meetings, in 1823-Their Lessons College at Princeton, New Jersey-Lessons and Reflections.
SOON after the Cambuslang Revival, and the extensive
revivals that quickly followed, spreading over many
parts of Europe-in England, Wales, Ireland, and in the
American Colonies, the churches, almost everywhere, suffered, for a period of half a century, a gradual and
mournful decline. With a few exceptions of local and
temporary awakenings, a whole generation passed away
without any remarkable revivals of religion, or any marked
interest in the prayer-meeting, or indeed in the cause of
vital religion.
This half century period embraced the reign of terror
which drenched France in blood, and shook, as with an
earthquake, every throne of Europe. This was the period
of the American and French Revolutions-the period of
political agitations and the surging of empires-the period
of skilfully directed attacks of open and covert infidelity,
176 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
threatening to crush out, over all Europe and in this
country, Christianity itself. It was during this period
that the file-leader of the legions of infidelity, mustering
the hosts for the conflict, adopted the characteristic Voltairean motto, and inscribed upon his banner, "Crush the
Wretch." It was during this period that the vulgar
Pamphleteer, Tom Paine, threw broadcast, over this land,
his vulgar issues against the Bible and Christianity.
During this reign of infidelity, and raid of the "Pale
horse -Death and Hell following" in train over Continental Europe, perhaps no combination of influences
pressed so hard, or could have pressed so hard, upon the
vital power of Bible Christianity as the strange and masterly alliance of Infidelity with the cause of human liberty,
civil and religious; and at a time, too, when slavery was
receiving its strongest defence from the popular churches
of both Continents. Could revival of religion and social
prayer prevail against such damaging currents without a
more than ordinary revealing of the Divine arm?
Still, during this long gloom, and especially toward the
close of the last century, the records show some bright spots
upon the dark page of those historic times. There were
occasional revivals of religion, and revivals of the prayer meeting. During that same long period of comparative
barrenness of revivals, those staid churches, not so subject
to changes in doctrine, worship, and forms of religion, and
not so subject to spasmodic excitements, still preserved
their forms and practice of social prayer. Among most
Presbyterians, Reformed Presbyterians especially, prayer meetings were still observed as denominational forms of
religious worship; and cherished, too, as precious divine
institutions by which the people of God were preserved in
their ecclesiastical organizations, edified and consecrated
as a seed to serve God, and to perpetuate his cause in the
177 
HISTORY OF TIlE PRAYER-MEETING.
world. The Reformed Presbyterian could no more dispense with his Social Fellowship Prayer-meeting than
with his Family worship, or his public gospel ordinances.
The honest Methodist in those days could scarcely easier
dispense with his Class-meeting than with his beloved circuit rider, or his endeared Camp-meeting, with its annual
heart-stirrings. These denominations, which have incorporated the prayer-meeting in their public creeds, and
made it a part of their authorized organic worship, have
always more steadily preserved its observance, and reaped
more largely of its rich fruits.
And here it may be remarked, that for a century the
Reformed Presbyterian and Episcopal Methodist churches,
in the midst of all the unions, and divisions, and changes,
and extinctions of sects, have maintained the principles
and practices, with most of the distinctive features of their
fathers, as few, if any, of the other churches have done,
whose observance of the prayer-meeting has depended so
much more upon the forces of ever-changing circumstances.
The prayer-meeting has never failed, when observed in
the true spirit of its institution, to operate as a bond, binding together in unity of faith and affection.
HOW INSCRUTABLE I1 DIVINE PROVIDENCE!
That God, who makes the very wrath of man to praise
him, and who causes all things to work together for good,
caused that dark storm-cloud of revolution that passed
over most of Christendom during the latter part of the
last century, and that deathful march of the pale horse,
infidelity, with death directing his course, and hell following in his pathway, to wake up the slumbering churches,
and to usher in a new Epoch, the most remarkable of all
that has been evolved in the historic Cycles of the Ages.
To roll back the floods threatening the very existence of,
178 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the church, and Christianity, their friends were roused to
the necessity of aggressive warfare. The rallying cry
rung throughout all evangelical Christendom, and the age
of associations, of combined effort in aggressive movements
upon the lines of Infidelity, Paganism, and Popery, was
ushered in. From the formation of the Missionary Society, in 1792, by Andrew Fuller and others, in England,
we may date the era of revivals. Then set in that tide of
influences, seen in the formation of Tract, Bible, and Missionary Societies, with other benevolent associations, which
now covers the whole face of the Protestant world, and
which is to-day sending abroad its healing waters over the
perishing nations of the whole earth. The Angel is now
seen flying through the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach unto them that dwell on the earth,
and to every nation, and kindred, and tongue, and people.
Now many run to and fro, and knowledge is increased.
That the missionary spirit of modern times, which has
revolutionized the church, and which is now turning the
world upside-down, caught its inspiration from the revival
of religion, no one conversant with the history of the times
will doubt. It is equally true that the revival of religion
and of missions both received their new impulses from the
life-invigorating spirit of prayer-social and concerted
prayer, eminently. Their historic connection and spiritual
affinity are clearly traceable, awarding to the prayermeeting that awakening power which has vigorously put
into operation those world-renowned agencies which are
now so gloriously, under the Captain of our salvation,
evangelizing the world.
Dr. Humphrey says, in his "Revival Sketches," p. 45,
that "The eminent Andrew Fuller was a leading spirit in
establishing the monthly concert of prayer for Foreign
Missions, and planting at Serampore the first of modern
missions in India."
179 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Again, in regard to missions, he says, p. 116: "This
revival, says the author of Mills' Life, was among the most
signal expressions of favor to the church.  He alludes to
the well known fact, that by means of this influence, Mills
prevailed to diffuse, through a circle of choice spirits, that
zeal for missions which actuated his own breast. On
Wednesday afternoons they used to retire for prayer to
the bottom of a valley south of the west college: and on
Saturday afternoons, when they had more leisure, to the
more remote meadow on the bank of the Hoosack, and
there, under the hay-stacks, those young Elijahs prayed
into existence the embryo of American Missions. They
formed a society, unknown to any but themselves, to make
inquiries and to organize plans for future missions. They
carried this society with them to Andover, where it has
roused into missionaries most that have gone to the
heathen, and where it is still exerting a powerful influence
on the interests of the world. I have been in situations to
know that from the counsels formed in that sacred conclave-the prayer-meeting in the valley and under the
hay-stacks-or from the mind of Mills himself, arose the
American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions,
the American Bible Society, the United Foreign Missionary Society."
All these, and many kindred benevolent agencies of the
age, have, confessedly, their origin in the prayer-meeting.
The same writer says again, p. 103: "It cannot be denied, that modern missions sprung out of these revivals."
Nor can it be denied that revivals are the offspring of
prayer. God's Spirit prepares for revival and for mission
work, as for every other good work, first by pouring out
upon his people a spirit of grace and supplication. This
leads them to the prayer-meeting, to ask, in concert, for
revival; they are revived, and so fitted for every good
work, in answer to prayer.
180 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
From even a limited collection of histories of revival,
we find a judicious selection and arrangement of historic
incidents, in relation to the prayer-meetiniig, a difficult task.
So numerous are the references, and so prominent the
place assigned to these conference meetings in collateral
history, to select and omit seem but to mar the entire narrative, so full and conclusive. We shall be content with
making leading, or representative, selections illustrative
of principles.
The author of" Revival Sketches," giving reminiscences
of Rev. Jeremiah Hallock, of Connecticut, says: "In
1779, at the age of twenty-one, he was impressed with the
sinfulness of his heart, though he had neither seen nor
heard of awakenings; and conviction, conversion, and revivals, were terms with which he was unacquainted. Soon
after he was called to do military duty, and he and his
fellow-soldiers had entered a barn, he found himself
surrounded by his young companions and others, exhorting
them on the subject of religion, one of whom was then
awakened, and afterwards obtained hope. It was the beginning of a revival; meetings were appointed, and became
frequent, full, and solemn, and as they had no minister,
and Mr. Hallock was the first of the apparent converts, it
often devolved on him to lead the meetings. The years
immediately succeeding his settlement-1785-were a period of darkness in the churches generally. In 1795, Dr.
Griffin was settled in the adjoining parish of New Hartford. They both had tasted the blessedness of revivals,
and together they mourned, and wept, and wrestled, for
perishing souls and the languishing interests of Zion. One
or more of the groves is still pointed out, where they, with
neighboring pastors, used to retire from the world to
agonize for the descent of the Holy Spirit. The day of
mercy was near. At length the revival burst upon them."
16
181 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Of the beginning of this revival, Hallock himself writes:
"This was, indeed, a trying hour. No fond parent ever
watched the fever of his child at the hour of its crisis with
more anxious and interested feelings, than numbers of
God's praying friends watched the work of the Spirit at
this critical moment."
When Zion travails, she brings forth her children. So,
revivals are the offspring of the travails of God's people in concerted prayer. For, as the writer adds, "The
work was now evidently on the increase. Conferencesmeaning prayer-meetings-were set up in every part of
the parish, and every week, and sometimes every day,
would bring the animating news of some one hopefully
converted."
These prayer-meetings were called conference meetings,
because conference on religious subjects formed a very interesting and important part of their exercises, so often
impressive and awakening. Thus, the same, again:
"At a certain conference, in which the conversation
turned on the divine purposes, the subject was not attended to now for disputation, but with fear and solemnity.
They did not appear to be dry, uninteresting, disputable
points, but divine realities, calculated to convict the sinner
and refresh the saint. At the close of the meeting a question was asked of this import:'Does a person who is
truly seeking after God, feel afraid that any of his purposes will cut off from salvation?' The question was
answered in the negative; and the divine purposes were
no more against prayer, than against attention to common
matters, and that the only reason why men brought them
against prayer was, their having no heart to pray."
The fearers of the Lord will speak often one to another.
They will not forsake the assembling of themselves together; but exhorting one another-they will admonish
182 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
one another in Psalms, Hymns, and spiritual songs. They
will love to say to one another, Come, hear, all ye that fear
God, and I will declare what he did for my soul.
Dr. Sprague, of Albany, N. Y., gives, in his Lectures on
Revivals, a letter from Dr. Hyde, of Lee, Mass., in which
the writer says: "The first season of'refreshing from the
presence of the Lord,' which this people enjoyed, commenced in June, 1792, a few days after the event of my
ordination. There was at that time no religious excitement in this region of country, nor had I knowledge of
any special work of God's grace in any part of the land.
The church here was small and feeble, having only twentyone male members. It was, however, like the primitive
Christians, continuing with one accord in prayer. Immediately, on being stationed here as a watchman, I instituted a weekly religious conference, to be holden on each
Wednesday, and in succession, at the various school-houses
in the town. These were well attended in every district,
and furnished me with favorable opportunities to instruct
the people. A marvellous work was begun, and it bore the
most decisive marks of being God's work."
Rev. Joseph Washburn, Farmington, Conn., writing of
revival, (Rev. Sk.) says:
"In 1798, God began to appear in power and great
glory, in a number of towns in this vicinity. Accounts of
these things reached us, and became the subject of conversation among Christians, but appeared to have little or no
effect.
"This first appearance of special divine power and grace
was in February, 1799. It began in an uncommon attention and concern among the people of God, and a disposition to unite in prayer for the divine presence and a revival
i)f religion.
"Soon after this, numbers in different parts of the con
183 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
gregation began to inquire respecting the meetings, and
expressed a wish to attend."
Dr. Shepherd, of Lenox, Mass., writes of a revival in
1799, thus:
"Such were the melancholy prospects of this church
while showers of divine grace were falling on other parts
of Zion. But in the month of April, several members of
the church manifested great anxiety about the state of
religion among us, and expressed a desire that meetings
might be appointed for religious conference and special
prayer for the outpouring of the Spirit. It was done.
From that time the work became more general."
Judge Boudinot, writing to Judge Reeve of revival,
(Revival Sk. p. 165) says:
"The flame at once caught the hearts of the truly pious
among us. The next Sabbath morning a number agreed
to form a society to meet at nine o'clock, and spend an
hour previous to going to church in prayer to God for his
blessing on the word. They styled themselves the Aaron
and Hur Society, as supporting the hands of their minister. It was not long before the blessed work pervaded
every part of the congregation."
One reference only to revivals of this period in the
Eastern States. Rev. John B. Preston, Rupert, Vt., July,
1804, says:
"From year to year religion was declining, the church
was decreasing in numbers and graces; and iniquity
abounded. A little more than a year ago, the darkness
reached its height, and appeared scarcely to admit the
smallest beam of hope.
"In this hour of extremity, a small number of the few
remaining professors agreed to meet once a week for social
prayer. At the first the number was very small, sometimes not more than two or three; but they appeared
184. 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
strong in faith and fervent in prayer, the Spirit helping
their infirmities with groanings which could not be uttered. The meetings became increasingly solemn, so that,
in September, the number of religious conferences, or,
rather, prayer-meetings, in different parts of the society,
were multiplied to four in a week.  A day of fasting and
prayer was observed about this time, and attended with a
special degree of solemnity. In November, on a sudden,
the Spirit of the Lord appeared to come down upon us like
a mighty rushing wind. Almost the whole society seemed
to be shaken at once. Our prayer-meetings were crowded,
and solemn in an amazing degree."
These, but specimen selections out of many, all uInite
in identifying the prayer-meeting as the unifobrm  iiistrtimentality in promoting revivals, and of testing the state
of religion in any locality, or at any period in the history
of the church.
Leaving the East as the field of our historical gleanings,
we shall turn to the South and West. Here extensive
range opens.  Dr. Alexander, late of Princetoll, Dr. Htimphrey, of Mass., with several others, have given many interesting details of extensive revivals in many parts of the
South. Virginia, as a field of interest, about the year
1788, furnishes some striking instances of extelnsive
awakenings originating in prayer-meetings.
Dr. Hill, of Winchester, gives the following narrative
(Revival Sketches, pp. 182-184).   Speaking of early religious impressions received from a sainted mother, he
says:
"I carried these with me into Hampden-Sidney College,
where there was then not one pious studeat.  I had Ino
Bible, and dreaded getting one, lest it should be found in
my  possession.   A  pious lady near sent me  Alliece's
Alarm When I got it, I locked my room, and lay on my
16*
185 
UHISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
bed reading it, when a student knocked at the door. And
although I gave him no answer, dreading to be found reading such a book, he continued to knock and beat the door
until I had to open it. He came in, and seeing the book
lying on the bed, seized it, and examining its title, said,
'Why, Hill, do you read such books?'  I hesitated, but
God enabled me to be decided, and to answer him boldly,
but with much emotion,'Yes, I do.' The young man
said, with deep agitation,' 0, Hill, I envy you. You may
obtain religion, but I never can. I came here a professor
of religion, but through fear I dissembled, and have been
carried along with the wicked until I fear there is no
hope for me.'
"He told me there were two others who, he believed,
were serious. We agreed to take up the subject of religion
in earnest, and seek it together. We invited the other
two, and had a prayer-meeting in my room on the next
Saturday afternoon.   And  0, what a prayer-meeting!
We tried to pray, but such prayer I never heard the like
of. We knew not how to pray, but tried to do it. It was
the first prayer-meeting I had ever heard of. We tried to
sing, but it was in a most suppressed manner; for we
feared the other students. But they found it out, and
gathered round the door, and made such a noise that some
of the officers had to come and disperse them. And so
serious was the disturbance that the President, the late
excellent Rev. Dr. John Blair Smith, had to investigate
the matter at prayers that evening, in the prayer hall.
When he demanded the reason of the riot, a ringleader in
wickedness got up and stated that it was occasioned by
three or four of the boys holding a prayer-meeting, and
they were determined to have no such doings there.
The good President heard the statement with deep emotion, and looking at the youths charged with the sin of
186 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
praying, with tears in his eyes, he said,'Oh, is there such
a state of things in this College? Then God has come
near to us. My dear young friends, you shall be protected. You shall hold your next prayer-meeting in my
parlor, and I will be one of your number.' Sure enough,
we had our next meeting in his parlor, and half the College were there. And there began a glorious revival of
religion, which pervaded the College, and spread into the
country around."
COLLEGE NARRATIVES AND LESSONS.
This College narrative illustrates several things. 1. That
true religion, sanctifying our social nature, brings kindred
spirits together for the enjoyment of Christian communion.
Hill and the other three pious students-the only ones
known to have been religiously disposed-were attracted
together in a most wonderful way in God's mysterious
Providence. They were drawn together by the same common attraction mutually inclining each to seek and delight
in the society of religious character. They were drawn
together by the same natural feeling of love to social
prayer. Here was no force of education, no denominational drill to bias to any ritualistic forms-nothing but
the workings of grace upon pious and simple minds, under
the influence of love to Christ, love to prayer, love to the
company of kindred spirits.
2. The power of social prayer to increase mutual affection, mutual growth in grace, and to prepare for future
usefulness. This prayer-meeting produced lasting effects
for good upon the minds of the four friends who formed
this College prayer-meeting.
3. This case illustrates the power of social prayer in the
cause of revivals of religion. This was made instrumental
in the conversion of about one-half the students of a col
187 
188      HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
lege when it was supposed there was not one pious among
them. Many of these afterwards became learned ministers
of the gospel. And, besides, from this humble little
prayer-meeting commenced many and extensive revivals
throughout the country around.
Nor is this an isolated case-a single instance of very
rare occurrence. It is only one of many, illustrating an important principle of true religion, and of the power of concerted social prayer, according to the promise of Christ,
and the design of this ordinance of grace.
In the summer of 1823, the writer was a student at
Jefferson College, Western Pennsylvania. That year witnessed in that College a revival of some interest. With
its origin and progress and whole history he was personally and intimately acquainted. It may not be without
interest in this connection. During the vacation preceding
the summer session, a few of the pious students conferred
together on the subject of the conversion of godless and
immoral students, many of whom were possessed of fine
talents, which, if sanctified by grace, and consecrated to the
cause of Christ and religion, would be a great acquisition
to that cause. They singled out a few of that class as the
special objects of prayer, and agreed that they would organize themselves into a select and special prayer-meeting,
for the purpose of pleading Christ's promise. (Matt. xviii.
19):" If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my
Father which is in heaven." This society had just commenced its meetings, which were held in the private rooms
of the students who formed it, when the summer session of
the College opened. In the course of a few weeks evidences of awakening began to be manifested, particularly
among that class made the special object of the concerted
prayers of the recently formed prayer-meeting. And, at 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the same time, a very marked revival of prayerful zeal
and earnestness was seen among the Professors of the College, and professors of religion generally. Religion soon
became a topic of general conversation among pious people.
Professors of religion among the students embraced occasions for religious conversation with some of those for
whose conversion they had been specially pleading in their
prayer-meeting. They found, almost to their joyful astonishment, that among some of their fellow-students who had
been careless, if not in some instances profane, there was a
deep concern already felt. To these they suggested the
importance of forming among themselves a separate
prayer-meeting for that distinct class. Such society was
at once formed of some eight or ten. In a short time,
others were found to be awakened, and were encouraged to
form a second prayer-meeting of non-professors, now
awakened and anxious. And so, as the religious interest
increased, societies were formed among the students in
their rooms, professors and non-professors, as also among
the Christian people of the town, and out among the congregations in the country. Scarcely an evening through
the week, or on Sabbaths, that there were not prayer-meetings in town and country.
These numerous prayer-meetings, the concerted prayers
and earnest conferences were abundant in their fruits. Besides many additions of the hopeful converts that lere
added to many congregations in that vicinity, not a few
young men who left their homes thoughtless of their soul's
eternal interests, and who had never bowed a knee to God,
became active in the cause of religion, changed their purposes in regard to a profession and their future life, devoted themselves to the ministry, and became faithful and
successful ambassadors for Christ.
One lesson more we may learn from these college narra
189 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
tives and prayer-meeting incidents. No two students, professors of religion, at any college, should suffer themselves
to spend one single session without forming a prayermeeting, and connecting with it some special object of persevering, united prayer. And until this obtains, in spirit
and in truth, can we expect our colleges to be really
fountains from which streams shall issue gladdening the
city of our God? What can be more becoming or more
encouraging than for candidates for the ministry, while
engaged in preparatory studies, and constantly in contact
with promising, though unconverted youths, to form
prayer-meetings, and in concert wrestle for the salvation
of their fellow-students, who, if by grace were snatched
from the control of Satan, might become champions in the
cause of Christ?
In this connection we shall detain the reader with one
more college reference.
Dr. Green, late President of the College at Princeton,
writing to Dr. Sprague, says:
"While I was a member of college, there were but two
professors of religion among the students, and not more
than five or six who scrupled to use profane language in
common conversation. To the influence of the American
war succeeded that of the French revolution, still more
pernicious. The open and avowed Infidelity of Paine and
other writers of the same character produced incalculable
injry to religion and morals throughout our whole
country."
In this condition of society and of the college, a revival
visitation was enjoyed, of which the writer proceeds to make
some very interesting statements:
"In about four weeks, there were very few individuals in
the college who were not deeply impressed with a sense of
the importance of spiritual and eternal things. There was
190 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
scarcely a room, perhaps not one, which was not a place
of earnest, secret devotion. For a time it seemed as if the
whole of our charge was pressing into the kingdom of
God. The result was, that of one hundred and five students, there were more than forty in regard to whom favorable hopes were entertained that they were the subjects of grace."
In regard to the means used for the promotion of this
revival, it is added:
"The few youths who were previously pious, had, for
more than a year, been earnestly engaged in prayer for this
event. When they perceived the general and increasing
seriousness, several of them agreed to speak privately and
tenderly to their particular acquaintances on the subject
of religion; and what they said was, in almost every instance, not only well received, but those with whom they
conversed became earnestly engaged in those exercises,
which, it is hoped, have issued in genuine piety.
"In preaching on the Lord's day morning, subjects were
selected suited to the existing state of the College-a
prayer-meeting was held every Friday evening, at which
one of the Professors of Theology commonly made an address. A prayer-meeting was every evening held by the
students themselves-smaller and more select associations
were held for prayer; the individuals whose minds were
anxious, were, as often as they requested it, carefully conversed and prayed with in private."
While in this example we see, as in other cases, the importance of social and concerted prayer, we also have
illustrated the importance of conference, not only in the
prayer-meeting, but privately and with the special objects
of solicitude. Must not every prayer-meeting be necessarily
defective without conference? And when they are held
pursuant to agreement for special prayer, it would seem
191 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
important to success to obtain private conference with the
objects of our special prayers.
The author of "Revival Sketches" gives a very interesting account of a revival in his own congregation, Pittsfield, Mass., in which he says:
"The narrative would be quite incomplete if I were to
close it here. In all revivals God works by means and
instrumentalities, and some may be glad to know what
course was here adopted.
"Our general course of preaching and incidental labors
was as follows: Three discourses on the Sabbath, one of
which was always in the evening. Two public lectures on
week-day evenings, preceded by a short prayer-meeting a
little before sundown; occasional lectures and prayer-meetings in the out-districts, one object of which was to bring
as many as we could to attend the central lectures; an inquiry meeting every Monday evening, and a church prayermeeting at the same hour. Besides these, a great many
smaller neighborhood meetings were attended."
The principal lesson of instruction in this reference is,
the importance of such arrangement in regard to the
prayer-meeting as will bring every family and every individual under its influence, as well as to the enjoyment of
the public ordinances of the gospel. No pastor or session
of a congregation should rest satisfied with any system of
administration that fails to supply all with the privilege
of the prayer-meeting; or fails to induce the attendance of
all. Every available interest should be given to "the
many smaller neighborhood meetings," to induce, if possible, as large an aggregate attendance on the prayer-meetings as on the regular public Sabbath service.
192 
CHAPTER VII.
FROM THE MIDDLE OF THIS CENTURY TILL THE COM  MENCEMENT OF THE REVIVAL OF 1857, A PERIOD OF
INTENSE POLITICAL AND RELIGIOUS COMMOTION.
The Protestant Reformation a great Revival of Religion and Social
Prayer-Revival of this period and American Liberty-Revived Social
Prayer-Prepared for the investigation of the subject of the Prayer Meeting-State of the Country and of Religion when the Revival
came-Revival Sketches-Features of this Revival-In its Commence ment-Conducted by Union Prayer-meetings-Its spirit rapidly per vaded the country-In its Prayer-meetings "The earth helped the
woman " —Xenia Convention-Unparalleled Political agitation, from
1850 to 1860-Intense around the Slavery question-God chose such
time for this Revival.
The period of wide-8pread\revival and prayer-meetings1857-1859.
THIS century, early in its third quarter, witnessed one
of the most extensive revivals of religion, and of social
prayer, fruitful in results, finding a place in the history of
the church since the Reformation. The great Protestant
Reformation was itself a great and permanent revival of
evangelical religion. It revived truth, almost buried in
the mass of antichristian corruptions and gross error. It
revived practical godliness, and turned its converts to
prayer and other Christian duties, plain and simple, as
taught in the word of God and enforced by Christ and his
Apostles. It turned away the Christian life and walk
from the commandments of men, to the precepts and institutions of Christ. It revived experimental piety by pouring
out upon the church a spirit of grace and supplications       17                                       193 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
by breaking the fetters of superstition and priestcraft from
the Christian mind-by introducing into the spiritual liberty with which Christ makes his children free to serve
him in spirit and in truth, a broader and deeper exercise
of all the Christian graces.
This last general revival, while it may have had its defects, was still attended and followed with gains to the
cause both of truth and righteousness. It prepared the
evangelical church, in nearly all its branches, for throwing
her influence into the ssue, when, in the war with rebellion,
mighty scales hung quivering in the balance betwixt the
cause of liberty and slavery.  Had not the church demanded liberty for the slave, in the war waged for slavery
extension and perpetuity by the slaveholder, it would have
become national and its area widely extended. And had
there been no revival in 1858, the church would still have
remained, to such an extent, under the leadings of the
South, that the war for the Union and for the cause
of liberty would have ended in the triumph of slavery,
and fall of American liberty, personal, civil and religious.
It awakened in the church a broader and more Christlike missionary spirit-the poorest of the poor soon had
the Bible sent them, and the gospel preached to them as
never before since primitive times.
It certainly revived the love and practice of social
prayer, and gave a new life to the prayer-meeting. Our
very penning of these lines to-day, under all the circumstances which have led thereto, stands as a testimony to
the truth of our statement. We believe the state of the
church encourages us to write. The subject will be studied,
and we have a hope we shall have a careful reading. And
we think so, the more because we entertain the abiding
hope that still more-refreshing times from the presence of
the Lord are not far in the future. We, therefore, in this
.4
194 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
way, lend, at this time, our mite of feeble influence to the
cause of revival and the leading instrumentality, under
grace, for its promotion. We hopefully make an effort to
awaken in the church a deeper interest in the prayermeeting, and a more earnest inquiry after its Scriptural
character and use. As we trace the history of the prayermeeting nearer our own time, its interest must be increased.
And, as an aid to the securing of that interest, it may be
important to review
THE STATE OF THE COUNTRY AND OF RELIGION WHEN
THE REVIVAL WAS SENT.
Since historians, as well as poets, have their license, we
shall avail ourselves of our privilege just here by borrowing some paragraphs from the racy sketches of a trustworthy historian-" Revival Sketches," pp. 276-279.
Here we have sketched some of the features of the times
immediately preceding the revivals of 1857-1859.
"There was increasing coldness and worldly conformity
in'the churches. From some of the watch-towers of Zion
the alarm, indeed, was sounded. There was weeping in
secret places over the general decline, and many prayers
were offered for the return of the Spirit. But to the question,'Watchman, what of the night?' there was no cheering answer. It was very dark, and seemed to be growing
darker. As in the days of the prophet, Israel was mad
upon her idols, so we had our idols of gold and silver. A
money mania pervaded not only all our commercial cities,
but the whole country more or less, involving all classes.
The old paths to competence, by the moderate gains of industry and frugality, were being more and more forsaken,
as no longer suited to this progressive age. Speculation
in stocks, in city and village lots, in wild lands, in paper
villages and flourishing marts of business, and in every
195 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
thing that promised sudden and extravagant gains, had
reached the crisis of fever heat, and filled the dreams of
thousands upon thousands with uncounted treasures, with
fairy mansions, and all the delights of the'lusts of the
flesh, the lusts of the eye, and the pride of life.' Would
that it had been but an Arabian night-dream, instead of
the actual every-day state of the scrambling multitudes."
And then such a highly inflated and insane grasping for
riches could not fail of creating temptations, to an alarming extent, too strong to be resisted, in the large business
transactions of the country. Hence those enormous frauds
which have made the ears of the nation to tingle, and by
which multitudes of widows and orphans have been swindled out of the small hard-earned investments, on which they
depended for their daily bread. It was painfully manifest
that, without some check to this all-absorbing worldliness,
there was no reasonable prospect of such a return of the
years of the right hand of the Most High, as we had once
enjoyed, under the opening heavens, pouring down the
Holy Spirit and reviving his work. The church was fast
falling into the current which swept madly on, and threatened, if possible, to swallow up the very elect. To change
the figure, we were descending an inclined plane, with all
the steam on, and no brakes to check the engine and save
the train from being dashed to pieces.
"Just then, in the summer of 1857, God interposed in a
way which but few, if any, would have chosen or thought
of. When men were saying,'Soul, thou hast much goods
laid up for many years, take thine ease, eat, drink, and be
merry;' when they were building their castles in the air,
not easy to be numbered; when the common talk on
'Change was of hundreds of thousands and millions; when,
ill short, all men were saying,'To-morrow shall be as this
day, and more abundant,' then suddenly came the crash, as
196 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
if thunders from a clear sky had simultaneously broken
over the whole land. Like a yawning earthquake, it
shook down the palaces of the rich, no less than the
humble dwellings of the poor, and swallowed up their substance. Men went to bed dreaming all night of their vast
hoarded treasures, and woke up in the morning hopeless
bankrupts.
"Happily these overwhelming losses brought many
prosperous business men to a stand, who had given themselves no time to think about laying up treasures in heaven;
and, under the wise and merciful orderings of Providence,
this prepared the way for a new revival epoch, differing in
its commencement and some of its aspects from any that
had preceded it."
The writer proceeds to mark some of the characteristics
distinguishing this revival from all preceding:
"1. In its commencement.  How and where did it begin?
The kingdom of God came not with observation. Such a
visit, at such a time, was not looked for. On the contrary, many feared that the financial disasters of the
country had so absorbed the minds of the whole people,
both in and out of the churches, as to leave no room for the
concerns of the soul. But it would seem that the mighty
crash was just what was wanted in the great marts of business and speculation to startle men from their golden
dreams, and lead them to seek for durable riches and
righteousness. The horse-leech epidemic had spread so
wide, and reached such a crisis, that no ordinary means
could arrest it. There is no reason to believe, I think, that
this revival would have commenced as it did, and spread
as it has, if the spell which held men in its embrace had
not been broken by some sudden and violent convulsion.
It came, and the rushing throng of fortune-seekers stood
still in amazement. Wall street was shattered and totter       17*
197 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
ing from one end to the other. Every shock threatened
wider ruin, and where could the merchant princes and
bankers find a place of refuge? Their millions were gone
or going, and they had laid up no better portion. A
thickening gloom hung over all the cities, and spread
over all the country. While the earth reeled, the heavens
were shut up.
"It was just then that God put it into the heart of
a humble individual to propose a daily prayer-meeting in
the lower part of the city of New York, at such a time as
would best suit the convenience of business men. At first
but few attended, in a little room on the third floor of the
Consistory of the Reformed Dutch Church in Fulton
Street.   But'behold how great a matter a little fire
kindleth.' Soon, to the astonishment of everybody, thronging multitudes filled all the rooms of that building to their
utmost capacity. It was a vast daily prayer-meeting, of
an hour at twelve o'clock, attended by those of all classes
and conditions, and included great numbers of business
men, who had never been seen in a prayer-meeting before.
It was the Lord's doing, and marvellous in all eyes.
Nor could it long be confined within such narrow
limits."
Of this meeting the author of" Five Years of Prayer,"
p. 10, says:
"Among all the records of ancient and modern times, in
sacred or secular history, no series of facts is more imposing
in their aspect before the Christian mind than the annals
of the daily prayer-meetings in the city of New York.
They were begun September 23d, 1857, and have continued
without the interruption of a day through all the vicissitudes of life in the city, in the midst of war and peace, in
the heat of summer and cold of winter, down to the day on
which these liies are written, September 23d, 1863, and
198 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the Sixth Anniversary has just now been celebrated with
the voice of supplication, thanksgiving and praise."
OUR REVIVAL SKETCHES PROCEED.
"The fire from heaven that kindled the flame then,
spread rapidly in all directions. The call to prayer became louder throughout the city than it ever was before.
It daily filled some of the largest churches; it gathered
thousands into one of the vast theatres; it reached the
Free Academy; the fire and the police departments opened
their doors for daily prayer. Rooms were opened by
merchants in their stores, in which their clerks met for
prayer; and the waiters in one of the large hotels had
their daily prayer-meeting. Even Jews participated in
the great revival movement, and attended the meetings in
various parts of the city. Such, in brief, was the commencement of this marvellous work of the Spirit. The
oldest Christians stood still and exclaimed,'We never saw
it on this fashion;' and may I not ask, Who ever did? Of
such a simultaneous movement we have no recorded example.
"2. They were Union prayer-meetings, attended by all
who chose, without respect to denominational differences.
This was a new feature in the revival. The middle walls
of partition had never before been so thoroughly broken
down. Evangelical Christians of every name found they
could come together and pray for the outpouring of the
Spirit without any sacrifice of church order, and were
astonished that they had not sooner found out'how good
and how pleasant it is for brethren to dwell together in
unity' at a throne of grace.  0, how it liberalized the sectarian spirit! how it enlarged the heart! how it tended to
unite the whole household of faith in one common brotherhood! Let it be our united prayer, that Satan may never
199 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
more get an advantage of us by rebuilding the walls which
have so long kept us apart to our mutual discredit and
loss. Have we not all one Lord, one faith, one God and
Father, who is above all, through all, and in us all? And
shall we ever hesitate to unite in praying for the descent
of the Holy Spirit, whenever and wherever we can enjoy
the privilege?
"3. Another remarkable feature in this revival, is the
rapidity with which the spirit of united prayer spread from
city to city, and from State to State, gathering the vast
multitudes who, in a few weeks, were everywhere seen
crowding the meetings, giving unmistakable evidence that
God was in the midst of them. His presence and power
were manifest as never before, in making New York, Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and almost all our large cities centres of this great movement, radiating the spiritual light
and warmth which they were first to enjoy, upon all the
regions round about. Thus the United prayer-meetings and
the revivals pread with wonderful rapidity to hundreds of
places, from the centre to the circumference. It has been
variously estimated that there were within one year, between three and five hundred thousand converts.
"4. The earth came in and helped the woman as never
before since she fled from the great red dragon into the
wilderness. Thirty years ago, it was difficult to get even a
short paragraph of religious intelligence into a secular city
paper. Such a thing as a notice of a revival, we may almost say, was never heard of through such a channel.
The best that could be done was chiefly accomplished with
singular tact and perseverance by a minister well and
widely known at the time, as bent on doing good in every
possible way. At first it was a volunteer and gratuitous
service, collecting and writing out short articles, handing
them to the editors, and getting them inserted more as
200 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
special favors to the man, than to their readers and
patrons. Finding how much good he was doing in this
way, a number of religious men contributed moderate sums
to sustain him, and this was all that could be done to reach
the masses of newspaper readers. I believe I might say it
took a whole year to get the amount of two columns into
any secular city paper, when revivals in almost every part
of the country were going on with mighty power.
"But how astonishing the change! Scarcely had the
Union prayer-meetings been set up in New York, Boston,
and other cities, when the same papers, of their own accord, devoted whole, closely-crowded columns, weekly and
daily, to this new religious phenomenon, vying with each
other who should most minutely chronicle the progress of
these meetings, and spread the news widest. In fact, for
some time, they took the lead of the religious papers in
this department of intelligence. The change was so sudden and so surprising, that we could hardly believe our
own eyes in reading the dailies. This was a great advance
upon what had ever before been witnessed."
We remember, very distinctly, that, when in the convention at Xenia, Ohio, May, 1858, a reporter from Cincinnati, for the Gazette, manifested a deep interest in the proceedings  of the  meeting,  especially  in the  religious
devotions. With commendable respect for the worship, he
always laid down his pencil and took part with the worshipers in the prayers and singing. Often he appeared
delighted to ecstasy. So much was he moved by the songs
of praise, in which he with earnest and full voice joined,
that during an interval of the convention he called in a
book store, and asked for a copy of the soul-moving hymns
sung in the meetings. The bookseller replied, "Sir, you
have those hymns in your Bible. They are just the Book
of Psalms in an old metrical version, used by the churches
201 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
represented in the convention." Here he remarked with
deep interest, that he had never heard sung songs so fully
appropriate to revival meetings. Every morning we had
full and interesting reports of the doings of every preceding day's sessions of the convention.
These things presented to us, and, so far as we know, to
every member of the hundreds of the convention, a new
and strange feature of the times-strange to see so deep and
earnest an interest in the political press in those solemn
and soul-stirring exercises. And this was the more remarkable, as that period was one of most intense political
excitement.
And here we feel constrained to add to the sketch of the
times immediately preceding this revival as drawn by the
author of Revival Sketches, as already so largely quoted.
That was an epoch not.only of financial excitement, greatly
absorbing the public mind, turning it away from the concerns of eternity and the soul; but it was a time of deep,
intense, and all-absorbing political stir. Perhaps never
since the French Revolution was religion so put to the test
as by the political agitations from 1850 to 1860. Much as
financial interests affect the human mind, and much as
Mammon can steal away the heart from Christ, yet there
is one other thing which more deeply and more firmly
takes hold of human nature as an absorbing and controlling
power, which sometimes overrides all other temporal interests. The love of gain could never have plunged this
country into the late rebellion and civil war. But the
maddening spell of political excitement did so involve this
country. She was in the whirlpool of an incipient civil
struggle, just at the very time the Spirit of God was poured
out on this land, so that just from the scenes of the prayermeeting were hundreds of our brave sons summoned to the
sanguinary field of fratricidal carnage.
202 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Let it be remembered that the period from 1850 to 1860
is styled by historians as "the era of slave hunting."  It
was the era of "the Nebraska-Kansas struggle."  It was
the era of" the Dred-Scott case in the Supreme Court." It
was the era of "the pistol and the bludgeon," in high
places and low.  It was the era of "Sumner and Brooks'
gutta-percha logic," of blood-stained floor of an American
Senate, and freedom of speech lying prostate at the feet of
the slave-dealer, in the halls of American legislation. It
was the era of "the Impending Crisis," and of the "Irrepressible Conflict."  It was the era of "the John Brown
raid," and summary execution. It was the era of fierce
and war-boding presidential campaigning-Lincoln and
Douglas, and Breckenridge and Bell.
How could such a time be favorable to revival and the
prayer-meeting? Only as the journey to Damascus, with
a heart madly set on the blood and the life of innocent
men and women, was an acceptable time with God for the
display of the power of his grace in the conversion of Saul
of Tarsus, a chief sinner.
Yet God chose that dark hour for the display of his
grace in reviving the churches-in calling the earnest attention of all classes, in all departments of society-in
many countries-on the high seas,. and in the armies and
navies of many nations, to the prayer-meeting; and in
such way that the public mind was everywhere turned to
those meetings as the centres of interest and influences
everywhere felt and acknowledged. From various sources
we have abundant testimony to the happy influences of
the prayer-meeting among the soldiers of the Union army.
The reports of chaplains, of delegates of the Christian
Commission, and from many visitors, both ministers and
laymen, furnish abundant materials for the history of revival and the inseparable prayer-meeting.
203 
CHAPTER VIII.
PRAYER-MEETINGS IN THE ARMY, HOSPITALS, AND NAVY.
Agencies Employed-Bible Society-Tract Society-Christian Commis sion-Letters from Soldiers in the Camp-From a Chaplain-Prayer Meetings in Hospitals-Testimony to the Prayer-Meeting-Prayer Meetings among Seamen-Benevolence of the Age in Marine Hospital,
the Post Society, the Sailors' Home, the Marine Church-Sailors'
Narratives-Ship Niagara-Chaplain's Letters-Religious Interestof
Commodore McKean, and his example in behalf of the Prayer-Meeting
-Lessons-The Old War-Ship North Carolina-A Place for Prayer Meetings-The Ohio and her Prayer-Meetings-U. S. Ship St. Louis A Sailor's Letter to Dr. Stewart-Reflections upon the important
Lessons of this Chapter.
Prayer-meetings among the Soldiers.
THE impression has, perhaps, been very general, that
the camp is a very unfavorable place for the development of Christian graces, for the conversion of sinners,
or for the reform of those addicted to habits of vice. The
heart of Christian benevolence has seldom been so deeply
sounded as during the late campaign for the suppression
of rebellion against the government of our country. The
Sanitary and Christian Commissions drew their hundreds
of thousands of dollars in voluntary contributions from the
masses of the Christian and patriotic people. And while
the temporal comforts of the soldier was a matter of deep
solicitude, perhaps it is not too much to say his spiritual
interests excited far more of the Christian sympathy of a
Christian people. Efforts, unparalleled in the history of
204 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
all former wars, were made to supply the army with religious reading matter. The Bible Society, the Tract Society,
and other agencies, issued by the millions copies of reading
matter. And yet these Bibles and tracts, good books,
and every variety of religious publications, were of little
avail alone. It was the concurrent testimony of Chaplains, Agents of the Christian Commission, and other
Christian men and women, who visited the army on errands of spiritual benevolence, that, with all the outlay of
Christian charity in this way, if there should be no prayer,
there would be no good done. It would be seed scattered
by the way-side. But when the prayer-meetings were
opened, and the prayers of God's people went out with
these, and in behalf of the soldiers, then hearts were moved
and encouraged, and filled with hope and joy.
A soldier, who, in addition to patriotic motives, was
moved to enlist that he might have opportunity of laboring for the salvation of the poor soldiers in the army,
makes the following statement: "When he got into his
regiment, after very diligent inquiry, he could find only
one pious man, but he was of kindred spirit. They were
only two, but they were resolved on a prayer-meeting. It
was begun in much fear and trembling, and against not a
little opposition and ridicule. They had no help but God;
'and, Oh,' said he,'how did He answer and help us!'
He converted four of our fellow-soldiers-the four most
unlikely that we could have picked out. We felt all the
time that some one would be converted, but were almost
overcome when these four came out for Christ."
One who had visited the Army of the Potomac, to promote the spiritual interests of the soldiers, said, on his
return:
"You can have no idea of the eagerness of the men for
religious reading. You cannot take a wagon, with reli      18
205 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
gious tracts and religious newspapers, and drive into one
of these camps, and begin to distribute them, but you will
be almost devoured. Hundreds of men will come running
from all directions, stretching out their hands and pleading
for something good to read. In one of the regiments there
is a genuine revival going forward at this present time.
They have meetings every night.. One night is a prayermeeting; the next night is an inquiry meeting; the next a
meeting for the relation of religious experience; and so all
through the week."
Thus, where there is strong desire for religious reading
matter, and especially where there is revival of religion,
or even any live religion at all, there soon will the prayermeeting be.
A soldier once communicated to his praying friends the
following:
"You will, perhaps, remember, that I, some time ago,
asked prayer for a regiment. I want to tell you what has
been, and is now, its spiritual condition. Vice and immorality prevailed in it to an alarming extent. Soon
after I asked prayer in their behalf, four of the soldiers
resolved to establish, if possible, a prayer-meeting in camp.
At the first meeting only these four were present. At the
second meeting thirty-three attended. At the third, three
hundred were present, and at the fourth, nearly all the
regiment, except those who were on guard or other
duty."
"The chaplain of a Maine regiment stated, in the daily
prayer-meeting, that God was pouring down his Spirit
upon the regiment, and about twenty-five of the men had
been hopefully converted within three weeks. Among
them was an old man aged sixty-eight years.  He was a
soldier in the war of 1812 and has always lived a moral
life, but wholly unconcerned on the subject of religion.
206 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
It was very touching to hear him talk or pray in the
prayer-meeting. He blesses God that he came into the
army, for he thinks if he had remained at home, he would
have lived and died in his sins, without repentance. All
the newly converted men took part in their regimental
prayer-meetings."
A soldier in a New York regiment, writing from a fort
to which his regiment had been sent, says:
"On Saturday evening we hunted up some half dozen
young men, who were professing Christians, and appointed
a prayer-meeting for Sabbath morning, at half past six
o'clock; and on Sabbath morning, at that time, there were
gathered some dozen or more at the southwest bastion,
which we had permission to use for the purpose. It was a
pleasant reviving meeting, and it shed its influence over
us during the whole day. At night, at eight o'clock, we
had another meeting of the kind, at which there were, I
think, more than twenty present, and among them two of
the captains, one of whom is a professing Christian, and at
that time joined in the exercises with us. We met again
last evening, and the exercises were conducted by one of
the captains, who is a Christian. We have these meetings
now every evening in the week, and more than once a day
on Sabbath. We hope and pray they may do much good
to those who are out of the ark and without hope, and we
pray God to use it to his own glory and to that effect."
Another soldier, writing from Beaufort, S. C., April 27,
1863, says:
"I can name several regiments in which daily prayermeetings have been sustained for several weeks, even
without a chaplain. In two regiments there have been
one hundred and fifty conversions each. In other regiments, one hundred, eighty, and so on, down in numbers.
In this place is a daily evening prayer-meeting, held in
207 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the large Episcopal Church, at which from three to five
hundred soldiers attend. And they come, not from curiosity, not to escape the confinement of the camp, but to
take part in the meeting, to pray, to bear witness for what
the Lord has done for them, to invite others to come to
Jesus, and to encourage one another in the Christian
course."
"One of the most faithful chaplains in the army of the
Union was the Rev. Mr. Wyatt, a clergyman of the Reformed
Presbyterian Church, who, after passing unhurt through
the battles of James Island, Antietam, Fredericksburgh,
and others of the severest conflicts of the war, died in the
officers' hospital, at Memphis, Tennessee, July 10th, 1863.
In a report, which he made to the Synod with which he
was connected, he stated that fourteen hundred men had
been under his immediate care during his chaplaincy; that
eight hundred of these had fallen on the field of battle, or
of their wounds subsequently, while a few only had died
of disease. Among these, he adds, several had been converted to God after they joined the regiment, and of the
religious men in the regiment, many presented the highest
types of Christian character. On the evening before the
assault at James Island, near Charleston, in 1862, he held
a prayer-meeting with his men, a goodly number of soldiers
being in attendance; and his heart was moved to speak
very tenderly to them, because he knew that many of them
would not see the setting of to-morrow's sun.  He said
afterward in picking up the wounded and visiting them
in their hospitals, he found some three or four who
thought they became Christians that night in that prayermeeting."
PRAYER-MEETINGS IN THE HOSPITALS.
"The chaplain of one of our large hospitals, in the vicinity of the metropolis, said: There is much religious
208 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
anxiety among the men. Many express hope-say twentyfive or thirty-that they have lately passed from death
unto life. Our prayer-meetings are very interesting, and
nearly one-third of the inmates of the hospital attend. It
would be sure to move your hearts if you could see those
men come into our meetings. Some come in on crutches,
some on sticks and canes; some with bandages around
their heads; some with broken arms, and some with broken
legs; some blind, some sick-too sick to be out of bed, but
creeping into the prayer-meetings because they are so
anxious on the subject of religion that they cannot stay
away. They long to know how they can be saved. They
long to know how they can have religion. They ask for
religious reading with an intensity of interest of which you
can have very vague conceptions. I have come for religious reading to-day, and I am in this meeting to solicit
your prayers in behalf of these anxious men."
What a testimony we have here in behalf of the prayermeeting! Men in earnest concern about their soul's salvation-creeping into the prayer-meeting when sick-too
sick to be out of bed-earnest for religious readingearnest to have a place in the united prayers of Christians
assembled in the prayer-meeting. Some things we surely
learn here: 1. The prayer-meeting is always a point of
attraction, and deep interest, to the awakened and earnest
sinner. 2. The prayer-meeting furnishes a very accurate
discriminating test of character. The live Christian loves
its enjoyments, the spiritually dead have no delights
there.
A chaplain in a hospital says:
"I am crowded to death with my duties, and truly they
are privileges; for I think a hospital one of the best places
to do good in, of the whole field of work. God is truly
blessing us in this hospital. Prayer-meetings in different
18*
209 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
wards every night, except Saturday night, are well attended. A healthy interest is growing."
"One who had been visiting a hospital for which we
had often been asked to pray, said he wished all in this
meeting could have been there. It was an affecting sight
to see these men come hobbling down on their crutches
and sticks, in great numbers, to attend the place of prayer.
A more solemn prayer-meeting is not often attended.
Great numbers were deeply moved during the meeting, and
many tears were seen falling. Then, when tattoo beat,
which was a signal to close the service, you ought to have
seen how anxious the men were that it should be extended."
Extracted from "Five Years of Prayer," pp. 200-214.
These extract gleanings from the army and hospitals,
exhibit rather exceptions than the general rule. Iniquity
and irreligion rather than prayer-meetings, or respect for
religion in any way, were too common. But wherever religion had a hold upon the soldiers in the camps, there the
prayer-meeting had a place, and there, cherished with affectionate concern, and there illustrating a law of true religion, whose Author is the Spirit of God, namely-That
wherever grace is implanted in the heart, the subject is
led to pray. Wherever religion is revived in any community or society, there will be social prayer. As the vapors
of the clouds are, by a certain law of nature, condensed,
and descend in rain-drops and showers, so will the attractive power of the social principle, when sanctified and constrained by love, draw sweetly, yet irresistibly, Christians
revived together for prayer and religious conference. Thus
it was in the camps. When a few pious soldiers were
thrown together in a regiment, though from different and
extreme points of the land, they soon, by some mysterious
influence, were thrown together, and linked, as kindred
210 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
spirits, by kindred ties, in sacred fellowship, seeking for its
enjoyment-the social prayer-meeting.
PRAYER-MEETINGS AMONG SEAMEN.
The interest taken in the spiritual welfare of seamen
is, perhaps, one of the. distinguishing features of the
age. When we consider the obstacles in the way,
and the nature of the field itself, scarcely any other
department of missionary labor has been more signally
crowned with success than that which contemplates
the sailor, the marine, and the entire naval department. Recent missionary enterprise has made the Marine
Hospital, the Port Society, the Sailors' Home, the Mariners' Church, familiar institutions to active Christians
of modern times. These things belong to the age of
missions and Bible Societies.  And in connectiQn with
these will be found material for Revival Sketches and
Prayer-Meeting Narrative.
"The pastor of one of the Mariners' Churches in the
city of New York, stated, not long since, that within four
yearshe had admitted to the communion of his church
more than five hundred persons, more than three hundred
of whom were seamen, and that there were members of his
church on twenty-two ships of war belonging to the United
States naval service, and that on seven of them are held
daily prayer-meetings.
"A statement published in 1863 says,'that number has
so increased under the divine blessing, that on our seventh
anniversary, in March, 1863, the membership had reached
over seven hundred and sixty. During that period, we
have good reason to believe, that full one thousand souls
have been hopefully converted, as the result of the conmbilled labors of the pastor, the missionaries, and the membership of the Church and Port Society.' On a single
211 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
cruise of. one of our national vessels, there were seventy
hopeful conversions, and the daily prayer-meeting was
constantly maintained for the space of two years."
A Saturday evening prayer-meeting has been for some
time organized and sustained in the New York Sailors'
Home. Here, in connection with the prayer-meetings, interesting awakenings and revivals have often been enjoyed.   Thrilling incidents of prayer-meeting revivals
might here be recorded far beyond what our space would
warrant.
The following are among some of the impressive statements made in the New York daily prayer-meeting:
"A sailor arose in the back part of the room, and said
the Lord had mercy on him in answer to prayer. He was
awakened at sea, when far from any means of grace or
communications with his friends, and converted on board
ship, before reaching a port. He did not know what to
make of it when religious anxiety first came upon him.
He, however, could find no rest till he found it in coming
to Christ. He thought, at first, that he could never live
religiously on shipboard; but he had found that heocould
not keep hid, that he hoped he had become a Christian.
He told his shipmates of the great change, and boldly declared to them that hereafter he would be on the Lord's
side. He found it more easy than he expected to stand up
for Christ. No one ridiculed or opposed him, and in this
he was disappointed. But not till he came into port could
he understand why the Lord had sent his Spirit to convince him of sin while at sea. He found that he had been
made the subject of special and daily prayer. His brothers
and sisters and the daily prayer-meetings had carried his
case to the throne of grace, and now he could understand
why, away at sea, he had been convinced that he was a
sinner, and needed a Saviour."
212 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
In this narrative we have a very illustrative instance of
the power of persevering, concerted, social prayer. "If two
of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that
they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father
which is in heaven."
A ship's captain, in very earnest terms, described the
change which had come over his spirit as follows:
"I had a pious sister who urged me to come to this
meeting. I told her,'No, you don't catch me in a prayermeeting, or any little room like this. Have I not paced
the quarter-deck of a ship?  Humph! I go to a prayermeeting! Not I; when I go to a meeting, I will go into a
church-a church, mind you, and not a small lecture-room.'
But she insisted and urged, and somehow I got in here, I
don't know how. And when I had been here only a very
short time, at the first meeting, 0 what a change came over
me! I had been puffed up, and was a great man in my
own estimation.  I felt I was a man of importance; I was
a proud sinner. But in a few minutes, in that first hour in
this meeting, I had such a sense of my own littleness as I
never had before. I never dreamed that I was such a little
creature. My importance was all gone. 0, I tell you, it
was a blessed place to me before I got out of it, this despised Fulton street prayer-meeting; for though I had not
said it, I had, in my heart, despised it."
"One who had come in from sea, arose in the meeting
and said,'About one year ago, I stood up in this meeting
and requested your prayers. I stated that I was about
going on the steamship Hermann, on her voyage to
San Francisco, and I desired that your prayers might go
with us. For three weeks after we left this port we tried
to get up a daily prayer-meeting on board. We met with
opposition; but finally the opposition gave way, and
our meetings commenced. Soon the Holy Spirit was
213 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
poured out. Many were converted; and though I was ignorant, and when the Lord converted me on ship-board I could
neither read nor write, yet the Lord enabled me to be useful,
and I was enabled to guide many inquiring souls to Christ.
When we arrived at San Francisco we attended meetings
there.'"
We have before us two very interesting letters from Rev.
C. S. Stewart, D. D., Chaplain, dated on board the U.S. Ship
Niagara, one April, 1861; the other November, 1861.
They contain much historical matter in regard to the
prayer-meeting in connection with revival and religious
interest experienced on board a man-of-war. They were
directed to the New York Observer, and are introduced by
the author of "Five Years' Prayer," p. 236, in the following notice:
"On the 1st of July, 1860, the U. S. Ship Niagara, Captain McKean, sailed from the port of New York, with the
Japanese Ambassadors on board, to take them to their
own country. Immediately, on her return, about a year
after, she was ordered to the Southern waters in the service of the government, with the same officers and crew on
board, and remained more than a year longer. During all
this time the ship was literally a Bethel, religious services
being constantly maintained. Numerous conversions took
place both among the officers and seamen. The captain
was a man of decided piety, who gave every encouragement to the religious services."
Thle first letter proceeds:
"By the time the Niagara reached Japan, the number
of avowed Christians on board, among the fore-mast hands,
had increased from nine to upward of twenty. The visit
of the ship at Kanagawa, for a week, afforded to these an
opportunity of happy and refreshing intercourse with the
missionaries there. The freedom of the mission houses,
214 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
and the hospitality promptly and most kindly extended
by them, were gratefully appreciated, while their Christian
fellowship and brotherly love cheered the hearts and confirmed the faith of the new disciples of a common Lord.
Two or three prayer-meetings, on successive evenings, at
the mission houses, in which the sailors chiefly took part,
and one on board the Niagara the night before we left, to
which all the missionaries, both ladies and gentlemen,
came, although a gale was blowing at the time, seemed to
be greatly enjoyed by and blessed to all parties."
The vessel, on its return, stopped at Cape Town, where
very interesting social and Christian intercourse was enjoyed with the missionaries of the place. As in Japan, the
chief entertainment was in the frequent prayer-meetings
held during the short stay.
"Soon after leaving Table Bay, on the 9th of March,
there were evidences of increased seriousness on board.
The nightly prayer-meetings were attended by greater
numbers, and an unaccustomed spirit of prayer manifested; and now, for more than a month past, we have
been in the enjoyment of a season of grace more marked
and more general than at any other period in our cruise.
From twenty-five to thirty have again been added to our
number, including six officers, besides those already mentioned; these are of different ranks, from that of lieutenant
down. Two nights ago, fifteen of the crew, at one time,
publicly avowed their purpose of henceforth serving the
Lord as the first duty of life, and the prayer-meeting has
become the centre of attraction every night to a large number on board.
"This state of things has had a marked effect on the
whole ship's company; and it is freely confessed, by those
who have the best opportunities for judging, that they
never knew so great a change for the better to take place
in a month anywhere, either at sea or on shore."
215 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
In the second letter, dated "U. S. Flagship Niagara,
Mouth of the Mississippi, Nov. 2, 1861," we have the
following:
"The Niagara, as you may recollect, arrived from Japan
in April, in a state of much religious interest. Some fifty
of the ship's company, embracing officers as well as seamen,
had been hopefully converted during her absence-the
greater number within a few weeks just preceding. The
influences leading to this happy result were still prevailing,
but were almost unavoidably stayed by the circumstances
awaiting our arrival. No intelligence from the United
States had reached us for many months; we were ignorant
of the secession of any of them, and little prepared for the
shock of the first words reaching us from a pilot-boat, as
she swept under our stern:'The Union is gone!''We are
at war!'' Fighting has begun!'  Nearly half the commissioned officers of the Niagara refused to take the oath
of allegiance required from them, and abruptly left the
ship, as secessionists, the same day.
"That the good work in progress on board should have
suffered a check by such disturbing causes was not a surprise. For a time this was the fact, so far as regarded
new cases of conversion; but the faith, hope, and spirit of
prayer of those already on the Lord's side continued in
lively exercise, and at the end of a few weeks the presence
of the Spirit was again manifested in the conviction and
inquiring state of one and another here and there, among
both officers and crew. Hopeful conversions have again
occurred up to the present time, and within the last two
months twelve more have been added to the number of
professed disciples, and have openly joined our band of
praying men. It certainly is an interesting sign of the
times, that there are found, among the most promising
young officers of our service, those who have the indeoen
216 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
dence and decision of character not only to avow themselves
to their messmates and fellow officers to be followers of the
blessed Saviour, but also unhesitatingly to identify themselves as such, at our nightly prayer and conference meetings, with the humblest sailor under them who loves the
Lord, as members of a common brotherhood.
"With a commander-in-chief deeply interested in the
best good of all under him-himself an humble and consistent follower of Christ; with a fine set of officers generally, so many of them of the same mind of our chief,
and so large a number of professed Christians and converts
among the crew, the combined influence on all on board
has been most marked and most salutary. We have a
happy ship; one that is a model in good discipline, good
order, and, consequently, in contentment. Commodore
McKean, as you well know, is a man of prayer, and during
our whole cruise has been found, night after night, at our
prayer and conference meetings on the forward deck, occupying the same plank for a seat with the common sailors,
uniting in the songs of praise and in the prayers of the
humblest of them, and himself often leading us to the feet
of Jesus at the throne of grace.  His promotion has produced no change in this respect; he was in his accustomed
place the first night after receiving it, and I know not
when I have been more touched than when, at the close
of the meeting, he motioned to me to withhold the usual
benediction for a moment, that he might, as I soon discovered, solicit the prayers of his brother sailors and fellow
Christians, lowly as their position in comparison with his
is, that he might have grace and strength from the Hearer
of prayer to discharge the responsibilities newly devolved
upon him to the glory of God and the best interests and
honor of his country."
In these letters, which must command the interest of
19
217 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
every pious and intelligent reader taking an interest in the
cause of living religion, we may learn some impressive
and profitable lessons. 1. As kindred spirits are mutually
attracted to association congenial, so, eminently, grace
leads converted sinners to associate with the converted in
exercises congenial to the gracious soul. And here, in the
prayer-meeting, the congenial fellowship and exercises are
found. 2. This pleasant exercise is the more attractive to
the active working Christian, because it is found to be, by
God's appointment, and in all Christian experience, and
under all circumstances, the specific and appropriate
means of promoting and sustaining revival of religion.
3. Whether on sea or land, in camp or church, the state
of religion and progress of grace are always known by the
condition of the prayer-meeting, as the most natural and
easily discriminating test.
From the following extracts, taken from recorded reminiscences of the old war ship North Carolina, we may learn
the foot-prints of the work of the Spirit of God in revival,
by tracing the lines of prayer, and the selected objects in
the concerted prayers of the prayer-meeting. And what a
striking similarity here, in the realization of the power of
the Spirit of God accompanying the prayer-meeting as a
means of grace, to the symbolical representation of Ezekiel,
in his vision of the wheels, the living creatures, and the
Spirit moving on in concert with them both! "And when
the living creatures went, the wheels went by them; and
when the living creatures were lifted up from the earth,
the wheels were lifted up. Whithersoever the Spirit was
to go, they went; thither was their Spirit to go; and the
wheels were lifted up over against them: for the Spirit of
the living creatures was in the wheels. When those went,
these went; and when those stood, these stood; and when
those were lifted up from the earth, the wheels were lifted
218 
HISTOPRY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
up over against them; for the Spirit of the living creature
was in the wheels." Wherever prayer, with other means
of grace, goes, there the Spirit of God goes with converting and reviving power; for the Spirit of God is always in
prayer.
"For several years the United States Ship North Carolina,
a very large vessel, has been lying at the Brooklyn Navy
Yard, used as a Receiving-ship for seamen. During the
greater part of the time, many hundred men have been on
board, waiting to be sent to other vessels. A ship thus
stationed at the entrance to the sea, in which thousands of
sailors sojourn for a time, would naturally be an object of
interest and a subject of prayer with those who have the
spiritual interests of seamen at heart: and God has heard
and answered prayer on behalf of this vessel.  More than
once the spirit of revival has been kindled, and many souls
have been converted on board. We give below some of the
reports which have been made from time to time of the
state of things on board this ship.
"Rev. Dr. Stewart said one day in the Fulton Street
meeting, he had often requested prayers for the men of the
sea on the North Carolina. When last he mentioned the
case of that ship in this meeting there were but few men
on board: now there are about five hundred. The work
of grace goes steadily forward, and from night to night
there are some who are coming out on the Lord's side.
Never did the men of this old ship stand in more need of
prayer than now, that God would not stay his hand, but
bring many to repentance.
"Another gentleman said he had been to one of the
prayer-meetings on the North Carolina. There was a good
numnber present, and the presence and power of the Holy
Spirit was most manifest. He heard a most touching letter
read from one of the seamen, who had been-sent from the
'219 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
North Carolina to the Ohio at Boston, giving a cheering
account of the progress of the work of grace on the Ohio.
The writer says that they have not the presence or aid of
clergymen or Christians from the shore, as in the Brooklyn
Navy Yard; yet they have the wonderful workings of the
Holy Spirit among the men of the ship, and daily there are
added to the numbers of believers those who they trust
shall be saved."
In speaking of the prayer-meetings held on the vessel, it
is added:
"One thing was remarkable in the prayers of all these
men: they prayed for the conversion of all the men at sea,
and for the blessing of God upon all on shore whoever
prayed for them. There was something," continued the
speaker,' that made me feel that it was a great privilege to
be remembered in the prayers of those men, for one could
not resist the impression that these prayers would be
heard.'
"At another time a chaplain of the Navy said'the revival on the North Carolina, with which he was almost
daily conversant, was wonderful, and without a parallel, so
far as he knew, in the naval service of any nation. At the
last three or four of the daily prayer-meetings which he
had attended on board, not less than fifteen had come out
aid confessed themselves to be on the Lord's side. The
hopeful conversions of the last few weeks are about eighty,
and it now seems to pervade more or less the whole ship's
company, numbering from nine hundred to one thousand
men.  No man, who can be a witness for himself, can
have a doubt of the genuineness of the work. No power
but Almighty power, could produce such results as are now
seen on board of this man-of-war. You would not know
what is going on in the minds of these really fine and noble
men, till you speak to them on the subject of religion, or
220 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
go into their prayer-meetings, and hear them pray; then
you will feel that the Holy Spirit is at work ill his silent,
but mysterious and amazing power, upon the hearts of
these men. The work of God's grace and mercy on board
our ships of the Naval service is a blessing to the nation
and to the world, for those men will be missionaries
wherever they go, on sea or on land."
"The following letter to Rev. Mr. Jones, of the Mariner's
Church, New York, speaking of a revival on board the
United States Ship St. Louis, was written by the pious
sailor who was the means of the establishment of the daily
evening prayer-meetings on board the North Carolina, and
which resulted in the ingathering into the fold of Christ
of such a company of earnest, faithful men, who are scattered now through several ships of war. In reading it,
Mr. Jones remarked that there were members of his church
on board eighteen of the armed vessels of the United
States:"
From this letter, above noticed, we extract the following:
"SAN JUAN DE NICARAGUA, Dec. 26, 1859.
"Looking from this advanced point, I can trace the
commencement of this work to the first days of Octoberat that time the Lord having evidently heard our prayers.
Most of the converted take, at once, an active part in our
meetings, and some have already begun missionary labor
among us."-"Another, two days after his conversion, and
his confessing Christ before men, conducted a noon prayermeeting in the main-top. Once he had the disposition of the
enraged tiger, now of the gentle lamb; once his mouth
was full of bitterness and cursing, now of prayer and
praise. Oh, that I could impart to you a faint, yet correct,
idea of the spirituality and blessedness of our meetings of
late! Oh, what solemn meetings! several officers present
19*
221 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
and a large portion of the crew. Great joy flowing from
a sense of the Saviour's pardoning love."
"Of the result of this revival, so far, there have been
nineteen hopeful conversions. Our officers are all kind to
us. We have privileges extended to us that praying men
on board other ships do not enjoy. On Christmas day
Captain Poor called all hands to prayer on the quarterdeck, and in the afternoon and evening we had our own
prayer-meetings. All hands to prayer on the quarter-deck
is an uncommon order from an officer commanding a ship
of war."
One extract more in this connection, and we shall close
this interesting part of our history of the prayer-meeting
among seamen:
"The following letter was addressed to Rev. Dr. Stewart, of the Navy, by a young sailor, bred regularly to the
sea, without any advantages of education or position other
than those of a common seaman:
" U.S. FRIGATE-Jan. 4, 1860.
"When I first came to this ship, I went to the captain
and asked him to grant me the privilege of having prayermeetings on board.  His answer to me was'No!'  My
hopes for good failed me, but God held me up. There
were only two of us, W       and myself.  I did not know
how I should keep on without the meetings I had enjoyed
on board the North Carolina. Little did I know of the
love of Jesus. He heard my feeble cry and blessed me.
Jesus is, indeed, the sailor's friend. When we had been
out about six weeks, I fell into conversation one day with
the ship's painter. I thank God for it. Through the
blessing of the Holy Spirit, I was thus made the means of
leading him to Jesus.  Then W        E     and I went up
into the main-top every evening, and knelt together in
222 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
prayer to God, that He would open a way for us to do
good, and would add to our number. Soon our little flock
increased to seven, and I thought then we might have a
private meeting on deck, where we could get together,
sing our hymns, and offer our prayers to God. We met
between two guns, and kept on in this way for some time,
till two more were added to us; and at last, as our number
had thus increased, we went down on the gunl-deck. Here
we took a bold stand. The place we chose was by the
main hatch, in the midst of the deck; on both sides of us
were the ship's company, going on in sin, and we in the
midst of them praising God. We still sold our meetings
regularly there. We were not granted the privilege; we
took this on our own responsibility.  We have no aid
from officers or men. The captain, and officers, and most
of the men, seem against us; still the power of God is
wonderfully manifest.  Our stand is so strong that none
now trouble or disturb us, and the captain does not stQp
us. It looks as if God had placed us there for a light to
others, and the men seem to regard it as a hallowed
place. None come to it to trouble us. Here we have had
two more added to the little band who meet together for
prayer and praise. Dear brother, we send a special request to all the followers of the Lord Jesus, for prayer
that the Holy Spirit may be felt in power in this
ship."
In this last extract we have a much needed moral
lesson of duty, and of Christian consistency with
Christian profession. We have also a spiritual lesson ill
regard to the divine faithfulness to divine promise,
and the power of divine grace in making prayer, fatith,
and the faithful use of divinely appointed means, successful ill the conversion of sinners, and gathering of saints
223 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
togethler in holy fellowship, and edifying them in holiness
and comfort.
The moral and spiritual lessons of these extracts are
these:
1. This young sailor, with one only kindred spirit, was
thrown away upon the high seas, among the enemies of
religion, far from his much loved North Carolina and her
happy prayer-meetings, and his beloved friends, with whom
he had so often enjoyed the sweet'fellowship of saints.
2. On his new ship, and from his new captain, he met
at once almost crushing discouragements in his first attempt to form a prayer-meeting.  And there, in all that
ship's company, not one more than the minimum number to secure the  promise to a prayer-meeting.   Two
only to make  a prayer-meeting.   "There were  only
two  of us, W         and  myself."   But  two or three
will do.
3. Notwithstanding the discouragements-" two only" —
and these refused permission by the captain, they go up to
the main-top every evening, and there have prayer-meetimg. There they ask God to open for them the way for
doing good. What an interesting example of strong faith
with telling works!
4. Their feeble and almost hopeless effort was crowned
with success.  Soon to the little flock-to the two-seven
were added.  Now they are nine-too large a number to
find pleasant accommodation in their little upper room"the main-top." Then the nine meet on deck, between
two guns. This persevering boldness is soon rewarded.
Two more are soon added to the nine. Now they are
eleven disciples. This is really quite a prayer-meeting.
Once more they make a bold advance. They now bring
their meeting to the main hatch, in the midst of the deck.
Soon two more are added. The prayer-meeting of two on
224 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the mPain-top, is now grown to a meeting of thirteen, in the
midst of the deck, at the main hatch-one more than the
number of disciples Christ had with him in his weekly
prayer-meeting in the upper room, the doors being shut.
Here are now thirteen disciples, and Christ, making, in the
sailor boy's prayer-meeting, fourteen, one more than in
Christ's primitive meetings. The sailor's effort was a suecess.  It has a moral.  Can we not apply it to matters of
vital interest, and of almost every day's occurrence-to
matters producing most serious consequences for good or
for evil to the cause of Christ?
Christian families, members of the church, are, by hundreds, every year, emigrating to the wild West, scattering
over immense territory fast settling up by the constant
tide from the East, and so depleting our old churches, and
making it a matter of some doubt whether, on the whole,
the church is gaining much, if anything, in numbers, just
now. It might be a successful way of improving our historical lesson here, to follow some of these emigrations, and
so have before us fact sketches from which to learn. We
shall suppose two cases of not at all improbable occurrence.
II the State, or Territory, and county of, six families
of our church, in regular standing in some of our eastern
churches, and regularly certified as members thereof, settle
down in the same vicinity. Two of them settle at the
cross roads, or in the new village in said county. The
other four settle, each out firom the centre, one mile and a
half in four opposite directions, making a circumference
whose diameter is three miles. These four families will
hav,e each one mile and a half to travel to enjoy the privilege of meeting with their brethren for prayer and conference in the cenltre of their locality. An equal number,
under similar circumstances and in like manner, settle in
the State, or Territory, and county of -
225 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Immediately, after thus settling down in their new
homes, the first group seek and form an acquaintance with
each other —which thing they will soon do if they are
under the influence of tlhe attractive principle implied in
the letters of certificate and dismissal they carry with them,
or if they are of like spirit with the sailor boy and his
kindred spirit friend, who went together every evening to
the main-top. They at once organize themselves into a
prayer-meeting. They establish their rules, and mutually
agree to observe them. Every Sabbath day, when they
cannot secure a supply of the preaching of the gospel, they
meet in the centre for prayer and Christian conference.
Also, weekly, on week-day or evening, they meet for the
same object, whether supplied with the preaching of the
gospel on the Sabbath or not. There, punctual to their
rules, and faithful to their brotherly covenant and church
obligations, each endeavors to be in his place in the prayermeeting on week-day and Sabbath. And as each feels an
interest in the success of the society, in the prospect of an
organized and settled congregation, in the prosperity of
the cause of Christ, in their own and their children's spiritual advantage; as also, in the salvation of sinners and
the welfare of their neighbors, with whom they are every
day associated, they will all-like Moses to Hobab-say
to those around them, "Come with us, and we will do thee
good." And so, like the sailor boy, on every proper occasion, by word and by Christian deeds, laboring and persevering, they will gain others, and their numbers must
increase. Soon the six families should become a score.
That bond which holds them together, they and their children will, by the blessing of God, draw within its folds an
enlarged band, ripe for a congregational organization.
This organization-like the sailor boy's prosperity-will
stimulate still more, and soon they can have five prayer
226 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
meetings, one in the centre, and one in each of the four
extreme points, each of these still gathering around it, as
did the first, and as the sailor boy's prayer-meeting did, and
thus everything will be upward and onward, for there faith
will be, and there God will work with them and for them.
To such a people the ordinances of the gospel will soon
be all supplied regularly, and their congregation become
self-sustaining. Still more: their youth, with the youth of
all the fanilies of the church settling among them from
time to time, and of those influenced to join them, will be
kept from the world and preserved to the church. And
still farther here: all who incorporate with them in good
faith, together with their children, will be trained for and
retained in the church as pillars; or, if emigrating elsewhere, will form certain and reliable nuclei for other prosperous and solid congregations.
It may here be replied: Few families thrown together
in new localities have the principle, or moral courage, attracting and holding them together in this way. Perhaps
too true; and the more to be lamented. It might be said,
too, and justly, there are few such sailors as this pious
youth, from the prayer-meetings of the North Carolina.
For good reasons, it may, indeed, be so said of too many
of our families thrown together in new settlements. They
were never well indoctrinated in the faith of their own
church, or in the faith of the Bible. Especially, they have
never been trained in our sailor's faith and practice in
regard to the prayer-meeting. They are fixed in the faith
and love of nothing of the kind, and, therefore, in the
market for anything that may happen to form their surroundings.
The other six families:-Let us follow them to their
locality, and mark their course and progress. They take
the common popular course: they and their families glide
227 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
along with the current. They form no particular acquaintance with each other. They organize no prayermeeting. Of course they have no Sabbath school. They
have nothing of the denominational kind. They worship
on the Sabbath with the most convenient assemblies, with
little reference to their matter and forms of worship. Their
children incorporate with the most convenient Sabbath
schools-perhaps with the "Sunday" School Union. Perhaps, at best, these six families and their very inviting
locality come to the knowledge of the Home Mission
Board. A missionary is sent them. He may succeed in
bringing them out to hear him on the Sabbath. He may'
succeed in bringing the better part of them out to a prayermeeting, while he remains with them to lead in the meeting, as they were wont to see in their old home churches.
But the three or four weeks of supply pass by, and the
young preacher is gone. To meet by themselves on the
silent Sabbaths, and to conduct a prayer-meeting, without
a minister to lead-these things are not to their mind;
and then their youth and children must be in their places in
the Sabbath school, from which they cannot withdraw them.
Next quarter, or perhaps at the end of six months, the
Board sends them a month's supply. The missionary
again wends his way to this fine field, where thousands are
locating, and where many churches are directing their attention and their resources, as to "a centre of influence."
But he finds our six families, at best, statu quo; or, if any
additional families have, in the meantime, settled in the
bounds, they are discouraged, and the youth of all alienated from the church. So this routine of missionary
rallying and Board expenditure, in a majority of cases,
ends in a failure.
There is another page in the history of these two groups.
The Home Mission Board claims a brief chapter here in
228 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEFETING.
connection with these two young mission stations. When
six families, as in the cases supposed, sustain a living
prayer-meeting, they cannot fail to sustain an efficient
Sabbath school. The other failing in the one, will as cer tainly fail in the other. With quarterly or monthly
supply, one will grow up and ripen into a self-sustaining congregation; the other will die, and all missionary expenditure
in money and labor be lost. Here, let our Mission Boards
know, lies the secret of the dwindling, failing, and dying
of so many mission stations, and the absorption and waste
of so much expenditure. Here lies the secret of so much
of that mournful falling off of our youth to the world, and
of our members to other communions, or into apostasy.
Let it not be said, there is no help for these things.
There is help for them; but not in the prevailing and
popular regimen of the times. There is help in God.
There is help, through grace, in the divine institutions. If
two weak sailor boys could, by the live prayer-meetinig, in
a few short months, increase their number seven-fold,
what might six families of the right spirit effect in almost
any new and rapidly populating locality? How soon
might the whole face of our Home Mission field be
changed, if all our emigrants were trained to the prayermeeting, as were those two sailor boys! If all our people
were trained in the principles of the church and the Bible,
and believed and loved them, every group of settlers, in
our broad Home Mission fields in the rapidly populating
new countries, would be like our sailor boy and like our
first six families-a success and acquisition to our Home
Mission cause. If our people, settling up our Home Mission fields, were right on this in their faith, their training,
and practice, it would be worth more to the cause than anll
our present expenditure, in both men and money. Oh,
when will the church learn to be wise!
20
229 
CHAPTER IX.
CONCERTED PRAYER-AND PRAYER-MEETINGS AMONG THE
MISSIONARIES.
Prayer-meeting interest awakened in India-Origin of the Week of
Prayer-Missionaries ask for Concerted Prayer at Home-Universal
Concerted Prayer among the Churches-Bombay-Poona-Letter of a
Ship Captain-General Principles.
Concerted prayer, and prayer-meetings among the missionaries.
SOME time after the opening of the Fulton Street daily
prayer-meeting, a more than usual religious interest was
felt among the missionaries in almost every foreign field.
In Sealkote, in Lodiana, Bombay, and, indeed, in almost
every Mission Station in India, the subject of revival, and
the call for more earnest united prayer, became a more
prominent concern, awakening general attention. This
soon drew out correspondence among the missionaries
themselves, and with the churches at home, on the subject
of the absorbing interest of the times. While the awakening of the churches to the revived prayer-meetings was per.
vading the entire evangelical church, in all her branches,
at home, the missionaries abroad prepared and sent their
call to the whole church for concerted prayer, upon a scale
of comprehension, for its grandeur of conception, its sim,
plicity, its scriptural character, its practicability and promise of rich and permanent fruits, perhaps never conceived
and carried into effect in any previous age. The move was
most heartily seconded, and most promptly carried out in
letter and spirit. Everywhere throughout all Christendom
230 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the hearty response was sent up. Now, since the second
week of January, 1860, the Week of Prayer has become
almost as familiar, to the live Christian, as the weekly
Sabbath.
That suggestion for a week of universal concerted prayer
was the fruit of revival, and prayer-meetings previously
giving character to the spirit of the religious times in this
country. The wonderfil gatherings of daily concerts, as
in New York, in Philadelphia, the Fulton Street and Sansomn Street gatherings, and as in all the cities and towns
in all parts of the country, were then of world-wide fame.
The long-to-be-remembered Xenia Convention had been
held. In every corner of the land the prayer-meeting was
an every day matter of greeting. The result of that suggestion-the establishment of that annual concert-may
form the electric chain which shall yet convey, in some
future time, the life-currents of the past down into the
church in a more glorious revival. It may yet be the instrument, and may furnish the occasion, of calling to remembrance "the year of the right hand of the Most High."
Nothing so powerfully moved the returned captives, when
standing before their new house, as the remembrance of
the glory of their former house. And what now gives
deeper emotional feelings, to many fathers in the church,
than the remembrance of the happy revival times, the
happy convention times, the happy prayer-meeting times,
the happy union times of that year of grace, 1858?
Thrilling chapters could be written-and some have
been-giving a narrative of requests sent by missionaries
to prayer-meetings at home for special and concerted
prayers in behalf of objects of great interest to the mission
cause-as for the conversion of sons of missionaries sent
home for education with earnest solicitude for preparation
for mission work in a foreign field. Many such cases of
231 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
great interest have occurred; that of Dr. Newton, of Lodiana, who had sent his son home, is one deserving a perpetual record. Our space forbids to enter it here in full.
That son was for a time, after being sent to this country,
unpromising and reckless, indeed, almost a confirmed infidel. The intelligence of his downward course, which
nearly crushed a fond and praying mother, and saddened
the heart of an eminently godly father, who had dedicated
him to God for the work of the ministry in a foreign field.
Long had fond anticipations been cherished by the father
of living to see with him, side by side in the work of the
mission, a dear son to cheer in a foreign land, and close
the eyes of a dying father, and then take up the mantle
and carry on the Lord's work after he should be taken
home to rest. Notwithstanding the thickness of that dark
cloud that for a time hung over the hopes of the anxious
parents in a foreign field, and of friends at home, that
father realized his hopes. Earnest solicitations by letter
had been sent home to the prayer-meetings for united
prayer on his behalf At the same time the parents set
apart a week for fasting and prayer, during which they
together earnestly pressed the same object at a throne of
grace. Each day they wept, and prayed, and fasted before
God in behalf of their reckless son. About the same time
at home, in the daily prayer-meetings, many prayers were
turned to the same object. The whole course and current
of the life of this reckless youth was turned in a new direction. He consecrated himself, soul and body, to God and
to the cause of missions. After due preparation he set
sail for India, where, joining his venerated father, he labored side by side with him, and where he is still, since the
death of his father, spared to do battle with the powers of
darkness.
A letter from Bombay, written by a missionary there,
232 
HISTORY OF TAE PRAYER-MEETING.
bearing date June, 1859, directed to the Fulton Street
Prayer-meeting, soliciting the prayers of the meeting in
behalf of the writer and the mission, was read ill the meeting and produced a deep sensation. The reception of the
letter and the result in the prayer-meeting was in due time
made known at Bombay. Another letter was soon on its
way home bearing intelligence of the state of revivals and
of prayer-meetings, not only at Bombay, but many other
mission stations. The following are some extracts taken
from that letter:
"Just about the time that the letter above mentioned
reached its destination, and the attention of the Fulton
Street Union Prayer-meeting was specially directed toward
Bombay, two daily Union Prayer-meetings were established here, one at seven o'clock in the morning, ill the
Church of Scotland's Missionary Institution, ill the native
town; the other at one o'clock in the Scotch Church in the
fort, and designated the Business Men's Mid-day Union
Prayer-meeting-all government officers, and those of our
merchants, professional men, etc., being in the fort. It has
been my great privilege to take part in the establishment
of these meetings, and it has been my precious privilege to
bear a humble part in the maintenance of them to the
present time. Shortly after the commencement of these
two meetings, another was established by the native Christians in their own language. We have now, therefore,
three daily Union Prayer-meetings in Bombay. I can
bear testimony that such praying as is heard in these
Union meetings, has never been heard before in this city
during the fourteen years of my connection with it. God's
people have been taught by the Spirit how to pray, and
strengthened by the Spirit to continue instant in prayer.
This spirit of prayer is the earnest of blessings which it
is transporting to anticipate.   In addition to the daily
20*
233 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
prayer-meetings, we have seven or eight weekly prayermeetings, and three monthly concerts.
"In the city of Poona, distant about one hundred miles
from Bombay, a weekly Union Prayer-meeting has been
recently established, which is well attended, and increasing
in interest and power. I attended this meeting lately,
while on a visit to Poona, and can testify to the earnest
spirit of prayer that prevails in it. There are two or
three other prayer-meetings in Poona, and a monthly
concert.
"At Ahmednugger, about seventy miles from Poona, a
great spirit of prayer prevails. The Annual Meeting of
the American Mission was held there from the 19th to the
26th of last month. All the American missionaries of this
presidency, with one exception, were present.
"A great and interesting spirit of prayer prevails in
other parts of India. I cannot lengthen this letter by a
reference to all the places where daily Union Prayermeetings have been established; but I cannot refrain from
noticing the very interesting circumstances in which such
a meeting has been established in Calcutta."
The writer then proceeds to give a deeply interesting account of the dommencement of a series of meetings for
prayer at Calcutta, in the first of which he says:
"During the meeting numbers were deeply affected to
tears. All went away as if sorry that the meeting was at
an end, feeling that it was good to have been there, and
hungering and thirsting after a renewal of similar
meetings."
The following narration was given in one of the Fulton
Street meetings:
"A ship captain, recently returned from a long voyage,
said he had called at an island in the course of the voyage,
14,000 miles sailing from here, one which he had known
234 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEi]TING.
well in former times as an island of cannibals. He stood
off and on for some time, uncertain whether to land or not.
He considered it dangerous to attempt it.  Finally, one
evening, he ventured to land with a few of his men; and
what do you think we found? We found a prayermeeting. It was a meeting of sixty young people, all the
children of heathen parents; but thirty of these were now
Christians. They had been visited by missionaries from
some of the neighboring Christian islands, and I found
them and heard them singing the same tunes which I have
heard here to-day. Only think of it, said the officer,
14,000 miles away I heard heathen youth singing your
tunes, and praying to God on an island where I dared not
land when I first hove in sight! I tell you that it affected
me greatly. I thought of what God is doing in answer
to prayer. I have come home more deeply impressed
than ever I was before with the power of prayer."
It may be well to notice here, in this connection, that, so
far as the history of prayer-meetings is concerned, in the
army, among seamen, in union meetings and religious conventions, in the great annual gatherings, as the week of
prayer, on the second week of January, and among the
missionaries in foreign fields-all are embraced in the same
general principles sanctioning them, and clearly stated in
the Bible. They all belong to a distinct class of prayermeetings, outside of ecclesiastical organization. All the
ends contemplated in all these specified meetings are sanctioned in God's word as the legitimate objects of Christian
effort, and concerted social prayer a legitimate means of
obtaining them. In a proper, yet qualified sense, all the
prayer-meetings of this class are extraordinary, growing
out of the circumstances and occasions suggesting them.
They are not a part of the ecclesiastical organization of any
particular congregation or church, and, therefore, not
235 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
under the control of any congregation, session, or higher
church court. They belong to the church catholic, or to
all Christians. They seem to be well adapted to the divided and scattered state of the church. They are platforms
on which all Christians can stand, and rallying centres
around which all can gather for the enjoyment of an extended Christian fellowship, and for holding counsel in regard to all that concerns the glory of God, the cause of
religion and the church, the salvation of sinners, and the
welfare of the race.
This is not the connection in which to discuss the divine
warrant for prayer-meetings of this class. Their authorization has been noticed elsewhere; yet it is proper to
notice the distinction referred to, inasmuch as we are about
to bring under review a class of prayer-meetings distinct,
more intimately connected with the church organic, and
with her internal and household work, more immediately
under the notice of her courts, her officers, her congregationls, and her members. As revivals find a place in General Assemblies, in Synods, in Presbyteries, in Sessions, in
congregations, and in select praying circles, so the prayermeeting, side by side, will, of necessity, find a place in all
these. Still more, as the ordinances of religious worship
appointed by the Head of the Church are to be kept pure
and entire, and to be observed always, whether in times of
revival or times of backsliding, so is the prayer-meeting, as
an ordinance of worship, to be observed ordinarily in every
congregation. In this view, mainly, of the prayer-meeting,
we shall now follow its history during a period of great religious interest. The church has, or should have, her own
prayer-meetings.  She needs them in seasons of revival.
Slhe needs them when the love of many waxes cold. She
needs them when the enemy comes in like a flood. She needs
them when any perilous time shall come.
236 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
In the year 1857, the prayer-meeting was revived in all
the evangelical churches in Europe and America, just at
the time when it was revived among the seamen, in religious and union conventions, and in Foreign Mission fields.
And while, with men, it may be impossible to determine
when, or where, or with whom, precisely, the revivals of
that period first commenced-yet the historian may trace,
by the prayer-meeting, their manifestations, their progress,
the means employed in promoting them, and their
fruits.
237 
CHAPTER X.
THE PRAYER-MEETING AMONG THE CHURCHES.
American Writers-" Five Years of Prayer "-N. Y. Observer-Premature
Impressions-Revival in Ireland-Prof. Gibson, of Belfast-References
to Year of Grace-Revival Awakenings in Ireland as Early as 1855 Early Prayer-Meeting and Sabbath School Movements-" The Believ ers' Fellowship Meeting "-Revival in Connor-Prayer-Meetings for a
Quarter of a Century-Facts and Reflections-Revivals and Prayer Meetings move forward over the Churches together-State of Revivals
and the Prayer-Meetings brought before the General Assembly-Pro gress of Prayer-Meeting Revival through the North of Ireland-Re  ports from Congregations-Genuineness of the Revivals-Testimony
of Pastors-Churches and Sabbath Schools thronged-Arianism and
other prevailing errors decline as Prayer-Meetings and Revivals
Progress-" Psalms never so much prized "-Rev. Magill's Report of
Dundrod-Prayer-Meetings and Suppression of Immorality-Drunk ards Reformed-Wonderful increase of Prayer-Meetings-Lessons and
Reflections suggested confirming the Views taken of the Prayer Meeting-Fruits of Revivals in Ireland and America Compared-Re vival in Ireland propagated by Prayer-Meetings in the Church-Report
of the Presbytery of Ahoghill-Congregational Reports of Prayer Meetings-Remarkable Record of the state of Evangelical Religion
and the Prayer-meeting from 1857 to 1859.
AMERICAN writers have made, at least, enough of the
Fulton Street Union Prayer-meeting, and of the extent of its influence; and, perhaps, too much of its originality and priority. We are not sure that it is entitled
to all that is claimed for it, or for the New York Observer,
in waking up the Presbyterian churches of Ireland and
Scotland.  Nor are we sure that American writers have
not given more to human-devised agencies, and less to di.
238 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
vine institutions, than European laborers and writers. The
animus American seems to rise above the surface in the
following, from S. J. Prime's "Five Years of Prayer,"
p. 269:
"The Connor enlightenment, so far as practicable, was
kept unnoticed and unknown. It seems to have been so
gradual and gentle, like the dew on the mown grass, that
the parties did not feel constrained for a time to compel
others to come in. One member of the flock wandered a
little away beyond the parochial limits, and, touched with
a live coal from the altar himself, his words, and tears, and
prayers, kindled a flaming fire in the hearts of others, and
impelled them to go and beseech sinners to flee from the
wrath to come. Besides, tidings of the American revival
reached this country. Our church courts directed ministers to consider the subject and preach on it. This was
generally done throughout our presbytery, and, I presume,
throughout the congregations of our Synod. American
newspapers, especially the New York Observer, were regularly read by some of us, and thus the subject kept fresh
and prominent before the mind."
Two impressions in regard to the beginning of the revival and revived prayer-meetings of this period may have
been premature. First. That the revival began in this
country, and then extended its influence to Europe.
Second. That the revival began with the Fulton Street
Union Prayer-meeting, New York. Facts of history, and
reports of the actors of the times seem to indicate a
work of grace in progress in Ireland, in connection with
the prayer-meetings and other ordinary means of grace,
some time before the sudden rise of,he Fulton Street
meetings, whose light blazed so brightly over the world.
A distinction is certainly due to the facts of history.
The revival in Ireland began in the churches under the
239 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
earnest administration of the ordinary institutions of grace
given to the church as divinely appointed means of revival,
and was conducted mostly in the same way, and never became so ostentatious and noisy. So, also, its effects were
more permanent and lasting. The American revival began
outside of the church-rather led and controlled the
church, than otherwise, and was, perhaps, consequently not
so evangelical or permanent as revivals originating in the
church, and controlled by her influence.
Professor Gibson, of Belfast, Ireland, in his "Year of
Grace"-a work from which we shall draw largelysays:
"The great awakening of last year, though it has culminated in a form which has attracted the attention of the
churches, is not in its remoter origin a thing of yesterday.
For many years a purifying and preparatory process has
been going forward, especially in that communion which
has so largely shared the gracious influence. A return to
the'old paths' of orthodoxy was speedily followed by
auspicious indications of returning life; and the Presbyterian church of Ulster, immediately on the consummation
of an ecclesiastical union between its two great sections,
about twenty years ago, at length arose to its true position
as a missionary institute to Jew and Gentile-a witness for
the truth to all nations. By the good hand of God a generation of energetic and devoted ministers was raised up,
with many of whom the burden of their prayers has ever
been,' O Lord, revive thy work."'
"It is right it should be known," says the Rev. S. M.
Dill, of Ballymena, "that this movement has not come
among us quite so suddenly as people at a distance might
be led to suppose. I am able to testify that there has been
a gradual, but perceptible improvement in the state of religion throughout this district for some years. Ministers
240 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
were led to speak to the people with greater earnestness
about the things which belong to their peace. Attendance
on the public ordinances of religion had considerably increased. Open air preaching was extensively practised.
Sabbath schools were greatly multiplied. Prayer-meetinigs
were growing up in many districts."
That the revival of religion and of the prayer-meeting
had passed its incipiency before the fall of 1857, and had
made encouraging progress in many parts of Ireland, is
evident from the state of religion above referred to, and its
condition previously. A reliable writer, referring to this
previous state of things, says:
"From my first entrance on the work of the ministry, I
believed that the faithful use of the means of grace should
be followed by their appropriate effects as certainly as the
tillage of a field is followed by a crop, or as diligence in
any profession is rewarded with success; and bitter, therefore, was my disappointment as year after year passed and
still no fruit appeared. In grief I wondered at what I considered the mysterious withholding of the Spirit, and set
myself to account for it. What alarmed me most was the
disinclination, almost hostility, of the people to hold prayermeetings. I had nearly begun to cease hoping. I felt as
if I were almost quite alone-no one mourning or praying
with me. I told them that I was appalled at their apparent determination to have no prayer-meetings and to seek
no revival; that the showers were going around us and
around us, and not a drop falling our way, and that we
would be left utterly reprobate, a visible monument of the
consequences of despising gospel privileges."
Again, speaking of the succeeding period, after the revival of the prayer-meetings had set in, he adds:
"Some whom I had never seen at a prayer-meeting, and
who would have said they had not time to attend for a
21
241 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
couple of hours once a month, have, since the revival commenced, attended often twice daily, in some instances with
three or four sons, during the best working hours of the
summer day. I knew there were always a few, very few, I
feared, praying people in the several congregations in.
the neighborhood; and attempts were always made to
keep up prayer-meetings in my own; but up to the very
week of the bursting forth of the revival, there appeared no
general desire nor felt need of such a thing."
In the winter of 1855, extra evening meetings were appointed at Connor for the benefit of the masses without,
because the church was so thronged at the usual services
by the members of the church that few besides, could find
accommodation. These meetings, toward spring, became
very interesting. The idea took hold of many that a great
revival was at hand. Many prayers were offered up in
public and in private for its realization. So deep was the
impression upon the minds of staid men, that, at the close
of one of the meetings, one exclaimed to the pastor with
almost prophetic pathos, "You will yet see good days in
Connor." Such was the state of things early in that year,
in the place destined in a few years to become the
centre of wide-spread revival of religion and the prayermeeting.
About the same time other congregations introduced
extra exercises with the view of extending and deepening
an interest in matters of religion. At the close of a
Sabbath evening exercise in Ballamma, the pastor said to
a young man:
"Could you not gather, at least, six of your careless
neighbors, either parents or children, to your own house,
or some other convenient place, on the Sabbath, and spend
an hour with them, reading and searching the word of
God? The young man hesitated for a moment, but prom
242 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
ised to try. From that trial, made in faith, originated the
Tannybrake Sabbath school, and in connection with it,
two years subsequently, a prayer-meeting, which yielded
some of the first fruits of the great awakening."
The subsequent spring, the Sabbath school was re-opened,
with an accession to its teachers, and under more favorable auspices. It was soon in a flourishing state, and
marked with great religious earnestness, both among the
teachers and the taught. In this state of things, the parents of the Sabbath school children were brought in, and
at the close of the school a meeting was held for prayer,
reading the Scriptures, and religious conference. Some
discouragements, for a time, attended this prayer-meeting.
It was called in the neighborhood, "The Sabbath School
Teachers' Prayer-meeting." It has since been better known
in history as "The Tannybrake Sabbath School Prayermeeting." Owing to the localities of four of its leading
members, and for the sake of convenience, the place of
meeting was changed to a little school house near to Connor, County Antrim, and received the significant name
from that time forth of" The Believers' Fellowship Meeting." They here agreed upon a special object of prayer.
That object-" That God would bless the means of grace
in Connor, the Sabbath school and prayer-meeting, with
revival of religion "-was, pursuant to the agreement, perseveringly pressed in their concerted prayers, till, at length,
they were wonderfully answered.
"For  more than a  quarter of century the prayermeeting had existed in that locality, while similar meetings
had, in other districts, after many ineffectual efforts to
maintain them, languished and revived, languished again,
and died. Once the meeting in question was so far reduced in numbers, that only two came together to call
upon the name of the Lord. Still they continued to pray
243 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
on, and by degrees the little company increased, until it
became two bands."
Some facts here are worthy of special note:
1. The prayer-meetings, which seem to have been common over the greater part of the North of Ireland, had,
for a quarter of a century, been in a declining state-some
had actually died. Everywhere religion was in a confessedly low state; for here was the outstanding evidence:
the prayer-meetings-the never-failing thermometer, certain in its thermal indications, now very low-declared to
all, a cold and dead state of the religious atmosphere.
2. The district of Connor-like Philadelphia, among the
seven declining churches of Asia Minor-still, for a quarter of a century, had kept alive the prayer-meetings, and
the praying ones still struggled on, "continuing steadfastly
in prayer," though at one time "only two" met in the
prayer-meeting. 3. When the great awakening came,
here first the showers began to pour down their refreshings-Connor became the great Fulton Street of the Revival in Ireland in 1857.  Why  was this place distinguished, like the fleece, bedewed with such significant
promise? And does not this suggest the inquiry-Can
prayer-meetings-earnest prayer-meetings-fail, sooner or
later, to secure the blessing of revival, where that is perseveringly sought? Where will revival be sought but
among a praying people?  Can any praying people live
together in convenient vicinity, and not be gathered together by the attractive power of the spirit of prayer, to
have and enjoy the prayer-meeting?  The history of Connor, its living prayer-meeting, and its consequent revival,
show that a praying people, keeping alive the prayermeeting perseveringly, will, in due time, enjoy the blessing
of revival.
Speaking of" The Believers' Fellowship meeting," near
244 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Connor, in County Antrim, the author of the "Year of
Grace," proceeds to say of the Revival in Ireland:
"The fellowship meeting," above referred to, "was established almost simultaneously with those concerts of
prayer, begun by a similar agency, in America, whose
influence was so extensively felt throughout the great
Western Continent The society soon ceased to be a secret
one; and slowly one kindred spirit after another was introduced, on the recommendation of some of the original
members."
This prayer-meeting, which took its origin from the religious influence of the church, after its notoriety became
wide-spread, was opened to all, and became the centre of
extended operations in conducting the revival through the
course of its after progress. It became the place of concentred interest, where, like the Fulton Street Meeting,
special prayer was frequently offered in behalf of persons
whose names were reported to the meeting. During this
period, "a great impulse was given to consideration and
seriousness, intensifying and extending these general precursors of conviction and revival. The old prayer-meetings
began to be thronged, and many new ones established.
No difficulty now to find persons to take part in them.
The winter was past; the time of the singing of birds had
come.   Humble, grateful, loving, joyous converts multiplied."
These are given as the evidences of revival of religion
in the church of Connor; the conversion of sinners and
the revival of prayer-meetings, for  "Meetings for Christian converse and prayer began to
spread. In a short time the community was altogether
changed in its outward aspects, and pervading seriousness
prevailed."
This state of things, prevailing through the churches,
21*
245 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
was brought before the General Assembly, where action
was taken, which had for its object encouragement in the
great work, and counsel to the churches for conducting to
a happy issue. This action of the Assembly gave a more
,wide-spread notoriety, at home and abroad, and clothed
the work-the revival and the prayer-meetings-with a
quasi ecclesiastical character.
PROGRESS OF THE PRAYER-MEETING REVIVAL THROUGH
THE NORTH OF IRELAND.
Some youth, awakened in the Connor fellowship meeting, passed over into the adjoining district of Ahoghill,
and there organized the prayer-meeting, and introduced
the practice of concerted prayer for special objects. This
was soon followed by blessed fruits in that district; thus
we have it stated:
"Thereafter prayer-meetings began to multiply. The
new converts, with other Christians, whose hearts the Lord
stirred, engaged in the work of prayer and exhortation
with unquenchable zeal. Thus the work spread daily;
and daily fresh interest was awakened. Common houses,
and even large churches, were not able to contain the nmtIltitudes that assembled, so that often the highway and the
open field, in the cold evenings of spring, were the scenes
of deeply interesting meetings."
The religious movement, indeed, everywhere throughout
the country, seems to have shaped its character after the
pattern of Connor, where, as we learn, there were one hundred prayer-meetings every week. A few months ago the
bellowing of anger, and cursing, and blasphemy, resounded
along the roads from parties returning from the markets,
and especially on Saturday night, or, rather, on Sabbath
mornings. Now the sweet song is heard floating on the
night air from persons returning from the prayer-meetings.
246 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
* Speaking of the evidences of the genuineness of this
work, the author of" The Year of Grace" says:
"It is known by the feeling of deep solemnity that pervades the neighborhood-by the vast increase of family
religion-by the absence of hitherto prevailing sins-by
the keeping up of prayer-meetings in almost every locality
-by the great increase in the attendance on the ordinances
of God's house-and by the large accessions which have
been made to the communicants' roll in all our churches."
The same, speaking of the evidences of the genuineness
of the work in Ballymena, says:
"The greatest blessing is not the blessing seen, though
there is enough  to disprove every doubter.   Sabbath
schools have been increased and invigorated. A town
mission has been instituted. Prayer-meetinigs are very
numerous, and family worship generally observed."
Again, evidences of the character of this work among
rural classes:
"It is not, however, mere feeling which distinguishes
these individuals; their spirit, their lives, their walk, bespeak the marvellous revolution in their history. Is love
of the Bible a proof of conversion? There is onie who keeps
it at her pillow, another who carries it in his pocket, for
a hurried glance amid the business of the field. The summer before last, in a bog, were seen, in the hands of different parties, while resting from the labor of cutting
turf, five packs of cards; last summer as many Bibles
were their companions in toil. Is fellowship with one
another, another mark of grace? Numerous are the little
prayer-meetings held in the cottages, where neighbors assemble to read and pray with one another."
Testimony of liquor dealers to the revival and the
prayer-meeting:
"There are drunkards reclaimed by something more
247 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
potent than the pledge; their burning lust has been cooled
by the blood of the cross; and not a few of these lift up a
warning voice among us against what they invariably call
the devil's cup. So strong is the testimony borne by the
Spirit against the use of intoxicating drinks, that four
public houses in the parish have closed, and those publicans who remain in the trade find their occupation almost
gone. I know one, who, a few months ago, heartily cursed
the revival and the prayer-meetings, for'they had done
him up.'
Rev. S. M. Dill, closing a letter in which he gives an
account of the character of the work in his district, says:
"Happy am I to say that most cheering evidences of
God's work continue in our district; everywhere meetings
for prayer and Scripture reading-great thirst for hearing
the word-increased attendance on the house of God and
at the communion table-and seriousness and anxiety
about the concerns of the soul."
A report from Coleraine, giving all account of the work
there, and closing with evidences of its character, says:
"Full sanctuaries, full Sabbath schools, full prayermeetings, brotherly love, increased liberality, and additions
by hundreds to the communion of the churches-these are
the fruits that remain to witness to the character of the
work, which will make the summer of 1859 to be long remembered in Coleraine."
The Rev. John Stewart, pastor of the congregation of
Ballycarry, writes the following narrative:
"Here was erected the first Presbyterian Church in Ireland. Here the Rev. Edward Brice, in 1613, unfurled the
banner of Scotland's covenant, and began preaching the everlasting gospel.  Two faithful and godly.ministers were his
successors, and there for eighty long years the church lay
under thie incubus of Arianism-the frozen zone of Chris
248 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
tianity. God reserved here a goodly remnant which adhered to the Synod of Ulster, when, in 1829, their minister
and a portion of his flock openly abandoned the faith of
God's people. Since that time our church, like the house
of David, has waxed stronger and stronger, and'Unitarianism,' as the heresy is now called, like the house of Saul,
has waxed weaker and weaker. God's gracious'REVIVAL,'
which commenced early in May last, has still more added
to our members. Through the mighty working of the
Holy Spirit on the hearts of sinners, forty souls have been
brought from under that Christless system (Arianism) into
the communion of our church, and God has bestowed on
some of them, both males and females, wonderful power
of prayer, and fluency of expression.
"After more than seven months' experience, I can boldly
and fearlessly bear my testimony to the blessed fruits and
marvellous results of this mighty movement. Amongst
ourselves here, in this extensive district, God's right hand
and holy arm have won many victories. Never was there
such a summer as the last; never such an autumn; never
such a winter, as far as it has gone. Hundreds have been
savingly converted to the Lord. The first effect of the
revival was, that'fear came upon every soul.' Then was
our church filled to suffocation, and we were obliged to
take to the open fields to declare the message of mercy to a
hungering and thirsting population. I had pastor's work
to do. I had living men and living women before me.
They came to the sanctuary on the sole errand of obtaining the bread of life. Every Sabbath was a day of sweet
refreshing.  On every week-day evening'they that feared
the Lord spake to one another, and the Lord hearkened
and heard' them (in their daily prayer-meetings), and
there were added daily to the church'such as should be
saved.'"
249 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
The Rev. William Magill, pastor of the church of Dundrod, in closing a long report of the revival in his charge,
bears this testimony to the prayer-meeting:
"Prayer-meetings are appointed in the several districts
of the congregation, but wherever there is an earnest seeking soul, the people meet for prayer. The songs of Zion,
the Psalms of David, those glorious Psalms, never so much
prized as now, ascend from almost every house. And in
the still summer evening, strains of heavenly music seem
to float on the tremulous air. Imagination is busy, and
no wonder, and men pause on the highway to catch the
sweet sounds, now soft and low, rising and falling, and
now ringing like the chimes of church-bells. They thought
the angels were above and around them.  They thought
they heard the festive chimes of heaven, the pealing of the
bells of the city of God, as the heavenly hosts proclaimed
the triumphs which their Lord was achieving over his foes
on earth."
Rev. Brown, of Newtonlimavady, reports the effects of
revival there, as follows:
"The effects I shall sum up in a few words:  Drinking
of ardent spirits was scarcely known in town for the
months of June, July, and August. Of those impressed,
not more than one or two have gone back to intemperance.
Party spirit and quarreling are all but dead. The assistant Barrister has almost nothing to do on the Crown day.
Prayer-meetings are held in every hamlet of the country,
and in every street of the town, almost every evening, and
sometimes twice on the same evening, in different places,
by the same persons. Scarcely a young man, above the
age of fourteen, either in town or country, will refuse to
pray publicly in any meeting; and sometimes little boys,
of nine or ten years old, astonish their grandfathers by the
beauty and fervor of their devotions. The daily meeting
250 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
is well attended, and the early zeal appears scarcely aught
abated."
Another, in reporting results, says:
"We have two united meetings for prayer every day, in
one of which the laity take a prominent part. The ministers are at once helped and refreshed. In addition to these
united meetings, there are Presbyterian meetings, in which
the various congregations unite, and also in each congregatioxt one meeting in a week for their own members, and
others who may join them, all of which are well attended."
Rev. J. P. Willson, of Cookstown, says:
"Within a district four miles round, hundreds have been
added to the communion of the church. Family worship
has been established where it was never observed before;
people come out to the house of God in greater numbers,
and listen with more marked attention; district prayermeeting are mutltiplied; drunkards have been reformed;
Ed  neighborhoods have totally changed their character.
The people have settled down to an earnest, sober, prayerful use of the means of grace."
Another:
"I am now busily engaged visiting in the country; and
the downright reality of the glorious revival is demonstrated in the extraordinary transformation of character
which I witness in many families, Who, from being the most
careless, are now ready for every good work: I never enjoyed such real pleasure from any former'Visitation of my
people. Nothing amazes me more than the number of the
prayer-meetings established everywhere over the country.
Neither my brethren nor myself have had anything to do
with the formation or sustenance of them. All false delicacy and shame are laid aside in matters of religion, and
251 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
men and boys that could not be induced to pray before
others, now do so with effect and profit."
The following is an interesting report:
"It is no exaggeration to say that the attendance at our
houses of worship is double what it was last year, and that
attention to the services of the sanctuary fills every heart.
There is a new feature manifest in our assemblies-the
people evidently come to hear, and to learn, that they may
obey. On the last administration of the sacrament in our
congregations, there was, at least, one-third of an addition
to our communicants' roll, and this increase consisted principally of young converts. Prayer-meetings are in active
operation in our bounds, and there is not anything connected with the whole movement so astonishing as the
fervent, eloquent, and well-conceived prayers put forth on
these occasions by young converts, whose education and
opportunities for mental improvement have been so limited. A few Sabbaths ago, I made an appeal to my people
for some money to procure a congregational library, that
knowledge might be increased among our youth; and I
was met in a way J did not expect; all were inclined to
give. Had the subject been mooted among us some
years ago, not one in twenty would have responded to the
call."
After grouping together a number of extracts of great
interest, and all, more or less, bearing the same testimony
to the inseparable connection between revival and the
prayer-meeting-the latter always given as an evidence of
a healthy state of religion-we may here, before proceeding farther in this connection, notice some of the leading
facts bearing upon our subject. They are fact demonstrations of the truth we are laboring to urge upon the consideration of our readers-the vital importance of the
252 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
prayer-meeting to the cause of religion, whether personal
or social.
1. These extracts show, without exception, that true re vival of religion stirs the heart of the revived to the ardent
love and the habitual practice of prayer-brings to the
closet, to -the family altar, and to the social prayer-meeting
invariably. When Saul of Tarsus was converted, the
Lord, who knew infallibly the best evidence of true re ligion, and of revival of religion, sent down from heaven
his testimony, which silenced all fears, "Behold, he prayeth." So all these witnesses before us give decisive evidence of the unquestioned character of the revivals
in their churches-earnest and numerous  prayer-meetings.
2. With the manifestation of the spirit of prayer in revival, and the consequent outgrowth of prayer-meetings,
concerted prayer for special objects prevailed. Revived
Christians, moved by the power of life-giving grace, are
drawn together for prayer, and by the same gracious impulses they are inclined to unite their prayers upon some
common object of spiritual solicitude in their social prayermeetings. They often "agree on earth touching something
that they shall ask, assured that it shall be given them of
their Father in heaven." This exemplifies the spirit of
true revival, and applies one of the efficient instrumentalities appointed for the promotion and extension of the cause
of true religion. God hears and answers prayer, but most
signally concerted social prayer.  It need not be matter
of surprise that congregations should hold their prayermeetings-cold and aimless prayer-meetings-from year
to year, and at the end of long years have no evidence of
any known fruits of prayer and of prayer-meetings. And
why? Mainly, because they never unitedly desired, and
never, by previous agreement, importunately pressed an
22
253 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
object of prayer upon the ear of a prayer-hearing
God.
3. Another feature of these historic extracts: Wherever
prayer-meetings prevail in congregations, there will vigorous Sabbath schools be sustained, and earnest attention
given to the religious training of the youth. There will
be town missions, or some such benevolent enterprises for
the benefit of the masses. There will be effort and interest
in every good cause in which the spirit of revived religion
enlists every one under its life-inspiring influence. These
references very distinctly show that just in proportion as
any people take an interest in the prayer-meeting, so are
they found active in every other Christian and benevolent
enterprise. So, on the other hand, these show that where
there is no interest manifested in the prayer-meeting, little
well-directed public spirit will appear in the cause of religion and the church.
4. These extracts demonstrate the efficiency of the
prayer-meeting as an instrument of moral reform. Drunkenness and the liquor traffic fall before its influence as
Dagon before the Ark of the God of Israel. Here is a
reforming agency more potent in reclaiming the drunkard
than either pledge or Good Templar Lodge. Four public
houses close in one parish. One publican remaining in
the trade, finds the profits of his occupation almost gone,
and curses the prayer-meeting because "they had done
him up." Instead of packs of cards being carried by the
poor turf-diggers, the Bible is made the pocket companion
in toil, and placed under the pillow, at night, where rests
the toil-wearied head. The angry passions of party spirit
and political excitement, are alike allayed by the Christ like spirit of social prayer.
5. These prayer-meetings were correctives of the grossest
Arianism, and of kindred heresies which had long pros
254 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
trated the strength of the church and the power of
vital godliness. Too many popular revivals have been
productive of the grossest errors and corruptions, as
also divisions and  disintegrations  of churches.   Such
were many of the revivals in our western country, about
the close of last century and the beginning of this, as in
Kentucky and some other of the Western States. Out of
Kentucky revival sprung New-Light  Arianism  and a
large growth of Shakers- disciples of Anna Leeheaded by Barton Stone, Houston, McNamar, and
others.
These revivals and revived prayer-meetings of Ireland
were  productive of very different  fruits.   They were
characterized by very different sowings.  Instead of the
tares of the enemy, the seed of Scotland's Reformation,
under the banner of Scotland's Covenant, was liberally
sown, broad-cast over the fields, by these revival prayermeetings; and the result was, that where, "for eighty long
years, the church lay under theincubus of Arianism-the
frozen zone of a nominal Christianity, these souls have
been brought from under that Christless system into the
communion of the church." In these revival prayermeetings were explained and sung "the songs of Zion, the
Psalms of David, those glorious Psalms, never so much
prized as now, ascending from almost every house." Under
such popular influence how could heresy thrive? How
could pure religion decline? But where Sectarian songs,
imbued with Arianism and other Sectarian heresy, were
made the sources of the inspiration of revival and of the
prayer-meetings, how could it be otherwise than the reaping of a luxuriant harvest of heresy?
6. The salutary effects of these revival prayer-meetirJgs,
as here presented, in arresting the current of waywardness
among the youth, and of training them for exemplary
256 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
usefulnes in the church, are brought out to view so as to
throw around them more than ordinary interest. "Scarcely
a young man above the age of fourteen, either in town or
country, will refuse to pray publicly in any meeting; and
sometimes little boys, of nine or ten years old, astonish
their grandfathers by the beauty and fervor of their devotions." Here we have the practical demonstration of the
truth already assumed, that the prayer-meeting is the normal school of the church. Out of these prayer-meetings
flow-as from the river of God-streams gladdening the
church. Not only do such fellowship-trained youths, like
living waters, exert a healing influence among surrounding
youth; but, especially, they go forth from the normal school,
well trained educators, fitted for all the extensive variety
of labors devolving upon the laity in the church, in all the
relations they may be called to sustain. Nine-tenths of the
young men who lead in the prayer-meetings, it will be
found, give promise to become fit material for the ruling
eldership, and for other leading posts with their important
work. Out of this class miust the Sabbath school find its
conductors and teachers.   Out of this class must every
Christian enterprise find its most substantial defenders and
active supporters.
7. These prayer-meeting revivals excite in their subjects
an earnest desire for knowledge. Says one from whom we
quote: "A few Sabbaths ago, I made an appeal to my
people for some money to procure a congregational library,
that knowledge might be increased among our youth, and
I was met in a way I did not expect; all were inclined to
give. Had the subject been mooted among us some years
ago, not one in twenty would have responded to the call."
Revival and Christian conference inspire thirst for
knowledge. This begets a taste for reading; and this
256 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
again a desire for books; and these, all together, foster a
spirit of Christian liberality.
The justness of the remarks just made, suggested by the
statements contained in the preceding extracts, will be
further confirmed by the subsequent references:
"From the first I had classes for inquirers and converts,
which were greatly needed and much blessed. At the
close of every prayer-meeting, (and they were held in the
church five evenings each week during the months of July
and August,) persons anxious about their souls were invited to remain, and warning, instruction, and encouragement were given, as might be required. Many meetings
for prayer, conducted by members of the church, were at
the same time held throughout the country. These still
continue, to the number of about twenty each week. They
are well attended, and have helped greatly to confirm the
souls of the disciples."
This example suggests the propriety, First: Of general
prayer-meetings in every congregation, held in the church,
with the minister presiding, either for the whole congregation, or for "classes," as the circumstances may require;
and also, Second: Of particular meetings in the several
districts, to be conducted by the members of the church,
and for their special benefit. This arrangement, if wisely
made, will bring the prayer-meeting to the door of every
member, and will be more likely to secure its benefits to a
larger portion of the masses of the whole people.
The following reference, taken firom a statement of Rev.
Andrew Long, of Monreagh, confirms greatly the correctness, as well as the importauce, of these views of the
prayer-meeting:
"Since the beginning of the great awakening, we have
had congregations on week-days, during the autumn, varying from five hundred to one thousand; whereas, about
22
257 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
twelve months ago, it would have been very difficult
to collect two hundred persons even, on any occasion.
Formerly, I was under the necessity of giving up a
monthly congregational prayer-meeting, the attendance was
so miserable; and the only way in which I could maintain
the semblance of it was by holding district meetings, and
thus itinerating through our bounds; and even then very
few of them came together. But no sooner did the Holy
Spirit breathe on the dead bones than eight weekly and two
bi-weekly district meetings sprung up spontaneously. And
in addition to these, we have one week-day and two
Lord's day union prayer-meetings, which are numerously
attended.
"A short time ago I was visiting fromn house to house in
a distant district of the congregation, and in the evening
called upon a respectable family to pay my last visit that
day.  In a little while after I entered, the voice of Psalms
in the distance fell upon my ear. On inquiring'what
meaneth this?' I was informed that it was a little prayermeeting in the other end of the house; attended by five
young men who are members of the district meeting, and
assemble weekly, besides, to pray specially for a more
abundant outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the land; I
at once joined the little band in the small'upper room.'
One of the young men, whose duty it was to engage in
prayer, modestly declined doing so in my presence, saying
he was' but a babe, and weak.' I encouraged him, and at
leiigth he poured forth a sweet, simple prayer, in which I
was not forgotten."
In this item of history we have very distinctly
marked:
1. In revival of religion the Holy Spirit, breathing upon
the dry bones, breathes into them the life of prayer, re
258
.9 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.         259
vives the spirit of social prayer, and the practice of the
prayer-meeting observance.
2. When religion is revived in a congregation the people
demand the district prayer-meeting for their own benefit.
The spontaneous cravings of the revived spiritual nature
demand the fellowship of kindred spirits in the little upper
rooms where Christ is wont to come and breathe upon his
disciples. How distinctive this of true Christian character,
and of a healthy state of religion!
3. Revival calls out class prayer-meetings. Young men
seek the fellowship of young men in the prayer-meeting.
Boys seek the fellowship of boys. Females seek the fellowship of females in these fellowship-meetings. Here the
social nature, sanctified by grace, finds its fullest and
purest exercise, and its sweetest social enjoyments.
We shall trouble the reader with but a few more historical illustrations of the happy results of a revival of religion upon congregations, and of the inseparable connection of the prayer-meeting  with  a revived state of
religion.
Rev. R. Dunlop, reporting the change resulting from revival in Monaghan, says:
"But now, there is not a district where more hopeful
cases can be pointed out, where greater changes have been
wrought in the moral and religious life, where greater
anxiety continues to be manifested, or where prayermeetinge are more numerously attended."
Here, as always, the prayer-meeting stands out the everattendant evidence of true revival.
Ill a more general report of several churches, we notice
the following:
"Special meetings were immediately established in the
Presbyterian churches, and the neighborhood was deeply
moved. In the congregations of Bailisborough there are 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
few houses in which family worship is not maintained.
Through the district generally there is a marked improvement.   Meetings  are  held for prayer  and  Christian
fellowship, sometimes in the houses of those who formerly
neglected gospel ordinances altogether, and several such
meetings are also held among the female members of the
church. Two congregational libraries are being organized.
Two public houses have been closed-one for the want of
trade, the other for conscience' sake."
"How the Revival was propagated.-I am no advocate
for forcing religion upon those who are unwilling to receive
it. In my judgment, we have had far too much of that in
Ireland already. I do not think the gospel can be propagated by storm. But I think that the legitimate and inoffensive means of'revival meetings' should be used in
every neighborhood to call attention to the subject. It has
been by these means, and through a chain of Presbyterian
churches, that the revival has come so near us; and may
we not hope that the experience which the church has acquired during the past year may enable it to conduct such
meetings with fewer drawbacks to their utility?"
Another, in giving evidences of the genuineness of this
revival, from its likeness to the apostolic revival, says:
"What steadfastness'in fellowship'!  To talk with one
another of the preciousness of Christ, and of the great salvation; to strengthen each other's hearts; help each other's
infirmities; to stimulate each other to a still greater readiness to work for their blessed Master; and, as they travel
on to their eternal home, to lighten the toil and trial of
the pilgrimage by speaking to one another in Psalms,
hymns, and spiritual songs; and, oftentimes, with hearts
too full for utterance, to pour out their common supplications before the throne-these are the delightful and
abounding evidences that the new children of the covenant
260 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
are knit together in an endearing and indissoluble alliance.-Let the heaven-directed aspirations presented at
those brief seasons, snatched from worldly occupations for
spiritual converse the many social gatherings 1now sanctified by the word and prayer-and the distinctness, importunity, and expectancy exhibited by those who have been
divinely taught to pray, bear witness to the extent to
which the Spirit has been given as a Spirit of grace and
supplication."
REPORT OF THE PRESBYTERY OF AHOGHILL
Presented to the Synod, May 17, 1859, and valuable as
the first public testimony of a church court with reference
to the Revival in Ireland, and the prominent importance
of the prayer-meeting:
"An extraordinary interest began to be awakened;
prayer-meetings multiplied; crowds flocked to these refreshing streams; nor were ordinary houses able to accommodate the eager multitudes that assembled to hear the
burning prayers, and to listen to the plain but heartstirring addresses of the converted brethren, and those
ministers and laymen whose hearts the Lord moved to engage in this important work. The open field, or the public
way-side, even in the cold evenings of spring, were the
scenes of deeply interesting meetings, over which angels
hovered with joy. The prayer-meetings held in the first
and second Presbyterian churches were crowded to excess,
although held on the same evening and at the same hour.
For several miles around multitudes flocked to these
meetings for prayer and exhortation. Our lay brethren
from Connor, at the first, gave, and continue from time to
time still to give, a powerful impetus to the good work.
"Never, in these localities, was there such a time of
261 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
secret and public prayer; in all directions prayer-meetings
have sprung up, and that without number. They are con ductedc in a manner of deepest solemnity, and with a
burning earnestness for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit,
and for the conversion of souls. These meetings have
been signally honored of the Lord. The Spirit has de scended in power.
"On this revival work, so far as it has as yet developed
itself, there is written,'Holiness to the Lord.' Even upon
that portion of the public who make no claim to be religious, a deep, solemnizing influence has been exercised.
Many of them are thoughtful and inquiring, attending the
prayer-meetings with evident interest, and, it is to be
hoped, with profit. But, among the awakened and converted, other delightful fruits are growing up with rapidity
to- maturity.  Prayer has received a powerful stimulus
not only secret, but family and public prayer is one of
those heavenly fruits.
"It is truly astonishing the liberty that many, very
many, both male and female, have got in public prayer.
It is most refreshing to hear the holy, earnest, edifying
prayers which many babes in Christ are now offering at
the family altar, and at the public prayer-meeting. It is
nothing uncommon to hear the voice of prayer wafted on
the wings of the wind from the adjoining field.  The Bible
is studied, and prized, and loved, more than it ever was
before. It is felt to be'more precious than gold, yea, than
much fine gold, and to be sweeter than the honey, yea,
than the honey that droppeth from the comb.'
"Never was there, in this locality, such holy, and importunate, and believing prayer offered up by members, in
the name of the holy child Jesus, for the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit"
262 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
CONGREGATIONAL REPORTS OF PRAYER-MEETINGS.
In connection with the General Assembly of the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, there are some five hundred
and twenty congregations. Of these, at the request of the
author of "The Year of Grace," about three hundred reported on the history and character of the Revival. And
of this latter number, about one hundred and seventy-six
report the number of prayer-meetings in each of these
congregations, the whole numbering about 2,000. This
will make, in the aggregate, over eleven prayer-meetings in
each congregation. In the one hundred and seventy-six
congregations reporting the number of their prayer-meetings, three is the lowest, and eighty the highest, numbei
reported of any one congregation. This highest number
is from the Berry Street church, in the city of Belfast,
presumed to be one of the largest in the Presbyterian
communion. Presuming its number of members to be
twelve hundred, then the district prayer-mreetings of that
congregation would be one for every fifteen members. This
state of things, in a large congregation, seems to be something like what the state of affairs should be in a healthy
state of religion. Those fifteen members, with their children, and members of their respective families, not in
communion, would make eighty prayer-meetings of some
thirty persons each, enough to fill comfortably any upper
room for prayer, with the women, after the manner of
apostolical times.
From the three hundred and forty-four congregations
not reporting the number of their prayer-meetings, the
following statements are gleaned: In Ballycarry, prayermeetings are universal: in the several districts one thousand
attend the prayer-meetings. In Ballymena, the prayermeetings pervade town and country. In Fisherwick Place,
the prayer-meeting, with difficulty sustained before, has an
263
I 
HISTORY OF THE PRAY ER-MEETING.
increase of from three to five hundred, and besides, the
young people have prayer-meetings among themselves. In
the Carrickfergus Saltworks, the men meet for prayer
seven hundred feet under ground. In Connor, from which
place no report is made of the number of prayer-meetings,
the return contains the statement, that there is a net-work
of prayer-meetings, embracing the whole extent of that
district of country. In Lecumpher, according to its report, district prayer-meetings, embracing the whole extent
of the congregation, are held in the houses of the rich, and
cottages of the poor. In the first congregation of Drum,
the prayer-meetings are often thronged to inconvenience
in the rural districts.
The Presbyterian congregations in the County of Antrim,
returning the number of their prayer-meetings, report four
hundred and seventy-two. In the County Down, they report three hundred and sixty-eight prayer-meetings. In
the County of Derry, two hundred and five are reported.
And thus the meetings of some seven or eight counties are
returned.
These reports show a remarkable state of religion in the
Presbyterian Church of Ireland. Can any of the larger
churches in the United States show such a record? Could
they, at any period, during the Revival of 1857-1859?
The state of religion in any particular church will be better
known from the state and number of its own prayer-meetings, among its own members, than from the outside, noisy,
popular and exciting gatherings of the masses, headed by
a few of the active spirits of the several churches, in the
world-renowned Union Prayer-meetings.
We know they had their "Open-air Meetings" in Ireland. We remember the Weekly Union Prayer-meetings
held in Music Hall, in the Capitol of Ulster; the City
Mayor in the chair, with a hundred ministers of all denomi
264 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
nations filling the platform. And again, another week,
the Lord Bishop in the chair, while the surging crowds
without failed to find admittance. We have heard of the
immense gatherings, on the grounds of the Botanic Garden,
numbering thirty or forty thousand-such assemblage as
was never before seen in the North of Ireland. Of this,
more again.
These "demonstrations" may not be the best evidence
of the gracious presence of Him who was not in the great
and strong wind, rending the mountains and breaking the
rocks, nor in the earthquake, nor in the fire, but in the
still small voice. In the closet, at the family altar, and
in the prayer-meeting, we shall find the better tests of the
spiritual state of any church.
23
265 
CHAPTER XI.
REVIVALS AND PRAYER-MEETINGS IN SCOTLAND, WALES,
ENGLAND, FRANCE, AND GERMANY.
The Scottish Guardian-Prayer-meetings in Glasgow-Fishing Villages
of the North-Reports to the Free Church General Assembly-Hum     phrey Jones and David Morgan-England and Wales-Origin of the
Prayer-meeting Revivals in Wales-Prayer-meeting characteristics of
the Welsh churches-Prayer-meetings in France and Germany-Dr.
Frederick Monod-In Paris.
The Revival and Prayer-meetings in Scotland.
S 0 far as we know, the history of the general revivals
that occurred ten years ago, has been given more in
detail in the United States, and in Ireland, than in any
other portions of the church. The gleaning of Prayermeeting history from Scottish field, in these latter years
of revival, is somewhat meagre. Reference to the prayermeeting is incidental only, and especially so in connection
with the church. Here, as everywhere else, the history
of the prayer-meeting is, as yet, unwritten.
The Revival of 1857 had progressed some time in
Ireland and in this country before it made its appearance in Scotland. In August, 1859, the Scottish Guardian
had the following notice of the beginnings of the revival
in Glasgow and its vicinity:
"The Holy Spirit has been manifesting His gracious
power in a remarkable manner in this neighborhood during
the   last few days.  Our readers are aware that ever since
the news of the great revival in America reached Scotland,
piayer-nmeeting8 for the special purpose of iiI)loiring a simrni      266 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
lar blessing, have been held in Glasgow, as well as in other
places. The intelligence which has reached us recently
leaves no room to doubt that those prayers have been
heard.  We have heard-we trust, with gratitude-that
God has been pleased, from the very beginning of these
prayer-meetings, to use them as the means of converting
souls, and quickening his own people; and latterly-at
least in the meeting of the Religious Institution Rooms,
with which we are best acquainted-the attendance has
been decidedly on the increase, and anxious souls frequently
remain, at the close of the services, to seek counsel and
direction from the ministers and others who take part in
these meetings. Christian men and women appear to be
attaining to greater faith in the power of prayer; and petitions from Christian parents for their children, children
for their parents, brothers and sisters for brothers and sisters, and friends for friends, have been becoming more
common. There is already evidence that some of these
prayers have been heard."
Rev. Hamilton H. Macgill, Home Secretary of the
United Presbyterian Church, in a communication published in the "Evangelical Christendom," bears the
following interesting and important testimony to the
connection between the revival and the prayers of God's
people:
"The invariable testimony of the brethren is, that a spirit
of prayerfulness preceded the revival. In Burghead, one
of the fishing villages of the North, the first special part
noticed, as preceding the revival, was the following:
that at a prayer-mieeting, held in the house of a Christian
woman, laid for the last thirty years on a bed of affliction,
the burden of the prayers, at her request, was for the out pouring of the Spirit, for the quickening of God's people
and the conversion of sinners. Ere long the careless fish
267 
268      HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
ing people were awakened, and many of them converted
to the Lord; while the entire community, with few excep tions, was moved, and not a few, formerly without the pale
of the church, came forward to confess the faith. There
have been cases in which nothing but almost total deadness
existed before the blessing came, but in many places the
preparation for the blessing was deep humiliation among
the people of God, and much earnestness in crying for the
descent of the Spirit.'Where there were God's own
faithful saints,' says Mr. Gordon Forlong,'I have gener ally seen a spirit of prayer combined with faithful testi mony.'   Another  layman,  like  Mr.  Forlong, largely
acquainted with the history of the revival, Mr. Reginald
Radcliffe, puts the single word prayer opposite the query
about preparation, as certainly the full and significant
reply."
In May, 1861, the following report on the Revival was
made to the Free Church General Assembly:
"This is, in some respects, the most important and interesting report that was ever laid on the table of the General
Assembly. If, as has been said, a living soul is of more
value than a dead world, what joy has there been in
heaven over souls that have been made alive in Scotland
since we met here last year! In consequence of instructions from last General Assembly, the Committee on Religion and Morals transmitted a circular to every minister
and probationer in a charge or station throughout the
Free Church. Ill reply to that circular, I have received
one hundred and sixty-nine returns. Of these, eighty-six
reported decided awakening and revival in the congregations of which they report. It is important to bear in
mind that, besides the returns we have received, we know
that there are many congregations where there has been
revival, though not reported to us. We have reason to 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
know that, while the returns we have received give a very
pleasing idea of the state of religion throughout the
country, they by no means give us an adequate knowledge
of the state of religion.  We find, indeed, that since the
returns were sent in to me, awakening has taken place in
a number of localities.
"It is very interesting to find that these reports are
spread over the whole country, from Shetland to Solway.
The revival with which God has been pleased to bless us
extends over the length and breadth of the land. Moderator, you, and the fathers and the brethren around me, are
aware that in former times Scotland has been visited with
revival and awakening, but I believe that on these occasions the revival and awakening was partial-confined to
particular localities. It seems a blessed characteristic of
the revival in our times, that it is wide-spread. We trust
that through God's sovereign grace it will yet prevail over
the whole of Scotland. The indications in the reports that
I have are exceedingly cheering; even where no revival is
reported, it is reported that there is much prayer, much
earnest listening to the word of God, much earnest expectation and desire for the blessing; and I find that these
things, in almost every instance, have preceded the
awakening; and I scarcely know of any instance where the
awakening has not been preceded by this sirit of prayer
and expectation.
"There seems in many-almost every instance-to have
been a preparatory work. In our own church, we have
been looking, for many years past, for such a revival.
Many now present must remember our exercises in Music
Hall, before we had the privilege of meeting where we are
now assembled. They must recollect the earnest prayers
for revival that were then offered up in conference and addresses connected with the revival. Then, in many of our
23*
269 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
congregations, there was a gradual increase of the spirit
of prayer, and increased expectation of revival. There was
increased attention to the preaching of the Word, increased
attendance at prayer-meetings, and an increase of the exercise of prayer in our social circles, in our families, and in
secret; and when the Lord had thus prepared us for receiving the blessing, it pleased him to pour it out very remarkably and very abundantly. I cannot help observing,
that one great means of awakening seems to have been the
communication of intelligence of what the Lord had done
in other places. I find in almost all the reports that this
was done with the most blessed results. The information
interested the people, and brought the thing home to them;
they felt it was a reality; it excited a desire to partake of
the benefit, and led them to use the means God has appointed for obtaining the benefit. I believe we can scarcely
ascribe too much influence to the communication of religious intelligence in England about the results in which
we this day rejoice.
"Perhaps in no part of the world have the effects of the
revival and the actual visitation of the Spirit been more
permanent than in Scotland. The revival spirit has pervaded many portions of that land, and corresponding fruit
has been exhibited even to the present time. Wherever
the spirit of prayer has been preserved, there God has
been present by the awakening and converting influences
of His grace accompanying the faithful labors of His
people."
REVIVAL AND THE PRAYER-MEETING IN ENGLAND AND
WALES.
The great revival which swept over the North of Ireland
in 1859, and which pervaded the South and West of Scotland during the two following years, although visiting
270 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
some portions of England, did not become so general here.
Many of the ministers of the metropolis and great numbers
of Christian laymen of various denominations, visited Ireland while the revival there was going on with greatest
power, and they returned not only to tell what they had
seen and felt, but to communicate the sacred influence to
others with whom they came in contact. In this way, as
well as by the growing principle of piety and activity, the
Christians of London were led to devise ways and means
of reaching the vast population of that great city, who were
living outside of the circle of religious influences. Meetings
for prayer and Christian instruction were greatly increased;
the various classes of the previously neglected were reached
by specific efforts designed for their benefit. But there
has not been at any time such a manifestation of the
presence and the power of the Spirit in the conversion of
souls as has been witnessed in other places.
"Wales, on the other hand, has experienced some of the
most wonderful displays of God's grace that have been
witnessed in these latter days, and nowhere has the availing
power of the effectual, fervent prayer of the righteous been
more marvellously illustrated. The work, indeed, commenced about the same time as in Ireland, although, owing
to the diversity of the language, and the comparatively
little intercourse ordinarily carried on with this part of
Great Britain, there were fewer visitors, and much less
was known of what was then transpiring. Revivals were
enjoyed in some localities in 1858; and, in 1859, the same
wonderful scenes were transpiring in Ireland. It was not
until the commencement of the year 1860 that the facts
became generally known. During the first year of the revival the number of converts to the various denominations
of Orthodox Christians, was estimated at from  thirty,
to thirty-five  thousand.   It is known, from  reliable
271 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
sources, that twenty-five thousand were added to the Welsh
Calvinistic churches.
"It is said that the work commenced chiefly by the instrumentality of Humphrey Jones and David Morgan.
Mr. Jones had emigrated to the United States, and having
witnessed much of the revival work in that country, he
was now anxious, on his return to his native place, to witness a similar qutpouring of God's Holy Spirit there. We
are told that he addressed discourses to professing Christians, chiefly with a view to rouse them to greater life and
activity, maintaining that an awakened church is to be the
principal instrument in converting the world. It is said
that the first intercourse between these two men was most
solemn. Being engaged ill the same work, they interchangea views and feelings very freely.  Mr. Jones spoke
to Mr. Morgan very strongly on the state of religion in the
country, the deadness of the churches, and the necessity of
more earnest prayer. The character of the ministry was
dwelt upon; the gospel should be preached with more directness and energy, to be followed up by personal labors
among the people.
"Mr. Morgan was at first prejudiced against Mr. Jones'
proceedings; but what he said to him had such a powerful
effect upon his mind that he could get no sleep for several
nights, but continued in earnest prayer for the guidance of
the Spirit. Mr. Morgan went again to see Mr. Jones, and
said,' IVe cannot do much harm by keeping prayer-meetintgs,
and trying to rouse the country, even if there be nothing
but man in it, after all.'' You cannot do any harm,' Mr.
Jones replied,'and if you try it, you will not be long before God will be with you.'
"The following week, the two churches, Wesleyan and
Calvinistic Methodists, united to keep  prayer-mieetini.<s9
every night alternately, and we soon had a proof that the
272 
HIIISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.'
Lord was willing to accept our offerings, for there was a
sweet-smelling savor  accompanying them.   Old  backsliders began to return. Men came in crowds from the
mountains, and all the country round, to our meetings,
until we were afraid the chapel would come down; men
who were never seen in any place of worship, except in
church at a christening or a funeral, and who knew
nothing of worshiping God.
"Mr. Morgan was by this time full of the spirit of revival, and was fully occupied during the day, as well as
every evening, in holding prayer-meetings and conversing
with inquirers."
Similar cases produced similar effects, and the revival
made rapid progress. Other ministers entered the great
field, baptized with the same spirit of earnestness and
zeal for the Master's glory and the salvation of souls.
THE ORIGIN OF THE PRAYER-MEETING REVIVAL IN
WALES.
Rev. William Griffiths writes, February 10th, 1860:
"At our annual assembly, held at Aberdeen, in June,
1858, it was proposed and unanimously resolved that the
first Sabbath in the following August should be set apart
by all the churches and congregations of our association,
to pray unitedly and earnestly for the outpouring of God's
Spirit. I went home, and stated the resolution to my
people, and some unusual feelings thrilled through the
minds of all present. When the stated Sabbath arrived,
we were blessed with remarkable earnestness at the throne
of grace for the descent of the Holy Spirit to revive the
church and convert the world.  Ever since that memorable
Sabbath, the prayer-meetings presented a new aspect; they
gradually increased in warmth and number during the
following months. This continued to February last, when
273 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
it pleased Jehovah to pour down his Spirit from on high,
as on the day of Pentecost. At this period it was advisable
to publish prayer-meetings daily, and the attendance constantly increased for months, and continues doing so to the
present time. At the close of each meeting we announced
a Society (church) Meeting, and new converts came forward daily. The heavenly fire still continues to burn, and
the flames have spread throughout the country at large.
All religious denominations are cordially united in social
prayer-meetings, and the descent of the divine influences
among us is evident. The writer of these lines (to God be
the praise) has had the great honor of giving the right
hand of fellowship to more than six hundred and fifty new
candidates for membership in our churches in this district since February last, and that in a comparatively small
circle, too."
The following letter is from the Rev. R. Killin, incumbenlt of St. David's, Festinaig, dated February 14th,
1860:
"In order to give you a correct idea of the work, I must
lead you back to the beginning of the year 1859. Hearing
at that time of what was taking place in America, South
Wales, and Ireland, weekly prayer-?mieetingts were held for
the outpouring of the Spirit upon us in this neighborhood.
These have continued to the present time. They have
been well attended from the beginning, and a blessing
seems to rest upon them. Indeed, a deep feeling seemed
to pervade the whole neighborhood during last winter and
the following spring, until the general elections took place
in May, which dried up our spirits for a time, though we
continued our meetings.
"I ought to have mentioned that prayer-meetings were
held in some of the quarries twice a week, during the
dinner hour, last summer and autumn, at one of which,
274 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-AMEETING.
held on the 4th of October, I had the pleasure to assist,
accompanied by the rector of Festinaig. The following
Sabbath was a memorable day here, in many respects. A
large open airprayer-meeting was held in one of the quarries, which deeply affected many. Some young people
broke out rejoicing, in a prayer-mneeting held among themselves in one of the chapels.   There was an unusual
solemnity of feeling in the church, and some of my people
assembled in a cottage afterward, and held a prayermneeting, which continued till midnight.  The week followimg will be remembered as long as we live. Three prayermneetings were held on a mountain, on successive days, at
which the quarrymen attended; and prayer-meetings were
held in every place of worship every night in the week,
when scores of people joined the difbferent denominations of Christians. I never heard such prayers before, although I have been accustomed to prayer-meetings from my
early days."
A correspondent in the Welh Standard thus refers to
the movement in this district:
"I rejoice to be able to inform your numerous readers
that a most powerful revival has just broken out in Bethesda, and the various chapels adjacent thereto. On Saturday, September 3d, prayer-meetings were held at two and
six o'clock in the evening, and most remarkable meetings
they were. God was truly among us. We have felt the
Spirit of God in such meetings before; but nothing to what
we experienced in these wonderful gatherings. After the
meetings had passed away, loud praises were heard in the
surrounding fields till midnight-one of the most wonderful things we ever witnessed. Besides the lateness of the
hour, it rained heavily; still, hundreds of people ran to
the place whence issued this unwonted sound. It was found
that several of those recently converted had retired to a
275 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
field in the vicinity of Bethesda, and that, being overpowered by the Spirit of God, they poured out their hearts
joyfuilly before a throne of divine grace. In the present
movement we have been greatly struck by the fact that so
much of the spirit of prayer has possessed the Lord's
people. They draw the heaven of heavens, as it were, into
every prayer-meeting; hence such congregations as were
never before seen are brought together on these occasions."
The following is from the History of the Revival in
Wales, by Rev. John Venn:
"Without disparaging the pulpit, or in any way degrading the offices instituted by Christ in his church, it
must strike all that prayer, oral, united prayer, has been
greatly honored of God as a means of commencing and
extending the present movement.   The exact place of
prayer in the great machinery of moral means has been
better understood, and the belief in its efficiency has
been more fully acted upon now than at any former
time."
A correspondent says:
"We expected that the great outpouring of the Spirit
would come by means of preaching. It was so in former
days, it may be so again, and is so now, to some extent.
Thank God, the ministry has not lost its power; but still,
it is quite clear that the Holy Spirit's influences, at the
present time, is communicated by means of prayer. Having
heard from the pulpit of the unsearchable riches of Christ,
we desire to receive them, and this has led us to our knees
to seek and to enjoy. What a traffic there is between
heaven and earth; prayers ascend, and the blessings descend in great abundance!"
Another correspondent, near Bangor, says:
"In several of the chapels, prayer-meeting8 are held at
276 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
five o'clock in the morning, and again in the quarries
during the dinner hour, besides the Sabbath.  It would be
almost impossible for men in the present state to enjoy
more communion with God. The house of clay can hardly
stand more. I know many young persons and others who
have spent whole nights in prayer in the out-houses,
barns, and woods, even when the cold weather had set in.
They seem to forget that they are in the flesh.
"I am persuaded that the means blessed of God to create
and carry on the revival in most places, if not in ALL, is
PRAYER. You can trace its origin and progress, in every
locality, to prayer, especially the prayers of the new converts, after they have commenced their career.   The
broken sentences coming from the hearts of those under conviction, and the simple, child-like prayers of young believers, tell most powerfully on all present. Be they converted or unconverted, they cannot help being moved to
tears; to the former, they are tears of joy; to the latter,
they are produced by a sense of danger.
"I cannot say that any indications of a revival could be
observed here previous to the very day on which it took
place. Our denomination throughout South Wales devoted, however, the first Sabbath of last August to pray
for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. There was no
preaching, PRAYER ONILY,. I believe there has been more
praying for this great blessing ever since. At all events,
the Lord is now doing great things by means of the prayermeeting."-Rev. E. Jones.
"Prayer-meetings have been the principal means with
us of awakening the churches. In many places union
prayer-meetings have been very useful in drawing the
public mind toward the great question of salvation. I
have been endeavoring, for some time, to induce all the
congregation, the irreligious as well as the religious por      24
277 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
tion, to attend the prayer-meetings. In order to this, we
have held a prayer-meeting for many weeks past, immediately before the Sabbath evening service, commencing at
half-past five o'clock. By this arrangement, we have succeeded in having all the congregation, some time, to attend
the prayer-meetings, and great good has been the result.
Prayer-meetings have been held on the Sabbath, sometimes without preaching, and have been highly useful,
when the people were, in some measure, prepared for
them. In most places prayer-meetings have been held for
weeks together; and in no instance have such means been
persevered in, in the right spirit, without a signal proof of
the Divine approbation. But to keep up the interest of
the people in such protracted meetings, much depends on
their conductors-they must be full of the spirit of prayer
themselves. Prayer, faith in God's word, singleness of
purpose, earnestness and perseverance, never fail of their
object at a throne of grace; God may be nearer us than we
sometimes dare believe."-Rev. W. Evans.
PRAYER-MEETING  REVIVALS  IN FRANCE AND GERMANY.
In the religious history of France and Germany, the
material is very limited from which to gather prayermeeting incidents. Still, in that general awakening of
1857-1859, France and Germany had some share. Among
the evangelical churches of both countries, there were some
evidences of revival, and as in all other instances of the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the prayer-meeting formed
the prominent feature of the work.
Rev. Dr. Frederick Monod gives the following intelligence:
"It is with deep emotion that, under the head
'DOMESTIC,' we, for the first time, write the words,' Religious Revival.' We know that there have been some
278 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
manifestations of an awakening in several places, but we
had hitherto received no direct intelligence on the subject,
and in such matters we are unwilling to speak from hearsay. Here, at last, is an abstract from a letter written by
a Christian entitled to all confidence. We pray God that
this blessed experience of the power of prayer may not be
lost among us, but that it may prove the first fruits of an
abundant harvest. The Lord, in order to grant it, is only
waiting for the prayers of faith. There is neither in the
word nor in the providence of God anything that can
stand in the way of our obtaining for our France an outpouring of the Spirit, like unto that which for the last two
years has been reviving the churches of God in the United
States. The obstacles are only in ourselves. Here is our
abstract:
"'The Lord is now beginning a reviving work of grace
among my people. On our communion Sabbath in September, a few friends, to whom I had been reading the
American work on the "Power of Prayer," asked me
whether I would open my house every evening for a prayermeeting. I heartily consented. We began that very night.
There were six of us-all men. The first week our number did not increase. Nothing occurred worthy of special
notice, only we were greatly refreshed and strengthened in
our souls. The second week a school-mistress and three
young ladies expressed a wish to join with us. We prayed
for them, and during one of our meetings their hearts
were melted under the power of the Holy Spirit; they
shed many tears, confessed their sins, and a few days afterward found peace. It was a moment of such solemnity as
I had never known before.
"'From that time-the impulse was given; our faith in
the power of prayer was strengthened, and we lived a new
life. Backsliding souls came among us and were restored
279 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
to their first love and their first joy. All the persons for
whom we prayed, received a blessing. What we have
asked the Lord to give, He has given.  Wednesday last,
especially, was a day of rich blessing; three persons
asked an interest in our prayers. Among them was a
woman, a very devil, a plague to her faimily, the chief promoter of all worldliness in our village, turning her house
into a dancing  saloon.   That woman  asked  for our
prayers. We must confess that, at the first moment, our
faith failed. I, most of all, was staggered. However, I
took courage. I told the persons that were met together
for prayer-about twenty in number-that upon the issue
of the struggle upon which we were about to enter depended the whole course of the revival which was just
beginning in the midst of us; that, if we were conquered,
our faith would be broken, and it would be all over with
us. I reminded them of the Saviour's promise, "Whatsoever ye shall ask the Father in my name, that will I do."
We cried to the Lord in great anguish. After two hours
of wrestling, we were all broken down; but we had conquered. The poor sinner opened her mouth to cry for
mercy.'"
"It is not necessary," writes a friend, "to go to America,
or to Ireland, to behold the wonderful effects of the grace
of God; all that is necessary is to pray with faith in the
name of Jesus."
In Paris there was considerable awakening, commencing
at first among the English almost exclusively, and conducted by friends of the cause from England. Soon the
attention of the French was arrested. Immense crowds
were gathered together, moved by the awakening influences brought to bear upon them. On one occasion three
thousand  children, with  their relations,  crowded  the
Cirque Napoleon, and hung upon the burning words of
280 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Mr. Radcliffe, from England. The work here was conducted after the general mode of conducting revivals
everywhere else-they sing, and pray, and alternate by
brief remarks upon appropriate portions of Scripture, or
by general conference adapted to the circumstances.
"Rev. Dr. Sawtelle, of the American Chapel at Havre,
being one day in the Fulton Street meeting, stated that as
he was stepping on board the steamer, to come to this
country, he had an earnest request given him to be presented to this meeting, and that request he had come here
to urge. He also wished prayer for his own field of labor.
He said the influence of this meeting was felt in
France. He knew the spirit of prayer was waking up the
world. We see the dawning of a day of prayer."
The churches in Germany, in 1857-1860, were strangers
to such revival and prayer-meetings as were, at that period,
familiar to the American, Irish, and Scottish churches.
We reserve, for another connection, a notice of a most remarkable awakening, with its accompanying prayer-meetings, which occurred in the early part 6f the year 1861, at
the Orphan Asylum in Elberfeld, Germany.
24*
281 
CHAPTER XII.
REMARKABLE PRAYER-MEETING AND REVIVAL INCIDENTS.
Incidents of Elberfeld-Remarkable incidents of a Backslider, Townsend
Street  Church,  Belfast-Remarkable  Prayer-meeting Conversion Blesses God for the 51st Psalm, and for all the Psalms memorized in the
Sabbath School and Bible Class-" What would we have done without
the Psalms?"-Bungener's France before the Revolution, Vol. I., p. 110
-Narrative from "Work in the Wynds "-Noble Testimony to the fit ness of the Psalms for Revival-" Their deep soil can be turned over
and over again, while hymns bear scarcely a single plowing "-Prayer meetings near Belfast-Incidents at Ballinshinbch, Maghera, Ballykelly
-Incidents in connection with Orangemen and Catholics-Broughshane
Incidents-Ladies' Prayer-meetings.
W E  shall begin this chapter of prayer-meeting inci    dents with the Elberfeld Orphan Asylum case, just
now noticed in thie close of the last. It furnishes an
example of the most striking kind, illustrating the everpresent prayer-meeting wherever the Holy Spirit breathes
upon any people the spirit and life of revival. No law of
nature, or of grace, is more uniform in its operations than
the law of the Spirit in the work of reviving grace, bringing its subjects together for prayer and conference. Grace
makes the heart of its subject say: "All that fear God,
come, hear, I'll tell what he did for my soul."
The account is taken from a paper published at Elber
feld:
"The work began with the'Week of Prayer,' at the
opening of the year 1860. This week of prayer was observed extensively at Elberfeld, and earnest prayer-meetings were held at Arrenberg. Petitions were offered for
282 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the Orphan House, where many of the children at the
time caused much anxiety by their perverseness. And,
lo! the spirit of prayer entered mightily into the House,
and especially after this refractoriness and opposite disposition showed itself in some of them. On the afternoon of
the 13th of January, one of the largest girls was noticed
to sit quietly among the others, taking no share in their
play, but evidently in anxious thought. In the evening
she came to the superintendent of the House, complained
of great anxiety for her soul, and desired to open her heart
to him. He pointed her to the Saviour, who, having begun his good work by a revelation of her sinfulness, would
still farther help her. The child was quiet in her work,
and continually in meditation and prayer. On the following
Sabbath the same unrest was renewed, but the Lord had
mercy on her childish prayers, and sent her a joyful faith
and blessed peace. Soon after the 13th of January, a
second girl came to the superintendent, complaining of her
sins, and expressed the wish to pray each evening alone.
She begged for the key to an empty chamber for this purpose, which was given her; beyond this, the thing remained a secret. Soon, however, there were several other
girls who wished to talk with the superintendent concerning the welfare of their souls. All were recommended to
the Lord in prayer; with some he prayed alone, and not
only bore them, as also the other children, daily on his
heart to the Lord in prayer, but engaged those already
under conviction in prayer with him for the others. After
this little number had earnestly prayed for their thoughtless companions, the superintendent disclosed the affair to
a dear friend, and heard, to his great joy, that he also had
remembered in particular the Orphan House, and rejoiced
heartily at the good news.
"On the 28th of January, the superintendent was called
283 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
from supper in the evening by a boy, who begged him to
go to one of his companions, who lay upon the cellar stairs,
and cried with a loud voice,'Dear Saviour, forgive all my
sins.'  He was struggling under deep consciousness of sin.
To the boys who had assembled about him, he expressed
the earnest wish,'Would to God you all were compelled
to prostrate yourselves before the Lord.' Later in the
evening the superintendent allowed the anxious boy, and
two others who wept because of their sins, to come and pray
with him. While engaged in this manner, four other
boys, likewise in deep anxiety, came into the kitchen, and
cried to God for mercy. There were now seven boys so
deeply affected by their consciousness of sin, that after
they had retired to rest, they could not sleep. They rose,
dressed themselves, and went into the boys' sitting room,
and, in the presence of one of the inspectors, who had also
risen, they spent the night in prayer and supplication.
The next morning, they felt themselves so united with the
Lord, that they could bear quietly the scorn, ridicule, and
even persecution of others. During each recess of the day
they united again in prayer; read portions of Scripture,
which they explained one to another; sang and prayed
freely from the heart. Soon others, also in great anxiety,
were joined to these seven boys, and on the following evening, in an empty room that had been opened for this little
prayer-meeting, sixteen boys were found upon their knees,
or oftener lying on their faces; and a loud, united call
was heard for grace and mercy, for the forgiveness of their
sins, and a pouring out of the Holy Spirit, not only for
themselves, but for other children and the whole house.
"On the 31st of January, the fourth day after this first
awakening among the boys had taken place, after the
tasks of the children had been performed, this little chamber was entirely filled with boys who wished to pray to
284 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
gether. One of them rose and said to the others,'You
know that hypocrisy is a great sin. It is written that the
hypocrite shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whoever, therefore, among us, is not in earnest, had better
go away.' But no one left. A boy fourteen years of age
then offered a touching, passionate prayer, which every one,
in astonishment, could but feel the Spirit alone had called
forth. Afterward the twenty-first chapter of Revelation
was read, upon which a boy ten years of age discoursed in
such a manner that we could but ask,'From whence hath
this one these things?' The superintendent, who had been
present the whole time, now knelt down and prayed with
them. At first they all listened, but at last became so
moved that each prayed aloud what was in his heart. In
the evening, at nine o'clock, a united prayer-meeting was
held, which those children were allowed to attend who
felt constrained to unite with the adults in prayer. More
than thirty boys, and the same number of girls, were
present."
Some things here are worthy of note: First, these earnest and awakened children seem to have caught, really,
the spirit of prayer. The Divine Spirit, the Author of
prayer, seems to have made intercession within them, inspiring desires, and so making prayer for them; for "the
Spirit alone had called forth" that touching prayer.
Second, these children, in their prayer-meeting, "explained
one to another" the Scriptures they read.   One "discoursed" on the twenty-first chapter of Revelation. In
obedience to apostolic injunction ruling the exercises of
the prayer-meeting, they" exhorted one another."
"After the meeting, the anxious children entered the
kitchen, where they threw themselves upon their knees,
and prayed for a pure heart, for obedience, and a gentle
disposition, that from this time forth their behavior might
285 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
be only a source of rejoicing to their teachers. One boy,
fourteen years old, who, until this time, ridiculed the
whole affair, and had said,'If they all are converted, I
will not be;' and declared openly he had no longer any
conscience, had gone to bed before the prayer-meeting, and
remarked to those who slept with him,'While the others
are making such a noise with their prayers, we will take a
quiet nap'!  But he could not sleep.  The awakened chil dren were praying for him continually. When he heard
that his dearest friend, an apprentice, who, on account of
sickness, was for a time in the Orphan House, had also
united himself with the praying circle, he said,'Now, my
strength is half broken.' At last he got up and went to
the kitchen. There he saw his friend in the midst of the
other boys, upon his knees, and heard that they prayed
for him. In a moment he was upon his knees, cried aloud,
and fell into violent convulsions, so that it became necessary to carry him back to bed. A great anxiety for his
soul had taken possession of him, and he believed himself
to have committed the sin against the Holy Ghost.  The
convulsions continued more than three hours. He was
speechless during this time, but had full consciousness.
On the next morning, all power of resistance was gone,
but as yet no true faith was apparent. Toward eleven
o'clock the convulsions were renewed, and continued until
one. At four o'clock he said,'Now I can believe.' He
had, during this time, a hungering for spiritual food. The
children and teachers must sing with him, and also pray,
or read passages from the Bible continually. He pointed
out with his own cramped, trembling hands, portions of
Scripture to be read to him. Among these was the Twentythird Psalm. As he heard the last words,'goodness and
mercy,' he seemed transported with delight.
"This wonderful work of the Lord made the deepest
286 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
impression upon all the children; and many others, with
those already awakened, prayed in such a manner that we
were continually reminded of the words,'And there were
added daily unto the church such as should be saved.' Afternoons we saw a circle of thirty-seven boys who all prayed.
There were among them children of all the confessions
which were represented in the House, for the Spirit
worketh freely.
"Since the Lord had so richly blessed this work, a
prayer-meeting was appointed at eight o'clock in the evening, when we might thank the Lord for the wonders of his
grace. Besides grown persons, sixty boys and an equal
number of girls took part in it. After the opening hymn,
the person in charge of the meeting prayed, and was immediately followed by one of the teachers. A portion of
the Bible was then read by one of the inspectors, which
he wished to follow up with prayer; but this he was unable to do, for, as soon as the assembly rose, a boy of
twelve years of age began to pray. He prayed so fervently that the souls of all present were moved. It was,
indeed, the first time that a child in the Orphan House
had prayed openly and from the heart. After him three
or four other boys prayed, and at last the one who had
been in convulsions the preceding evening.
"On the following evening-Sabbath, the 3d of February-another prayer-meeting was held. The interest was
greater than before. Several children, and among them
one girl, prayed in such a feeling manner, and with such
child-like simplicity, that all were moved. During the
prayer-meeting a great deal of feeling was manifested
among the little girls, who had gone to bed attended by
one of the teachers. Toward eleven o'clock three girls
came to the superintendent, with whom he must pray
alone. Before he had closed, he was told that the girls in
287 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
the sleeping-room desired to see him, that he might pray
with them. As soon as he was able to go there, how
great was his astonishment! Nearly all the girls from
the neighboring chambers had come together, weeping
loudly, on their knees in bed, by the sides of the bed, and
all about in the corners. Everywhere was heard a cry for
grace and mercy.
"On the 4th of February, the children desired another
prayer-meeting in the evening, which was appointed. A
converted boy, seventeen years of age, whose conduct heretofore had been far from upright, made the closing prayer.
Also, in this meeting, it was necessary to take several children from the room. Among them was a young apprentice, who did not belong to the Orphan House, but whom
an unseen Power had guided hither. He afterward related
that, on his way to the meeting, he felt all the time impelled to run. When the teachers could not attend to all
the prayer-meeting calls, those children already converted
prayed with the awakened, and often so fervently that the
angels in heaven must have rejoiced."
One remarkable feature throughout is the wonderful demand for prayer and the prayer-meeting.  Indeed, the
greater the felt necessity, the greater the desire for prayer.
Still, little prayer-meetings are continued among the boys
and girls, and if any find opportunity to hear, unperceived,
the child-like, fervent, powerful prayers, worked by the
living, mighty power of the Spirit, they can but give
thanks to the Lord, who, out of the mouths of babes and
sucklings, has prepared for Himself praise.
Remarkable incident' of a backslider.- In the Townsend
Street Church, Belfast, during the late revival, the following case occurred: The subject of this brief reference was
a young man of prepossessing appearance, excellent character, reflecting habits, and religious profession. He was
288 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
well educated in the Scriptures, and much liked. He was
a successful Sabbath school teacher, and a regular communicant in the church. After some time he was appointed superintendent of a Sabbath school, and all went
on well under his management. By-and-by a striking
change passed over him. He became dissatisfied with
everything, and gave up the charge of the school-fell
away from the communion of the church, and finally
ceased to attend the house of God. The secret of all was,
he had begun to read infidel books, by which his faith was
overthrown, and he was unfortunately drawn into the
darkness of Deism, and openly avowed his contempt of
Christianity. In this state of mind he continued for several months. When the Spirit of God visited our town
and congregation, the manifestations of His power were
treated by him with utter incredulity, and the whole
movement was regarded as woman's weakness and nervous
sympathy. The work of grace was denied; and when, on
one occasion, the conversation turned on the power of
prayer, that power was defied-" Let any six men try and
pray me down." One humble fellow workman-himself
awakened at a prayer-meeting, and a reclaimed backslider,
and at that very time anxiously alive about his own
soul-secretly  accepted  the  challenge.   His  was a
heart which loved that erring brother through and
through. As a friend he had rejoiced in his rise, and now
grieved over his fall; and, since the day he heard
it, did not cease to pray for him, and to desire that he
might be "filled with the knowledge of His will in all
wisdom and spiritual understanding." Whilst the prayers
were being offered, the case which we have detailed
was presented. This loving companion reported the fact
to him. The earnest tone of that working man, himself a monument of mercy, went to the heart of his erring
25
289 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
friend.   He  went  home  that  day  in silent anxiety,
and  retired  at once  to his closet.   He  took  down
his neglected Bible, and, opening it at random, his
eye fell on the 51st Psalm, and as he read it, he wondered
He closed it, and, opening it again, his attention was drawn
to the 39th Psalm, with all its solemn warnings. Melted
down, he fell on his knees, and casting himself on God in
Christ, for forgiveness and acceptance, all his difficulties
vanished, he could not tell how, and there was no objection
urged by Tom Paine to which he could net have given a
sufficient answer.
Here, the power of concerted prayer-like Jacob's
wrestlings-prevailed with God, and brought the wandering backslider from his infidelity.  And what a testimony
to the fitness of the Psalms for true revival exercises, and
the pre-eminent fitness of the 51st Psalm to deepen
conviction and encourage conversion in an awakened soul!
A REMARKABLE PRAYER-MEETING CONVERSION.
The Commencement of the revival at Dundrod, Ireland,
is reported by its pastor, Rev. William Magill.  He gives
the following statements:
"I had been at Belfast. I came home filled with strange
thoughts, cherishing high hopes, and breathing earnest
prayers that the Lord would come over the mountains and
visit my people. On the morning of the day after, I rose
from my bed with the thought that something strange and
unaccountable was about to happen at Dundrod. I cannot
account for the feeling; but I had a strong presentiment,
not of evil, but of coming good. I expected something,
and I was not disappointed. When dressing, I observed a
man approaching the manse, and the thought at once arose
in my mind, This man is, perhaps, conling for me-the
work is begun. It was even so. I was soon on the way
290 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
to his house. He told me, as we went, that one of his
daughters, after returning home from the prayer-meeting,
had fallen ill, strangely ill-that she was up all night, and
had raised the whole famify to engage in prayer with her
and for her-that she had never ceased praying and reading the whole night, and when he left her she was worse
than ever, and he feared she was'going wrong in her
mind.'
"Before reaching the house, I heard her voice in loud,
earnest, and continuous prayer. When I opened the
door and looked in, I saw her mother and two sisters, all
on their knees and in tears. In the centre of the group,
was the'stricken one,' the picture of woe, with eyes upturned to heaven, and face covered and seamed with tears.
Her arms were now extended to their utmost length, as if
to grasp some distant and coveted object, and then brought
together with violence, as she clasped her hands, as if in
mortal agony, whilst from her lips there burst forth words
of fire, as living streams from a burning mountain.-Then,
as her eye rested on me, as I stood riveted to the spot,
witnessing, in silence, this exciting and wonderful scene
for I never had heard such prayers before-she exclaimed,
without rising from her kneeling posture,'0, here is my
minister! I knew I would have no peace till he came.
0, come;-come, pray for my guilty soul!' I knelt beside
her and prayed, her voice accompanying mine all the time,
while her expressions, at intervals, were so rich, so varied,
and so Scriptural, that I had often to pause, and then to
follow, instead of lead, as text after text from Old and New
Testament, prophet and psalmist, Christ and apostle, were
changed into beautiful and impassioned prayer. Such
asking, seeking, striving to enter the kingdom, I never saw
before. It was, indeed, Mercy knocking her loudest
knocks at the door of the heavenly mansion, so that the
291 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MIEETING.
Lord himself, startled by the peals which roused up all the
inmates, comes quickly, and, with a smile, opens the door,
and takes her by the hand, and. brings her in.
"The struggle is over. She rises up, and begins the
song of triumph! What a change-a perfect transformation! The cloud is passed away, and God, like the sun in
his glory, is lifting upon her the light of his countenance.
Her eye, as she sings, is lighted up with strange and unearthly fire. Her voice is no longer tremulous and plaintive, but now rings like a trumpet; while her whole face is
covered with a smile, such as we might suppose an angel
to wear.
"'Let us sing,' said she,'the  51st Psalm.   0, I
bless God for that Psalm, and for all the Psalms I learned
in the Sabbath school and Bible class!'  I may here remark, that the Psalms have been, with all the converts
here, sources of great joy.'What would we have done
without the Psalms!' was an exclamation often made.
'Sir,' said a servant girl to her master, after hearing the
51st, 130th, and 116th Psalms,'surely some persons long
ago must have felt as I feel, for those Psalms seem to have
been written for their use and comfort.'
"Ah, how these rude chants of our ancestors go to the
heart at such times! The Psalms are our epic, but an
epic more deep and real than ever was written or sung by
any people; an interminable poem, of which each one of
us becomes in his turn the author; a sacred treasure of
personal and individual remembrances, joys, sorrows, desires, heaped up with national associations; not a verse,
not a strophe, but is quite a history or a poem. This was
sung by a mother beside the cradle of her first-born; this
other, one of our martyrs sung on his way to death; this
is the song of the Vaudois returning in arms to their
country; this, that of the Camisards marching to battle;
292 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
this verse is one that the balls of our enemy interrupted;
that other is one of which a father, when expiring, murmured the half, and went to finish it with the angels. 0,
our psalms! our psalms! who could ever express in human
words what your language is to us in our solitudes, on that
soil red with our blood, and under the vault of that
heaven fiom whence they look down upon us who have
prayed, and wept, and  sung before  us!"-Bungener's
France Before the Revolution, vol. I., p. 110.
In the above narrative we have some topics of interest
presented worthy of our very grave reflection. 1. Revivals
of religion begin in the hearts of the godly, by arresting
the mind to some object of interest; or the desires are
quickened for revival; sins are felt pressing the soul, and
stanlding in the way of divine manifestations; hopes and
expectations are excited; some unrest is felt, though its
causes and character may not be well understood.  So, the
narrator in regard to himself: "I cannot account for the
feeling; but I had a strong presentiment, not of evil, but
of conling good. I came home filled with strange thoughts,
cherishing high hopes, breathing earnest prayers."
2. The awakening began in the prayer-meeting; there
the hidden implantations of the Spirit were brought to the
surface; on the way home, the outward manifestation
makes its appearance. The deepened impressions of the
prayer-meeting are carried home; the first visible subject
of the revival calls around her the other members of the
family, and they spend the night in concerted prayer.
3. The psalms are the sword of the Spirit here to slay
the enmity of the heart; the balm to heal the wounded
soul; the song put into the mouth to express the feelings
inspired by grace. Ah! these had been memorized in
Sabbath school and Bible class, and grace revived praises
God for these privileges of childhood.
52*
293 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
A NARRATIVE OF INTEREST, TAKEN FROM " WORK IN THE
WYNDS," BY REV. D. MACCALL, D. D., PP. 157, 158.
"The Revival in the Wynds made no revolution on our
methods of work. Our weekly meeting for prayer became
nightly; a second meeting was required when the first was
closed; soon a third, and often a fourth. Instead of three
brethren being asked to pray, every one on whom a tongue
of fire had fallen was required more than once in the course
of an evening. We did not need new truth. What texts
we had preached from in four or five years, we preached
from again, with added thought and more power, in five
months. We did not need new songs. What Psalms we
had read, and studied, and sung in five years, having
nearly finished the Psalter when the revival commenced,
we found best fitted for all kinds of singing during these
wondrous nights. Before every prayer we had a few
verses, suited for confession, or faith, or hope, or thanksgiving, read and briefly explained, and the prayer naturally rooted itself in them, and gave branches for many
bird-like petitions to find rest and food ere they took wing
heavenward. Our most useful addresses to the anxious
were from the Psalms. We led them there into green
pastures, and they lay down by still waters. Once or
twice in these early days we tried a hymn, but found it
would not stand exposition. It did not seem to have the
deep soil of the psalms, which could be turned over and
over again, and be all the richer for the digging. We had
not quite finished the psalter when the revival began. We
were about to begin the closing hallelujah Psalms, and the
revival helped us easily into them. Hymns were used
elsewhere by those who attended our meetings, and hymns
have been, to some extent, used since; but much of the
stability and rooted strength of the work I attribute,
among other subordinate causes, to the continuous and in
294 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
telligent use of the Psalms through all the exciting work
of the first years. I remember when one of my elders proposed in the session, two years after the work commenced,
that we should introduce hymns for the sake of those of
weaker capacity. No, said another, let us bring them up
to the Psalms.
CARNMONY REVIVAL AND PRAYER-MEETINGS, NEAR BEl      FAST, REPORTED BY REV. BARKLIE, PASTOR.
"When the Lord is about to visit a neighborhood in
mercy, he usually puts it into the hearts of his people to
pray for it. It was so here; for, having heard what the
Lord has done in other places, a deep anxiety pervaded
every bosom that we should not be passed by; and, although there were no formal concerts for prayer, there was
many a praying Jacob, in the family and in the closet,
wrestling for a blessing.  One lady in particular, months
before its appearance, said to a friend,'We shall shortly
have the revival with us.' And on being asked why she
said so,'Because,' she replied,'the' Lord has put it into
my heart to pray for it.' Others, I am aware, were
anticipating and praying for it likewise. The answer was
not long delayed; but it came in a way none of us had
anticipated. A few weeks after the commencement of the
awakening, a communion was held, on which occasion upwards of one hundred were added to the church."
Some time after the writer adds:
"The work is still progressing steadily, though in a
more silent and imperceptible manner than heretofore.
Rarely a week passes that I do not hear of one or more
conversions, and I am confident I do not exaggerate when
I say that, within the bounds of this congregation alone,
not fewer than from three to four hundred souls profess to
have found peace during the past six or eight months. It
295 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
is a cause of much thankfitlness to be enabled further to
state that, almost without an exception, their' conversation
is such as becometh the gospel of Christ.' A marked and
marvellous change is now visible over the entire district.
Twenty prayer-meetings are held weekly, where not one was
in existence before. Mere factory lads and girls are holding
their concerts for prayer. A short time ago one of the
little fellows came to me, saying,'See, sir, this is my comrade in the mill; I have prayed him out, and he is now rejoicing with me.' Those who haVe found Christ themselves
are most anxious to bring others to him; and hence, whilst
teachers for our Sabbath schools could not be had some
time ago, there is no lack of them at present."
PRAYER-MEETING INCIDENT AT BALLINAHINCH.
"The ministers here waited long, as they imagined, before they witnessed any decided indications of a gracious
work in their own bounds. In the calm of a summer
evening, however, whilst one of them was addressing a
number of persons in the open air, and recommending an
organization of prayer-meetings in the district, the audience
were all at once arrested by a piercing cry, which invested
the scene with a new interest; and though many months
have since elapsed, the influence of that meeting is distinctly felt by many to this hour. It is unnecessary to
enter into details. Enough to say, that every testimony
of the divine presence, elsewhere vouchsafed, was experienced at Ballinahinch. Prayer-meetings sprang into existence, and helpers were raised up on every side. The
work was full of labor, but it was likewise full of joy."
MAGHERA PRAYER-MEETING INCIDENTS.
Here,'no means that could be supposed useful in fostering the revival were left untried. Prayer in the famllily
296 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
and in the public congregation was offered without ceasing
for the outpouring of the Divine Spirit. The instructions
of the Sabbath bore, more or less, on the subject.   A
weekly congregational prayer-meeting was started. Large
public meetings were called and addressed by young collverts, as they were usually designated. Conversions were
numerous, but not confined to the public meetings. Often
they occurred at home, and while engaged in the ordinary
avocations of life. Sometimes in the fields, by the way, in bed
during the night seasons, and in private meditations. Some
of the most intelligent of the young people, persons regarded as the flower of the flock, became seriously impressed in regard to their spiritual condition, and, after
passing through a season of darkness, and doubt, and
temptations, were enabled to give themselves to the Lord,
and to rejoice in the hope of the gospel.
"So soon as a sufficient number of young men had been
awakened and converted, they immediately showed an inclination to be active and useful. Prayer-meetings were
established in town and country; Sabbath schools which
had been suspended were revived; and, at the various
meetings held in the town and country,!he young men attended, and either led in prayer or delivered addresses, as
their capacities enabled them. One of these meetings has
been held every morning for the last six months, and is conducted by the young men of the town; another, attended
exclusively by females, is held every Friday evening, at
which some twelve or thirteen of the young ladies of the
congregation officiate, each in her turn.  Every coun try
district, also, has its prayer-meeting.  In general, they   e
all well attended, and have done much good.
"The result, so far, has been very beneficial.  It is
true, indeed, that the awe with which the general community was inspired at first, and which held vice in check
297 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
for a season, is wearing gradually away; but the movement
has left behind it memorials that give fair promise of their
ability to stand the test of time."
Some serious reflections force themselves upon the mind
in reading and analyzing the above historical extracts.
Here, as in all other cases of revival, universally the prayermeeting is the resort as the essential instrumentality in
awakening, conducting, and fostering revival. Without
the prayer-meeting nothing-nothing is begun, nothing
carried forward, nothing accomplished, nothing secured.
Then why the general, if not universal," wearing gradually
away, the awe with which the general community was at
first inspired, and which held vice in check for a season?"
May not all this almost universal decline, following revival, be, to a great extent, accounted for from the loose
views and practice of Christians and the churches in regard
to the prayer-meeting?   If all other ordinances of religious worship were subjected to the same spasmodic influences, would not the decline be still more remarkable?
If secret prayer, family worship, public Sabbath worship
were-allowed to fall off and be neglected as the prayermeeting too often is, would not the revival decline be more
sudden and far greater? Then, if the observance of the
worship of the prayer-meeting would take hold of the
judgment, heart, and conscience, and if it were perseveringly maintained, would not revival fruits be far more
lasting? If a revival increase the prayer-meeting force
ten-fold, or one hundred fold, why, after the revival, cannot that effective force be kept in the field, and, by it, the
prayer-meeting be carried into every district and every
corner of the congregation, and every corner of the country
where vice had been once checked by the revival. How is
it that religion, after revival, has never been able to retain
its vantage ground?  Must it always be so from the na
298 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
ture of things?  Will millennial revival be no less evanescent?
PRAYER-MEETING INCIDENTS IN BALLYKELLY.
Rev. Killen, the pastor, thus describes:
"For some time at first, some of those who had been
converted during the revival addressed the meetings, relating their own experience-how they had been awakened
to a sense of their guilt and danger, and led to see the uselessness of those refuges of lies in which they had hitherto
trusted, and how the Spirit of God had revealed Christ to
their souls, as the only Saviour for guilty sinners. Always
at the close of their statements they prayed; and if absorbing fervency and child-like confidence, and deep selfabasement and powerful pleading, constitute the very
essence of prayer, then I have, indeed, listened during the
past summer to some of the most genuine specimens of true
prayer it has ever been my lot to hear. Very few of the
converts were willing to address our congregational meeting after the first statement of their experience. Many of
them, however, are still ready to lead in prayer, and take
their part in conducting district meetings.
"Besides the prayer-meetings now in operation, which
are conducted by adults, a number of the children of one
of our daily schools remain by themselves twice a week
after school hours for mutual prayer. This meeting was
commenced of the free motion of the children, and without
the knowledge of the teacher. One evening, as his own
children did not follow him home as usual, he became
anxious about them, and, after waiting some time, returned
toward the school house to ascertain the cause of the delay.
On approaching it, he was met by the children in tears,
and found that they had already met for prayer in this
way for several days, and that on this day, while they
299 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
prayed, one of the boys had been stricken, which produced a deep impression on the rest.
"Another children's prayer-meeting was held for several
months in the barn of one of our elders, with an attendance of about twenty of the lambs of the flock. It had
met several times before he was aware of its existence, but
has lately been discontinued, as the children could not attend in the dark evenings.'Mamma,' said a little boy of
eight years, who had been left at home one Sabbath to
watch the cows, to his mother, on her return from public
worship,'we had a fine day to-day.''What were you
doing, dear?' asked the mother, expecting to hear of some
childish plays.'O,' replied the child,'so-and-so came,'
mentioning some of his young companions,'and we had a
prayer-meeting on the road-side.'"
PRAYER-MEETING INCIDENTS CONNECTED WITH THE HIS     TORY OF ORANGEMEN AND IRISH CATHOLICS.
Since the battle of the Boyne, and the victory of William, Prince of Orange, which secured constitutional
liberty on the ruins of Papal despotism, in the north of
Ireland, an unreasoning hostility toward Irish Catholics has
long existed. Too often has the anniversary Twelfth of
July closed in scenes of hate and blood-shed. To the
vulgar gaze there was, no doubt, something imposing in
the parade of the processions of those festal days as they
returned. The congregated masses, as they marched along
in holiday attire, each man decked with some distinctive
badge, a sash, or a cockade of the cherished color, while
the superior officers flaunted in their flowing robes of
scarlet, the entire array marshalled in semi-military
"rank and file," while the drums were beating, fifes discoursing shrill music, and banners fluttering in the
breeze, presented no mean embodiment of all those elements that command the admiration of the multitude.
300 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
"For several years there was a certain quarter in the
town of Belfast which had attained an unenviable noto riety. As the Twelfth of July drew near, it had been cus tomary to re-enforce the military and police, that they
might keep the peace, if possible, between the turbulent
inhabitants of Sandy Row and the nest of Ribbinmen who
occupied a neighboring district. Not only had the ordinary street missiles been flung in plentiful profusion on the
scene of conflict, but deadly collisions had taken place;
shots had been fired, and blood had run upon the streets.
For weeks the magistrates and military were nightly on
patrol. The strong arm of the executive had at length to
interfere by martial law, and by a disarming of the parties
who had shown that they were wholly unfit to be entrusted
with arms. Although a marked change had taken place
in the feelings of the Orangemen towards their Roman
Catholic neighbors, the mode in which the anniversary of
the Boyne would pass off was a subject of much anxious
speculation.' Wait till the Twelfth of July,' said our good
Bishop to an English gentleman who was conversing with
him in the end of June, respecting the effect of the revival
on party spirit,' Wait till the Twelfth; that will test
all!'
"How the Twelfth came and passed, let the following
statement with respect to the noted district referred to
above, testify:
"' In compliance with your request, I hasten to give you
my experience of the revival, more especially with reference to its influence in quelling party spirit on the Twelfth
of July last. When that gracious movement reached'Belfast, I joined an organization that had come to the help of
the Lord, and the field assigned to me was that very
famous district called Sandy Row, and its adjuncts, where
the people had been taught to catch the Papist birds by
26
301
' k 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
thirovwig stones at them.  Yes, the essence of Protestantism
and the conversion of the Romans in that region, consisted
in the abundant use of brickbats and bludgeons; but the
old war-cries were now hushed by a mightier voice, and in
few parts of our beloved land was that short sermon
oftener preached, Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, and
thou shalt be saved, than in this very district. The cases
of awakening were very numerous- at the mill, in the factory, at their own firesides, in the neighboring houses, in
the public street, the prayer-meeting, and, in fact, in every
place of human resort.'
"When the revival was at its height, Sandy Row was
visited by persons from all parts of the country-indeed of
the kingdom. Clergymen and pious laymen were constantly holding open air meetings; and often at these and
other exercises, in the hours of release from labor, in'the
gleaming,' or under the starlit roof, did many a sweet hymn
ascend far above the stars. It was on the evening of the
Twelfth that I first took part in one of those meetings. I
had been assisting at a temperance meeting elsewhere, and
my direct road was through some of the most intensely
Popish and Orange districts in Belfast. On the evening
of any similar anniversary, I would have performed no
ordinary feat to have passed through those districts; but I
had no fear now. There were no breaking of lamps and
constables' heads-no flinging of' Macadam' missiles, nor
of the paving stones. The streets were crowded with the
young of both sexes, but good humor and enjoyment were
the distinguishing features of the scene. I marked the
improvement. I knew the cause. The sun will shine
even through a wet blanket. But things improved as I
advanced. I heard the songs of Zion chanted by hundreds
of voices amid our rocks and dells, in our green meadows;
but I never heard with anything like the same emotion as
302 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
I did on that occasion, the soul-inspiring strains float on
the still, calm air of that sweet July evening.  There,
vhere one of the principal thoroughfares joins the street,
were assembled a large number of young females, and these
surrounded by men, women  and children.   As  I ap)proached, the 23d Psalm was falling in sweet cadence
on the gale; and I do believe that there were not a few in
that assemblage who got a foretaste of the time when the
redeemed shall sing the song of Moses and the Lamb.
"Throughout the day, none of the usual emblems of the
Twelfth appeared-no orange garlands nor arches flung
over the streets. The only regret I heard expressed was,
that the past had been so unlike the present. There was
no military or semi-military parade this evening.
"Seven months have passed away since then. Time,
that great tester, and a winter, one of the most unpropitious we ever saw, have not seen the revival work arrested. In-door has taken the place of out-door worship.
In a district where formerly some four or five prayermeetinlgs could with difficulty be maintained, there are
now, I believe, twenty-five; and if to this be added the
week evening services, well attended in the six different
churches, which, like a chain of fortifications, surround the
district, a tolerably fair conclusion may be arrived at that
the good work has stood the trial."
In another statement, says the Rev. W. Magill, of
Dundee:
"From the commencement of the revival, some of the
Orangemen had attended our prayer-meetings, and had
seen and heard the strange things which occurred in and
around the first house where the Lord began his work of
grace. The chiefs of the party lived in the adjoining one.
One member of their family, especially, from the first, was
deeply, and, I believe, savingly impressed. His case was
303 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
s singular and most interesting one. He is almost deaf,
yet gifted with a wonderful talent for understanding what
is said to him, engaging in all the services of religion, praise,
prayer, and reading the Scriptures, with the greatest delight, and confessing himself strengthened by thus waiting
upon God. It was partly through his influence that his
brothers and other members of the Orange Society kept
the Twelfth of July here as it was never kept before.
"In revenge for the supposed injury of purchasing and
pulling down a public house, an Orange hall was erected
in the immediate neighborhood of the church and manse,
as a rallying-point for the brethren who, night after night,
met with fife and drum, and noisy clamor, to annoy the
quiet dwellers in their homes in the neighborhood, and especially myself. But the Lord did not pass over them;
and they too, as well as others, underwent a great change,
and we hope a permanent one.
"Before the Twelfth came, I was asked by these men,
whom I had looked upon as bitter enemies to me, and to
the cause of religion and morality, if I would meet them
on the evening of that day, and hold a prayer-meeting in
their hall. I at once consented to do so, on being assured
that there would, during the day, be no party display, and
no intoxicating drink used. The morning was ushered in
with no firing of guns, no beating of drums, and no display
of party banners. All was still and calm as a Sabbath. It
was a holiday among the people, all labor being suspended; and, early in the forenoon, men and women in
holiday attire, were seen in groups, here and there,
marching along, not with Orange Lillies, but with Bibles
in their hands, as if going on a Sabbath morning to the
house of God. A deputation, including the master of the
Lodge, waited on me in the manse, and requested me to go
over to the hall and pray with them, before proceeding to
304 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
a field at some distance, where they were to meet others,
and engage in religious exercises.
"With Bibles in their hands, and peace and good will
in their hearts, with no music playing, no flags flying, and
with no jar of whiskey to refresh them on the march, they
walked soberly and decently, and in good order, to the
field, where many hundreds met them, and joined them
in praise and prayer, and other religious exercises."
"The month before the revival in this neighborhood,"
says the Rev. J. Geddes, (County Tyrone) "was a ferment-nightly maulings, law proceedings, etc. Since the
movement began, not a drum has been struck ill the
bounds, and the leading Orangemen meet and pray for
the Romanists, whom a little ago they hated."
"There is an Orange Lodge in this neighborhood," says
the Rev. J. Elliott, Clarkesbridge, (County Monaghan)
"which is composed of some forty young men.  They meet
monthly, and each contributed a fixed sum at every meeting for the purpose of procuring refreshments, which consisted almost entirely of whiskey. So much as ~13 has
been expended in one year in this way. They now meet
principally for religious exercises-singing, prayer, or
reading God's word. They continue their monthly contributions, and twice since July have asked me to expend
a very considerable sum for the purchase of books for a
library which they have established, and which is likely
very soon to contain a large and valuable collection of
books. Now they niever have any intoxicating drinks ill
their meetings.
"If such a powerful and united body as Orangemen in()w
yield to religious conviction, and the spirit of the g(osspcll
of peace turn their lodges and gatherings into pr?e-(y -
?meetings, and their collections for feasting into library Lii(i
missionary contributions, as I have heard of being done,
26*
305 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
may we not say that the Spirit of the Lord has gone forth
among the Protestants of Ulster?"
From Newtonards the following statement is given:
"In passing through districts where the noisy laughter
of the fool, or the impure language of the profane was wont
to be heard, the voice of Psalms caught the ear in all directions. The Twelfth of July, the anniversary of Satan
as well as of the Orangemen, came and went, and left no
trace behind.'Not a drum was heard,' not an arch was
erected, not a shot was fired. The prayer-meetings took
place as  sual-were thronged as usual."
From Broughshane the following is given:
"On the Twelfth of July, the Orangemen of the district
asked me to preach them a sermon. About four thousand
assembled in the open air, without beat of drum, or any
insignia of their order, and, after engaging in religious exercises, returned peaceably to their homes; no drink and
no disorder appearing among them. On the Brouglishane
June Fair day, a band of strolling players, as usual,
made their appearance; a prayer-mneeting was immediately
convened opposite their showy platform. The players had
but two visitors, in the persons of two Roman Catholic
policemen. The business of the fair was summed up by a
prayer-meeting of not less than five thousand people."
"Not less than twenty Roman Catholics came under the
power of the truth, and were made to acknowledge the
errors of the church of Rome. Three of these were rebaptized, at their own urgent request, and afterwards admitted to the Lord's Supper. The others still attend the
prayer-meetings, and, now and again, the public worship
of the sanctuary."
Ladies' prayer-mneetings in Broughshane.-" In one district of country, almost all the matrons within an area of
more than two miles were graciously visited and converted
306 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
in the most satisfactory and conclusive manner, if we can
speak about another's conversion at all. These women
have exercised a mighty influence on their families and
neighborhood; and if one wishes to see the religion of the
cross in her loveliest features, in the simplicity, beauty,
and power of primitive times, he has but to pay this district a visit, and see and hear for himself. I have no
doubt he will return, saying, as the Queen of the South,
the half had not been told him.
"The gift of prayer bstowed on these matrons is beyond
conception, and certainly is not left to rust. They have a
prayer-meeting of their own-none but females being admitted-the exercises of which are praise, prayer, and
reading the Scriptures, without note or comment. This
meeting has tended greatly to fan the flame of love in
their own hearts, and kindle it in others who come. We
have many such female prayer-meetings, and I am satisfied
of their utility.
"The Holy Spirit, we rejoice to say, has not been as a
wayfaring man with us. His gracious operations have not
as yet ceased. From time to time we have been constrained to note unmistakable signs of his power and presence. Seldom does a week elapse without some groping,
hoping, praying soul finding Christ, and pardon, and
peace, in a way more or less marked and visible. Frequently our prayer-meetings have experienced a sudden,
mysterious, and overpowering impulse, swaying the whole
assembly as one man, and leaving all weeping, praying,
rejoicing. Men have felt as if the Lord had breathed on
them.
"The thirst of the young for Sabbath school instruction
is intense and insatiable. Not less than fourteen hundred
children attend, every Sabbath morning, desiring the sincere milk of the word, while my own class averages some
307 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
eighty young men and women.  We are reading the'Confession of Faith,' and have circulated, through the congregation, some two hundred and fifty copies of it, with about
an equal number of'Patterson's Shorter Catechism.'
Social meetings for prayer, reading the Scriptures, and exhortation, are held throughout the parish, each district
having its own prayer-meeting, and each prayer-meeting its
own staff of conductors. No person is allowed to engage
in the services unless apprQved of by this bench of managers. These meetings are atten&ed, with very few exceptions, by the whole population-young and old, rich and
poor, Episcopalians and Roman Catholics, taking pleasure
in listening to the simple prayers and earnest exhortations
of their Presbyterian neighbors. The interest in them is still
well sustained; and in the darkest, fiercest nights of winter,
and now, in the busiest days of seed-time, the number of
those who meet together to thank and praise the Lord has
not diminished. The Bible is the book of constant study.
Many carry it about with them, and read it by the wayside, or at intervals in their labor, and refer to it for the
settlement of every disputed point. Two of our National
school houses have been enlarged, in order to make them
capale of accommodating the prayer-meetings."
308 
CHAPTER XIIL
PRAYER-MEETING INCIDENTS AND NARRATIVES,
CONTINUED.
Incidents among Quarrymen, Ireland-Among  quarrymen, Wales-Re markable Prayer-meetings on a Mountain-Incidents illustrating the
Importance of Concerted Prayer-"Work among the Wynds"-How
Revival came to the Wynds of Glasgow-Reflections upon the Prin ciples exhibited and illustrated by these extracts.
Prayer-meetings among Quarrymen. Reported by Rev.
Killen, of Comber, Ireland.
ABOUT  two miles from this, near the outskirts of the
parish, there is a quarry, which was formerly notorious for the wickedness of those who wrought in it. It was,
in fact, an emporium for all sorts of.vice; but when our
revival commenced in Comber, it was such a strange and
unheard of thing amongst those quarrymen, that they resolved, through curiosity, to come and see how it was that
people were so mysteriously knocked down. They, accordingly, attended the nightly prayer-meetings in our congregation. Gradually a change crept over them. Drinking
was diminished, swearing was given up, seriousness and
anxiety prevailed. I was requested, as I could not go in
the evening, to go and preach to them during the working
hours in the middle of'the day. I did so. Immediately,
on my appearance, all work was suspended; and, at the
very busiest time, master and men attended for upwards
of two hours. Whilst ander the open sky, in a sort of
large amphitheatre, formed by the excavation of the
quarry, and surrounded by the mountain's rocky walls, I
309 
HISTORY OF TIIE PRAYER-MEETING.
proclaimed to them the glorious gospel of the blessed God.
Much good, I understand, was that day effected. Prayermeetings amongst the men were immediately established.
The occupier of the quarry, and head of the whole establishment, soon announced to his men that he himself was
entirely changed, and declared that he had resolved to
live henceforth only to Christ."
Among the Quarrymen of Wales. Reported by Rev. D.
Edwards.-" Five Years of Prayer," p. 326.
"About three weeks ago (2d Nov., 1859), a few young
men from Bettros-y-coed came to work in the Festinaig
slate quarries. They were in deep concern about the state
of their souls. They came on Monday morning, and their
deep distress was observed by several of the quarrymen.
They followed their work in this state, occasionally'veeping on account of their lost condition as guilty sinners
before God. After dinner, the following day, they were
observed by some working people making their way to the
top of the hill. Immediately they were followed by all
the workmen in that quarry, being about five hundred in
number. They halted on the summit of the mountain,
and on that spot, under the broad canopy of heaven, they
held a prayer-meeting. While they prayed, the Holy Spirit
was poured out upon them most abundantly. Nearly all
present wept and sobbed aloud. On the same evening
they met at their respective places of worship to hold a
prayer-meeting. On the following day they met again on
the mountain, leaving their work unheeded, for by this
time the people were in a state of great religious excitement. They met every night during the week at their
several places of worship, to offer up prayer to Almighty
God. The rocks seemed to re-echo the voice of prayer
and praise. On the following Saturday, those who lived
at a distance went to their homes, carrying with them the
310 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
newly-kindled revival fire, and on the morrow the surrounding churches and chapels were in a blaze. Our
people met at Maentwrog to hold a Saturday evening
prayer-meeting. I attended it, and witnessing the effects
already produced upon those who were present, it was announced that another prayer-meeting would be held next
morning, at eight o'clock. Such a prayer-meeting I never,
never attended. The most ungodly persons present were
overwhelmed. We prayed and wept, and wept and prayed,
until nature was exhausted.  Instead of the, Sabbath
school, as usual, in the afternoon, we met to pray again;
but in the interval, at noon, all the congregations, church
and chapel, met on the brow of a hill above the village, to
pray. It was a glorious meeting while it lasted, which
was about one hour and a half, when the rain came down
in torrents and dispersed us."
A Welsh paper has the following account of a very remarkable prayer-meeting on a mountain:
"A prayer-meeting was held on the 12th of July, 1859,
on a mountain called Frongoch, near the mine-works of
Frongoch, about two miles from Ysbytly Ystwyth, in the
County of Cardigan. It was held in the open air, on a
high mountain. The masters of the mine-works gave
orders that, on account of the meeting, no work should be
done on that day, and theythemselves attended. It was
the most wonderful prayer-meeting that I ever witnessed.
There were some of every denomination present, and two
languages were used. The number of those assembled
was more than three thousand. At the meeting at two
o'clock, nine prayed, and short addresses were given at
intervals. Three prayed in succession, two Welshmen and
one Englishman between them, and then a verse of a hymn
was sung. The vast assembly all knelt at prayer, and I
saw two or three on their knees who, I feel assured, had
311 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
never been seen before on their knees in prayer; but they
knelt down on that day. Heaven poured down its blessings in a powerful and irresistible manner, so that scores
were praying, and hundreds were weeping and crying out,
' Praised be God.' At two o'clock, thirteen prayed, and
short addresses were delivered between the prayers; the
whole was finished in two hours, and all returned home.
At seven, all went to their separate chapels in the neighborhood, and the holy fire was carried home in their
bosoms by many."
INCIDENTS ILLUSTRATING THE IMPORTANCE OF CON                 CERTED PRAYER.
It is not so much our design here to collect and spread
out, over a few pages, incidents simply; but to condense,
in historic form, the argument enforcing the great importance of concerted prayer, as a Christian duty, and as an
important part of the great and important subject-social
prayer. We have already noticed the principle, but
briefly. Nor can we here find space for volumin6us collections of incidents, which might be gathered from scores
of treatises on prayer, on revivals, and on kindred subjects.
The numerous histories of the Fulton Street, New York,
daily noon-day prayer-meeting, of the Sansom Street,
Philadelphia, prayer-meeting,ind many others of kindred
character, furnish the history of a series of daily prayers
for specific objects, read out in the meetings, with statement of cases, names, places, persons, and characters, called
for and agreed upon as the subject matter of the united
prayers of the assembled hundreds in attendance for that
very specific purpose. And so for years, while those meetings lasted, and retained their power, day after day, prayer
after prayer, each day concentrated upon an object stated
and agreed upon. This wvas the rtule. Any other kind of
312 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
prayer, promiscuous and undetermined, its object unknown
to all, was the exception. The known and united object
of the prayers being the rule, here lay the secret of the
wonderful power of those meetings, which sent out over
the world, on the seas and on every continent, their electric
shock, starting into life revivals of religion everywhere.
No form of prayer so powerful, as a heaven-ordained instrumentality, in accomplishing Divine purposes-no
power can compensate for the loss of this, as an instrumentality, in the revival of religion.
Christ states the principle in that precious promise recorded in Matt. xviii. 19: "Again I say unto you, that if
two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything they
shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father which is
in heaven." Here we have the social prayer-meetingtwo or three met together for prayer. Here we have concerted prayer-agreement as touching anything they shall
ask. Here we have warrant for a special object of social
prayer. Here, too, we have a warrant for the previous
covenant, or agreement, in regard to the special object of
the united prayer. Concerted prayer is the subject of the
text, and of the Saviour's promise. Concerted prayer has
here a divine warrant, as an ordinance of religious worship, forming an important part of the exercises of the
prayer-meeting. Our object here is a historical illustration
of this ordinance, an enforcement of the duty of its observance, as also the advantages of this high privilege.
In a very interesting book, bearing the title, "WORK
AMONG THE WYNDS," by Rev. Maccoll, Glasgow, Scotland, 1867, p. 102, we have an interesting statement of
this subject in a sermon, by the author, preached to the
poor people of the Wynds of Glasgow, among whom he
labored as a missionary. He says:
"But the prayers that, in these words, I desire of you,
27
313 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
is not simply individual.'I beseech you, brethren, that
ye STRIVE TOGETHER with me to God in your prayers for
me.' Promises are given to individual prayer; but there
are large, and special, and prompt blessings to united
prayer. The latter, indeed, includes the former. Each
strives, while we strive together. Jesus teaches us to come
together around Him, and join our prayers with His, saying,'Our Father.' If you, who are already gathered here,
shall find it good to be here, it will be in some proportion
to our union in love, in faith, in prayer. I beseech you,
therefore, not to stand apart, praying, like the Pharisee,
each by himself. Be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another; love as brethren, be pitiful, be
courteous, not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing,
but, contrariwise, blessing, knowing that ye are thereunto
called that ye should inherit a blessing. I beseech you,
therefore, to strive together for me, husband, and wife, and
child, around your table, when you give thanks for the
past, and ask grace for the present and the future; and
around your hearth, when you are gathering up the fire
for the night, and asking the Lord to keep you, ask Him
also to keep me. Remember me when, two or three together, you meet in His name.  I beseech you, strive
together. members of this church, who, whether as hand
or foot, are professedly ready to act here as one body, that
when I speak, it may be as one mouth glorifying God, that
even when I am silent I may feel the electric thrill of the
same pulse of prayer and blessing between you and me
and God.
"But I do not ask you to any work, or any warfare, in
which I shall not accompany you, in which I am not prepared, by God's grace, to lead you; for, I beseech you,
brethren, that you strive together with me. My work is
yours, and yours mine. You know not how often, in look
314 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
ing at the work here, and then at the worker, I may be
ready to turn back in despair. Your prayers may come
upon me like a soft, cool wind, amid the heat and burden
of the day. Your prayers may come upon the hot sky as
a cloud laden with showers, when the seed has just been
sown. As I enter your houses, my tongue shall grow eloquent if I feel assured you have been asking God to enable
me to speak as I ought to speak. As I sit in my study,
gathering up some thoughts for you, day and night, the
thought of your earnest prayers for blessing will help me
to sift the seed, and cast away what might glitter in some
lights like gold, but would not taste to yeur hungry souls
as bread. And as I enter this place, on the Sabbath
morning, I shall need no thunders of the organ, quivering
amid these beams, to stir or still my spirit, or play the
voluntary for our after service, if my soul has already
heard the music of your earnest hearts greeting my steps
and quickening my approach; for, the beating of hearts,
loving and beloved, makes magic music to keep us moving, the only monotonous music of which we never weary.
Only when it is still, when the silver chords are broken,
or harshly struck, do we know the full power their low
whispers possess. I shall need no incense to perfume this
place, and cling in fragrant fragments about these walls,
if your prayers ascend from lips touched with a live coal
from the altar of God. If we have been thus earnestly
striving together during the week, we shall not spend the
Sabbath in listlessness and sloth; we shall rest, indeed. but
our rest shall renew our strength."
Again, p. 209, the author of "Work in the Wynds"
goes on to say:
"But, above all, our central Weekly Prayer-meeting
became crowded, and a spirit of earnest prayer seemed to
be poured out.  The prayer-meeting had, from the first,
315 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
been the centre of our work. Here our motive power was
largely generated. Every wheel in our machinery was
attached to some part of the gearing that was moved here.
The great driving belt, however far it travelled, always
passed back again here. We had always two or three
speeial prayers, led by some office-bearer, or gifted member,
called up at my request. We prayed for places, and persons, and churches, and stations that thus interested us.
But about this time we were specially interested, first, for
the successive months in the Revival in America, ill 1858,
and then in Ireland, in 1859. The desire became intense
to share in such wide-spread blessing. So much was this
the case, that one of my elders and most devoted helpers
from the first, came, at the suggestion of others, to ask me
to pay a brief visit to America, that I might both see the
work and perhaps carry home something of the fire. We
talked of this for a little, but soon agreed that there was
a shorter route than across the ocean, and so we agreed to
go together to the Lord. Half a dozen of.us began then
to meet for half an hour, immediately before the congregational meeting. Three of us took part, giving out a
verse or two of a Psalm, and then briefly spreading out
our petitions. The very first night we felt'How dreadful
is this place'!  We  sometimes could hardly speak for
emotion. We were like men looking out for rain, and,
lifting up our faces in the dark, we suddenly felt the first
drops on our cheeks. The same deep sense of an invisible
presence, and of new power, accompanied our Sabbath
service. We were ill thie banqueting house."
Thus came Revival to the Wynds of Glasgow.
The above extracts illustrate the principle of concerted
prayer-what we mean by it-as furnishing example of its
power and importance. A Scripture example or two here
316 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
nmay aid in giving force to other historic examples which
might be multiplied indefinitely to a volume itself.
The author of Work in the Wynds seems to have taken
lessons from some of these when, instead of crossing the
Atlantic, he, with his friends, went directly, on the direct
route, by concerted prayer, to the Mercy-seat, and there
took counsel of the Lord, and caught the heavenly fire from
the altar at once.
Ezra, heading a column of returning captives, in perplexity in regard to the way, called together the bewildered
travellers, and at the banks of the river observes a fast,
and holds a concerted prayer-meeting, for the expressed
and single purpose of seeking direction in their journey
back to the city of their fathers. (Ezra viii. 21-23):
"Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river of Ahava,
that we might afflict ourselves before our God, to seek of
him a right way for us, and for our little ones, and for all
our substance. For I was ashamed to require of the king
a band of soldiers and horsemen to help us against the
enemy in the way: because we had spoken unto the king,
saying, The hand of our God is upon all them for good
that seek him; but his power and his wrath is against all
them that forsake him. So we fasted, and besought our
God for this: and he was entreated of us."
In this Ezra and the captives were not disappointed. The
Lord was entreated of them, and answered them: "Then
we departed from the river of Ahava, on the twelfth day of
the first month, to go to Jerusalem; and the hand of our
God was upon us, and he delivered us from the hand of
the enemy, and of such as lay in wait by the way. And
we came to Jerusalem."
Esther, Mordecai, and the Jews were in straits from the
malicious machinations of Haman, the Jews' enemy. All
were in mourning, and fasting, and weeping, and wailing,
317 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
lying in sack-cloth and ashes. A special prayer-meeting
is called, with fasting as the ostensible form of the call;
but prayer is inseparable from fasting; and the call, in
this case, for fasting without prayer, would have been unmeaning. Its spirit was to plead with God for deliverance from the sweeping ruin prepared for them. This
presented a special and pressing case: all would understand
and feel the object of the call, and enter earnestly into its
spirit. "Then Esther bade them return Mordecai this
answer, Go gather together all the Jews that are present
in Shushan, and fast ye for me, and neither eat nor drink
three days, night nor day. I also and my maidens will
fast likewise; and so will I go in unto the king, which is
not according to the law: and if I perish, I perish. So
Mordecai went his way, and did according to all that
Esther had commanded." What heart, among all the
Jews, in all the realm, was not in concert with this call and
its object?   In  answer to this remarkable  concerted
prayer, remarkable deliverance came:
After the fall of Judas Iscariot, the eleven apostles were
called to the very responsible work of filling the vacancy.
For this duty they felt themselves utterly unequal. They
at once, by previous agreement, go to God together in
prayer-hold a special, concerted prayer-meetiig. "And
they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the
hearts of all men, show whether of these two thou hast
chosen, that he may take part of this ministry and apostleship, from which Judas, by transgression, fell." Their
prayer was answered. They had faith in the promise of
their Master, who had so recently said in their hearing,
and to them, "If two of you shall agree on earth as touchimg anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them
of my Father which is in heaven."
When Herod, with outstretched, persecuting hand, vex
318 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
ing the church, cast Peter into prison, a very special case
of deep concern presented itself to the trembling disciples
and Christians. They meet in their various and respective places of prayer-meeting-all for the concerted purpose of praying for Peter. "Peter, therefore, was kept in
prison; but prayer was made without ceasing of the church
unto God for him." "And when he had considered the
thing, he came to the house of Marythe mother of John,
whose surname was Mark, where many were gathered together praying." For they had all been praying for
Peter, and their prayers were answered.
These historic references, with many others in the inspired word, give ample encouragement to concerted prayer
as a special and very precious means of grace, and of
securing promised blessings from God. That this is so
little practised in the church now, must be owing to the
fact that the state of religion is so lamentably low-Christians notice so few things of interest calling their attention
and enlisting their prayers; concerted prayer seldom occurs to their minds; seldom any matter of prayer presses
upon the heart, and, consequently, they are seldom shut
up to earnest, agonizing, concerted prayer. Were the
Spirit of God poured out upon us-would God give us a
spirit of grace and supplication, how many objects of
pressing interest would spring up in visible form around
us, and bring live Christians together in Christian conference, out of which would grow argument for prayer for
specific objects, drawing together in groups for concerted
prayer!  And how different then, would our prayers be!
How unlike our cold Ed pointless prayers in our prayermeetings now! We too often come together without an
object or an errand, and so coming together we pray without an object, and return without our errand.
Out of a hundred instances that might be selected, and
319 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
in addition to the examples already given in other connections, permit us to detain the patient reader with two or
three striking instances of recent occurrence, illustrating
the power of concerted prayer:
In one of the Noon-day Fulton Street Prayer-meetings,
where concerted prayer was a matter of daily routine occurrence, a clergyman from the interior of the State of New
York, related the following case of conversion, which was
followed by a revival and the conversion of many others.
He said:
"I have been, for thirty years, connected with the
people of my charge. I have seen many deep and
powerful revivals of religion. I have witnessed the triumphs of the grace of God in the conversion of a multitude
of souls. But I think I saw, last Monday morning, the
happiest man I ever saw in all my life. I think I never
witnessed such a marked and wonderful triumph of grace.
It was the conversion of a lawyer, a man of marked ability
and high standing. It occurred in a parish where there
was no minister and no stated means of grace. It was in
this wise: Three pious ladies, acting on a hint thrown out in
this meeting, of the importance of united prayer for some
specific object, agreed to pray for the conversion of this
lawyer.  They en?tered into solemn covenant with each other
to make his speedy conversion the subject of daily prayer,
and many times a day; and beginning as they agreed, they
soon became deeply burdened with anxious desire, so much
so that they could not rest, and they could not be satisfied
with simply praying. They went to the lawyer and told
him what they were doing-that they were unitedly and
daily praying for his conversion.  They asked him if he
would not pray for himself. He told them he would, without aiy distinct impression of the responsibility which lie
was taking upon himself.  He was a man of strict probity
320 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
and honor. As night approached this lawyer began to
meditate upon the promise he had made. He at first
thought he would not keep his engagement; then again he
said to himself,'I am in the habit of keeping my promises
to my fellow-men, why shall I not keep it with these ladies?
Why not?  But I do not know how to make a prayer.  I
have not prayed, or tried to make a prayer, for years. I
cannot pray. It is a mockery for me to attempt it. I
ought not to have promised.''But you have promised, and
you must keep your promise,' the voice within him seemed
to say.'You must pray.'  He put it over to a later hour,
postponing it as long as he could.
"At last a late hour of the night was come. His mind
was in a tumult. 0, what shall I pray for? Let me think
what most I need. I have got to look up to God and ask
for something.  What shall it be?   Then  he began to
think of his posture for prayer.'Am I to go down on my
knees? I have not bent a knee for ever so long.' And when
on his knees before God, he said,' What shall I ask for?
What shall I acknowledge?' It was a terrible conflict.
Before this he had not the least idea what his promise involved.  To pray was not a mere matter of form.  It was
something that must be honestly done. So he bethought
himself,' I can ask God to bow this stubborn heart; fi)r he
already began to feel how stubborn it was. I can ask
God to show me how such a wretch as I can be forgiven;
for already he began to feel that he was a wretch undone.
He knelt down, and such an overwhelming sense of sin
and shame came over him that he was filled with agony.
What he had promised to do in a light and thoughtless
frame of mind, he was now trying to do in great heaviness
of heart. But he determined to be honest and earnest.
Who shall describe what followed?  Who shall say what
passed in that solitary chamber? Suffice it to say that
321 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
last Monday morning my eyes beheld the happiest man
they ever have rested upon in all my religious observation
and experience.
"As soon as I heard of these facts in my neighborhood, I
left my own charge to visit throughout this rural country
place, having no minister. I visited fifteen families in one
day, and prayed in every house; and in every one of these
fifteen families I found awakened persons. They had all
heard of the conversion of the lawyer with much surprise.
That lawyer had visited many of them, and I doubt not
that now-yes, at this very moment, when I am speakingyou may see him, if you see so far, in that neighborhood,
in Dutchess County, with a few tracts in his hand, going
from house to house, persuading sinners to come to Christ,
telling them what a dear Saviour he has found."-Five
Years of Prayer, pp. 51-54.
The author of "Work in the Wynds," after narrating
numerous instances of the kind, gives the following:
"Not long after, a little note, in the same hand, was
read in the meeting:'Some time since I desired your
prayers and the prayers of this meeting. I now desire to
give thanks, having received the blessing then asked, and
I will crave still more.' This asking of prayer became,
almost from the first, a great feature in the meeting. We
had gradually a large list of places, in every one of which
some measure of awakening, I believe, was experienced.
As in all such meetings, many requests came in for friends.
One evening, a woman of a sad countenance came to me
and said: You are often praying for friends. Would you
ask for my husband?  He was a good, kind husband,' but
one day, in drink, he listed, and is now in the East Indies.
I have four children to provide for; but he's my great
burden. 0, ask his conversion! By the first mail she
had a letter from him, written about the time we began to
322 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
pray, saying, 0, Mary! I am a new man. The Lord has
been with me, and drawn me to Himself. 0, that I was
back to you! I would be a different husband and father.
She brought me the letter to read. 0, she said, her pale
face growing paler, do you think we might ask another
request?  May we ask the Lord to send him home?  That
night, and for many nights, we asked. After awhile
another letter came. 0, Mary, I am ordered home! I
have been in the hospital, and my passage is taken by the
first ship. And he came home, and has been for several
years an active agent in our mission work."-P. 285.
323 
CHAPTER XIV.
PRAYER-MEETING IN CONNECTION WITH MISSIONS-FOR  EIGN, HOME, CITY-AND COLPORTAGE OPERATIONS.
Mi,sion Work in the Wynds of Glasgow-The Prayer-meeting the First
step-Report of Missions in Egypt.  By Rev. B. F. Pinkerton-The
Christian Instructor, Phila.-A Model Church-Reflections-American
Tract Society on Home Evangelization-That Society friendly to Re vival and the Prayer-meeting-Thrilling Narrative of the wonderful
labors of a German Colporteur.
N  that remarkable Treatise, to which we have made
frequent reference, "Work in the Wynds" of Glasgow, Scotland, an important principle, bearing upon all
successful mission work, is clearly stated. In speaking of
the City Mission, he says:
"It is interesting to notice, in the history of the Mission,
the development from a prayer-meeting to the outline of a
church. This is not so much from the force of external
appliances as from the internal effort of the Christian life
to work itself into the ecclesiastical form. The City Mission, doubtless, did a good work, which the churches had
long neglected, but it was a work too narrow and defective
to be more than temporary and transitional. It aimed at
a prayer-meeting, rather than a church, thus influenced a
more limited circle, and lost much of the good of its own
labors in sending off to neighboring churches those who
might have been otherwise retained and trained for service,
and who, in such churches, could often get no assignable
place and no sufficient superintendence."
That is, to say: In City Missionary operations, the first
step toward organic life is to bring into form the prayer       324 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
meeting just so soon as material can be prepared for it,
but, from the beginning, with the idea that this material
is not to be sent off to be incorporated with congregations
already organized, but retained and held together as the
material for a new congregation; and so exemplify the
true Mission history of development from the incipiency
of a prayer-meeting, passing on from outline to full ecclesiastical form-an organized church, with pastor, elders,
and deacons, as was, at length, the Church of "The
Wynds." For the author proceeds to say:
"Mission work in our large cities and towns has made a
history within the last half century. In the earlier part of
that period, the form the work assumed was that of visitation from house to house, by volunteers from some
neighboring church. We have still this form perpetuated
in the Christian Instruction Associations and District
Visitation Societies connected with various congregations."
The regular Mission in the "Wynds" changed this state
of things. The missionary was sent to gather together
new material, and prepare it for a new church organization.  At first, when he entered the field, "the service
provided was generally on a fragment of the Lord's day,
usually in the evening, and it consisted only of preaching
and the prayer-meeting, without breaking of bread and
fellowship of saints. Something more like the glorious
gospel of the blessed God, had, in connection with the new
movement in Glasgow, been brought nigh. If the churches
were not yet ready to bring the poor to their own sacred
houses, or if the poor were not yet ready to come in, the
churches were providing decent houses in which the poor
might be feasted by themselves."
Speaking farther of the new City Mission operation,
after entering the new Mission Church, he says:
"In those early days we had few young people in
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325
I 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
ciurch.  Our attendance was principally composed of very
ol0( and middle-aged people. We started a Sabbath morning school for those who were getting up in years, besides
the usual Sabbath evening classes. We had always, from
the beginning, an admirable prayer-meeting, on the Sabbath morning, for young men."
In referring to an advanced state of the Mission, the
author says:
"But the Elders, though all busy men through the day,
did a noble and large service in this way. Our frequent
meetings gave opportunity for seeing and speaking to hundreds during the year; and our fellowship-meetings tended
to interweave one with many, so that the members visiting, or only speaking to one another, exercised a great
help in bearing one another's burdens. As the Wynd
Church increased, we were able to subdivide our common
territory for household visitation; and as the younger
churches gradually secured a large portion of the crowd
that for some years almost overwhelmed us, we were able
to pay closer attention to the members and households belonging to us. Elders and deacons vigorously visited their
respective congregational districts. Prayer-meetings were
opened in various parts of the city, and new efforts were
made to give efficacy to our mission work round the church."
In the Thirteenth Annual Report of the Ladies' Association for Promoting the Christian Education of Jewish
Females in Alexandria, Egypt, we.find the following, from
which we extract a paragraph:
"ABBEY CLOSE, UNITED PRESBYTERIAN HALL,   )
"Paisley, 14th Jan., 1869. 
"REPORT.- Weekly Meetings.
"There,is a semi-weekly meeting for prayer, held in the
house of one of the -members. It has been well attended
326 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
by both members and adherents. And it may be regarded
as next to the Sabbath services in its effects on the spiritual life of the congregation. All the male members who
attend it, lead in prayer, and most of them have given
gratifying evidence of spiritual growth. The order of exercises is similar to that observed in prayer-meetings at
home. The missionary presides; the members present are
called in turn to lead in prayer. A portion of Scripture
is read, and a few explanatory and practical remarks
made. The above exercises are interspersed with the singing of Psalms, in which all heartily join, and seem to take
great delight. Frequently the neighbors have been attracted by the singing, and some have come to see and
hear what is going on. The good effects of these meetings
have not been confined to the personal edification of the
members; the unification of the congregation has also been
greatly promoted by them; brotherly love has been increased. There is evidently a desire for an organization,
and there is now no doubt that there are some good and
tried men among them, who are qualified for the office of
Eldership and Deaconite. It might be well for the Presbytery now to consider the propriety of granting this
congregation an organization.
(Signed)                   "B. F. PINKERTON."
In the Christian Instructor, Philadelphia, Sept. 11th,
1869, we find the following:
"A MODEL CHURCH."
"In conversation, a few days since, with a devoted
laborer in one of the churches under the care of our Home
Mission Board in the far West, we learned a remarkable
fact, which, it has occurred to us, may be mentioned, with
good results, to the church at large. It was this: that
327 
328     HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
every member of the church regularly attends the weekly
prayer-mn.eeting, and that in these meetings every male member takes an active part in the exercises, either leading in
prayer or making remarks.  As might be expected, under
such circumstances, the meetings have life and spirit in
them, and the members of the church, coming thus regularly together in such meetings, and engaging thus with
one another in the exercises, steadily keep up their interest
in the church, are more and more closely drawn together,
are ever ready to make efforts and sacrifices for the cause,
and finding it good for themselves thus to draw nigh to
God, are often moved to say to others,'Come ye with us,
and we will do you good.'
"Is this state of things common in the United Presbyterian Church? Would that we had good reason to believe it was!  What means would there be in steady use
for all to be growing in grace, and in the saving experimental knowledge of Christ!  What a powerful influence
would there be exerted for having brotherly love continue,
for encouraging and strengthening all to be active, earnest,
useful workers for Christ and his cause, and for holding
fast their profession! Happy the pastor that has the sup
port of the prayers and the co-operation of such a people!
Happy the community that has such a church and people
in its midst! Reader, is your church like this? Are you
always, regularly, and earnestly, at the prayer-meeting, and
willing and ready to take part in it?"
No church of this kind will long remain a charge on
the hands of the Home Mission Board. No other kind
should be permitted long to live upon the Treasury of the
Home Board. And more: no congregation, or mission station, without a prayer-meeting, should ever be permitted to
draw upon the Board for support. The funds of the church
can never galvanize life into a dead society or mission station. 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
We have before us, a little work of the American
Tract Society, written by one of its Secretaries, bearing
the title, "Home  Evangelization," in which the importance of the colportage work is presented to the public.
In a Report of one of the Society's Colporteurs, we find
the following:
"Of the 38,864 families visited in the mountains of Virginia, within the space of four years, 7,612, or more than
one-sixth, were destitute of all religious books, and 4,348
were destitute of the Bible; of the latter, 3,731 have been
supplied. More than 75,000 volumes have been sold, for
$18,000; and 19,600 volumes distributed gratuitouslymaking a total circulation of 94,600 volumes, or more
than 20,000 each year. Besides personal conversation
with 25,467 families, 2,456 prayer-meetings, or public meetings, have been held." P. 94.
From this, we see that the American Tract Society, an
institution rich in Christian benevolence, does not overlook
the prayer-meeting in its operations, and through its
agencies, the Society has done much in the cause of
Revival, and, in this connection, necessarily has favored
the prayer-meeting. One of its Agents, reporting on the
subject of" Revivals of Religion," says:
"Last winter a revival occurred, and forty or fifty
hopeful conversions ensued; but there had been no regular
dispensation of the word. In one case, a tract, incidentally
dropped, was loaned from hand to hand; the people assembled to hear it, and talk it over; a prayer-mneeting was
then established, a church formed of thirty-two members,
atnd a house of worship built. No preacher has yet been
found for them."
Some things are worthy of notice here. The revival,
the conversions, and the prayer-meeting moved hand in
hand, as one and inseparable. The church organizatioa
28*
329 
330      HISTORY OF THiE PRAYER-MEETING.
began with the prayer-meeting. The new converts laid it
down as the foundation, and on it they built up into a
congregation.   True converts would  be friends of the
prayer-meeting. And loving friends of the prayer-meeting
must love one another. Those who love one another, love
Christ. These are the stones with which to build a
durable church. So the Tract Society evidently understands this matter.
Again, noticing some of the blessed fruits of the labors
of the Colporteur, the Agent adds:
"Habits of reading have superseded the idle gossip of
this neighborhood; and in that, the prayer-meeting and
religious conference have supplanted the gaming-table and
the noisy revel. The foul-mouthed infidel has become,
through grace, a praying Christian."
We think we are warranted to say, the Tract Society,
through its colportage, is an effective agency, indirectly,
perhaps, in the cause of the prayer-meeting. This we may
learn from the approved course of its agents in the field,
who are doing a good work in this department of practical
and vital godliness. In an Appendix to the work before
us, the Society gives an example of the operations of its
colporteurs. It says:
"It would be easy to furnish a volume of illustrations
of this topic, drawn from the various classes of laborers
engaged in the service of the Tract Society. Again and
again, when the field has been opened and the means provided, God has provided the man adapted to the special
work, as subsequent results have shown.
"The only illustration we present here, is drawn from
the interesting band of German laborers. Perhaps it may
give interest and variety, to insert the narrative in the
broken English of the colporteur himself, as the simple
story was told in the hearing of the F'aculty and students 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
of Lane Seminary, and reported verbatim et literatim by
one of the number. To translate it into pure English
would weaken its impressiveness."
Though the "impressiveness" may  be weakened, we
shall endeavor to give the substance only, in making a few
extracts bearing upon the prayer-meeting. The converted
German Catholic commenced his labors in the city of Cincinnati, where he resided.  He began among his neighbors,
the German Catholics, after much earnest prayer for the
outpouring of the Holy Spirit. His first step was to
gather together, in his own house, a little meeting, in
which he read the Scriptures and had prayers with his
friends. The Bible-reading increased and the prayermeeting enlarged. Soon opposition rose, and the prayermeeting was opposed by Catholic argument in the form of
brickbats and stones entering the meeting through the
windows. Still the prayer-meetings were held, and the
work went on. Some time after, the colporteur removed
from the city to a village in the vicinity, where a large
German Catholic population resided. There, among the
Catholics, he opened a prayer-meeting, and engaged in
Bible-reading, as he had done before in the city, and with
similar success. Many Catholics were converted, and became ardent Bible-students and praying Christians. In
the course of time he returned to the city, and there devoted his whole time to the work. Every day he circulated
tracts and copies of the Scriptures, and every night, as he
stated, he held prayer-meeting.  Thus, by tract and Bible
distribution, with the nightly prayer-meetings, a great
work was done, and many converts made. From the city
he was again sent to the country, to labor in a locality
whicel, with his labors and his success there, we will permit
him to describe in his own way:
"Den me go out of de city vare de big steal (distillery,)
stand right in de middle of de beoble; doo or dree hundred
331 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
beobles leafe (live) here. And me begin to dalk mid em, and
dell em aboud Chris, and me give em Bible, and me dalk
und dalk; and den me hold metin. After dis da call me
schwamer (translated by Prof. Stowe, fanatic), but do come
do de metin all de time, and de Sperit of Got come down
mit power, and dey mos all stop drink em visky. And
ven me go dare flis, dey all drink visky. De vomen shus
like de men, all drink em. Me stay here five mont. And
ven me go vay from dis blace, de beoble mos all not sware,
nor drink visky, and hundred and sixty convert." P. 162.
332 
CHAPTER XV.
REVIVAL PRAYER-MEETINGS AND UNION CONVENTIONS.
The Church Memorial"-Resolutions of Union Conventions, 1838Circular calling the Xenia Convention-Ten important topics for
discussion in the Convention-The Xenia Convention-Communication
from Philadelphia-Similar from New York-Remarks made in Convention on Social Prayer-R. A. Brown, D. D., James Rodgers, D. D.,
J. Clokey, D. D.-Report of Special Committee-Recommends  the
establishing of Prayer-meetings-The Allegheny Convention-Recent
expressions of opinion in regard to the Prayer-meeting-Christian
I,structor and Social Prayer-Reflections on important points-United
Presbyterian and Noon-day Prayer-meetings-Installation charge by
Rev. Joseph Thompson, deceased-Letter from a ministerial brother in
regard to Revival and the Prayer-meeting - Its practical importance.
THE  year eighteen hundred and fifty-eight, with many of
its precious incidents and associations, justly claims
a place in the soul-stirring recollections of many who were
actors in its thrilling events; and the record of its times
will long command the interest of all true United Presbyterianss who drink into the same spirit that moved the
fathers in the churches, so happily brought together in one,
at that eventful time. That was the year of prayer-meetings not soon to pass away from memory. On those
precious seasons, affections still linger. Because we now
have in view, principally, events connected with the United
Presbyterian Church, and belonging to the period of
the Union, we shall, therefore, draw largely from The
Church                        Memorial, a work to which  the prayer-meet                                                 333 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
ings of these times, and the consummation of the
Union gave existence. In his "Introduction," the author
says:
"We have also inserted the proceedings of the two religious conventions recently held in Xenia and Allegheny,
deeming them worthy of preservation. The recollection
of these happy meetings, where brethren of different denominations met and sung, and prayed and wept together,
until their hearts were warmed with heavenly influences,
and knit together in holy love, will not soon be forgotten
by those who were present. Such scenes are not often
witnessed on earth. They have already yielded fruit to
the glory of God.  They are worthy to be had in everlasting remembrance."
In 1838, a Convention of Reformed churches met and
conferred on the subject of ecclesiastical union. The deliberations resulted in the passage of the following resolution:.
"Resolved, As the judgment of this Convention, that the
ministers of the churches here represented may interchange
pulpits; and it is recommended to both ministers and
people to unite as often as opportunity offers in meetings
for prayer and other religious exercises."
Subsequent conventions were held till the year 1846,
when the convention met for the eighth time, in which
discouragement seemed to prevail; no progress was made,
and after adopting the following resolution, the convention
adjourned sine die:
"Resolved, That this Convention finds nothing more that
it can do at present in furtherance of the object of its appointment."
When this was made known, such was the effect
upon the public mind, that a meeting of the people
of the three churches represented was called for
334 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
prayer and conference, when the following resolution was
adopted:
"Resolved, That we will not relinquish our prayers and
our efforts in behalf of the unity of the church, hoping
our beloved pastors will lead and encourage us in the
work, and that the Chief Shepherd will approve and
bless."
"Various communications passed between the Supreme
Judicatories of these churches, and at different times meetings were held for conference and devotional exerises. The
result was, the two bodies became better acquainted with
each other, their hearts were drawn more closely together,
and the desire for union, both among the ministry and the
people, became stronger and stronger.
"As the time approached when the long-desired union was
to be consummated, the anxiety of those who had long
labored and prayed for that consummation became more
and more intense. It was not only our heart's desire to
see the union effected, but to see it accomplished in such a
way as to secure harmony and unanimity among brethren.
Deeply impressed with the conviction that without the
blessing and concurrence of heaven, all our efforts must be
in vain, a convention was called to assemble in Xenia,
Ohio, for the purpose of seeking, by united prayer, the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, that the churches might be
prepared to come together in the bonds of fraternal
love."
Here permit us to insert the call, in full, to assemble in
Xenia for prayer and conference. We received a copy of
this call eleven years and a half ago, which we have carefully kept on file till this day. Feeling that it breathes so
much of the true revival and union prayer-meeting spirit,
we deem it worthy a record and transmission to the generations of our children succeeding:
335 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
"CIRCULAR TO THE MINISTERS, ELDERS, AND MEMBERS OF
THE ASSOCIATE, ASSOCIATE REFORMED, AND REFORMED
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCHES."
"DEAR BRETHREN:-We wish you grace, mercy and
peace, from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus
Christ.
"There is a matter very near to our hearts, in regard to
which we seek your prayers, your countenance, and your
co-operation. Believing that God will put honor on the
means of his appointing, and having faith in the power of
united, persevering prayer, we have concluded to invite,
and do hereby invite, yotu earnestly to meet with us in convention in Xenia, on Wednesday, March 24th, at 7 o'clock,
P. M., for the purpose of joint prayer to Heaven, for its
promised blessings; and of advising with each other in
regard to the interests of religion; and this we do with a
view of securing an actual and general revival of practical
godliness in our several churches.
"It is a matter of lamentation, dear brethren, that the
standard of piety is so low at present in the redeemed
Church of the Lord Jesus Christ. What dwarfs we are in
holiness! How far from the elevation we should be standing on!  How  slow our progress!  How  confused our
views! How unequal to the tasks with which we should
be busy! We go halting on the Lord's errandry, instead
of moving on in the strength of his might. It is to be
feared that, owing to the prevalence of a worldly spirit,
and to the imperious demands of even our lawful avocations, as well as to other causes which we need not name,
the fire burns low on the altar of our hearts, and God gets
but a moderate degree of glory from us. And as the result
of this, the world around us is yet in all the woe and all
the wickedness of its fallen state. We see its perishing
multitudes pushing past us day by day, not simply to the
336 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
house of silence, but to the chambers of death, and we
are powerless, comparatively, to arrest them.
" Now, dear brethren, the only corrective of this
lamented state of things is, for the church to'gird herself
anew with the might which is divine, to'receive' afresh
'the Holy Spirit.' All is death in that howling wilderness
that borders on the garden of the Lord. The influences
that are to quicken and save are resident in the church.
The life is here, though sadly dormant, and what we ask
is, that you will come and entreat the Lord with us for its
revival. Among these appointed means we find specially
recognized prayer and muciual conference. After summing
up the most precious blessings to be bestowed on Israel,
God says:'For all these things will I be inquired of by
the house of Israel to do it for them.' And the Saviour
says:'If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my
Father which is in heaven;' and the special regard of God
for such prayer and conference was manifested in the time
of Malachi, a time not unlike, in many of its prominent
features, to our own day.'They that feared the Lord
spake often one to another, and the Lord hearkened and
heard.' In the days of primitive Christianity, it was in
the social circle for prayer that Christ appeared to his disciples. It was when they were thus assembled together
that they received the first baptism of the Holy Spirit,
from whence such wonder came on the day of Pentecost.
If we expect the church to exert on a sin-cursed world
a Pentecostal power, she must have a Pentecostal baptism
of the Spirit of God. If she will enjoy that, she must
not neglect the honored means of the spirit. We would
not overlook the consideration that our brethren of other
and larger bodies of Christians have led off in this work
much to their own encouragement, and, as they tell us, to
29
337 
338      HISTORY OF THE -PRAYER-MEETING.
the gladdening of their Zion; and surely, if God has heard
their prayers, and poured out his Spirit with reviving
power upon them, may not we be partakers of the same
blessed infiuence? The smallness of our number, the scattered condition of our charges, and the limited state of our
finances, need be no hindrance.   These will but add
sweetness to the offering, if our hearts are set on the
work.
"We invite you, then, brethren, of all the various
branches of Christ's church, ministers and elders, and other
members whose hearts the Lord may move in this great
work, to meet us in conference, and talk with one another,
until our hearts are warmed in love, and wrestle with the
Almighty until, in fulfilment of his promise, he pours out
his Spirit as rain upon the mown grass, as showers that
water the earth, until the barren waste be turned into a
fruitful field, and judgment dwell in the wilderness, and
righteousness remain in the fruitful field.
"Surely, dear brethren, we have many precious encouragements to the work. God has said,'I will pour water
upon the thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground; I will
pour my spirit upon thy seed, aRd my blessing upon thy
offspring, and they shall spring up as among the grass, and
as willows by the water-courses.'' Come and let us return
unto the Lord, for he hath torn, and he will heal; he hath
smitten, and he will bind us up; after two days will he revive us; and the third will he raise us up, and we shall
live in his sight.' Reason might teach us to expect good
from the mutual prayers and counsels of brethren from
many and distant portions of the heritage of God; but we
have a higher guarantee for it than the uncertain voice of
human reason. God himself hath said,'It shall come to
pass that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of
many cities; and the inhabitants of one city shall go to 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
another and say, Let us go speedily to pray before the
Lord, and to seek the Lord of hosts. I will go also.'
"That our meeting may be for edification and profit to
ourselves and others, permit us, brethren, to suggest a few
topics to which your minds may be directed as apprQpriate subjects of consideration on an occasion of this
kind:
"I. The true nature of a revival.
" II. Indications of the need of a revival.
"III. Encouragements to hope for a revival.
"IV. Causes of the present deadness of the Church.
"V. Sins of the day as impeding the progress of religion.
"VI. Means of promoting revival.
"VII. Necessity of the influences of the Holy Spirit.
"VIII. Evidences of a true revival.
"IX. Revival of religion essential to the success of mis.
sions.
"X. Aspects of Divine Providence toward the church
and the world.
"On these and kindred topics, such as the convention
may adopt, we ask your prayerful study and your conscientious deliverances. Let prayers for the convention itself be daily offered to God. Let it be like the gathering
of the princes of the people, even the people of the God
of Israel. Let this call be read in every pulpit, that the
people may hear and join their hearts and voices with ours
in fervent prayer for the revival of God's work among us.
Let all obstacles and hindrances be removed out of the
way, that ministers and elders may attend without distraction. Let those who are blessed with abundance say to
their ministers, We wish you to join the counsels of the
church; here are the means; go, and may the blessing of
God go with you. Fathers and mothers in Israel, you who
339 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
have but few days to labor in the vineyard on earth, but
who sigh with deep anxiety for your children, whom you
must soon leave behind you, let us have your prayers and
your sympathy at the Throne of Grace.  Young men, on
whom the burden of the work of God must soon rest, enter
our list, and by the united work of all in this matter, under
the blessing of Zion's King, this convention may be the
brightest spot in the history of our day; the dawning of a
new epoch in the church of God; the fulfilment of that
blessed promise, when the'Lord will create upon every
dwelling-place of Mount Zion, and upon all her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a
flaming fire by night, for upon all the glory shall be a
defence. Behold, I create Jerusalem a rejoicing, and her
people a joy.'"
THE XENIA CONVENTION.
"Here brethren met and united most pleasantly in
prayer and supplication, in singing the songs of Zion, and
in conferring together with reference to the revival of true
godliness in our souls. The effect of this convention was
most happy. God was manifestly present, and the hearts
of brethren were drawn closely together in the bonds of
fraternal love that from that time forth it was manifest
that no human power could prevent the Union."
The convention opened with indications-not of a
business meeting merely-but of a deeply solemn and
earnest prayer-meeting. Rev. R. A. Brown, D. D., said,
"this was not a business convention.  These preliminary
matters, were, perhaps, well enough; but he had come to
attend a prayer-meeting for a revival, and he hoped the
convention would proceed to that business now-to-night.
We had come together not only to talk about revivals,
340 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
but to have a revival. He wanted a prayer-meeting tonight."
Similar remarks were made by others, and it was concluded to fix the hour of meeting at 8 o'clock in the
morning. This was an unusually early hour for deliberative bodies or conventions to meet; but men were in
earnest; a spirit of devotion and of prayer pervaded the
whole assembly, and, indeed, almost the entire mass of the
people at that time, and in that locality.
A communication from Philadelphia was received, sent
by an association of ministers and elders, and other members of the Associate, Associate Reformed, and Reformed
Presbyterian Churches, holding continuous daily prayermeetings at the same time with the convention at Xenia.
The following are extracts:
"DEAR BRETHREN:-The association composed of the
ministers and elders of the above-named churches in this
city, have appointed us a committee to address you a letter
in response to a circular sent by you to the brethren of
these churches, and to express their sympathies with you
in the objects of your meeting, which we accordingly do
with great pleasure.
"Our hearts, dear brethren, have been greatly refreshed
by the intelligence received through your circular, that
you have called a convention of the ministers, elders, and
members of these churches, from different parts of the
country, with the view of deliberating concerning the interests of religion, and of pouring out your hearts in united
and earnest-persevering prayer, for a revival of practical
godliness in our several churches.
"In this circular you have kindly invited us to meet with
you on this interesting and solemn occasion. It has been, with
some of us, a matter of serious consideration whether we
should not, for the time being, forget any other claim upon
341 
342      HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
our time and attention, and joyfully accept your invitation to
meet with you. There are considerations, however, which,
we think, will prevent us from yielding to these first
promptings of our hearts. Among these we may mention
the fact, that the present time is, in this city, marked by
events of the most extraordinary character. A mighty
influence is at work in this section of our land. Never, in
the history of our country, has there been such an awaken ing among all classes of the community to the interests of
religion. In different parts of our great city assemblies
are being held every day, in which persons are drawn to gether by thousands, filling, to their utmost capacity, the
largest halls and churches in our city. Merchants are
leaving their stores, professional men their offices, and
mechanics their shops, in the business hours of the day,
that they may hear and proclaim the word of salvation by
Jesus Christ, and pour out their hearts in prayer to Al mighty God for his blessing. But we need not tell you
of these things. Doubtless, you have heard of them, and,
doubtless, they have awakened your deepest concern.
"With thankful hearts we recognize in this great move ment the finger of God, pointing to a better state of things
in the land; and in it, too, we hear the voice of our great
Captain calling upon us to arouse ourselves to a more
vigorous conflict with the powers of darkness. This con clusion, dear brethren, has been not a little strengthened
by the reception of your circular, breathing a spirit so much
in unison with the signs of the times, and the feelings they
awaken in our hearts.
"It will, doubtless, rejoice your hearts to know, as you
#,urge us to united prayer, that in some of our churches we
have been meeting daily through the past week, or more,
for this special purpose, and we have reason to hope, thus
far, that our meeting has been attended with good results. 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
While thankful for any manifestation of the Lord's goodness, in this respect, we would, at the same time, desire to
be found watching, lest the great adversary of souls,
through our sinfulness, may get an advantage over us.
We ask you, dear brethren, to help us by your prayers."
A similar communication, from New York, signed by
twenty-five brethren of the same churches, was received
by the Convention. The following are extracts:
"DEAR BRETHREN IN JESUS CHRIST: We have received your Circular. We approve your proposal, and
we hail you in the name of Christ while you gather round
the Throne of Grace, to seek a new baptism of His Holy
Spirit from above.
"There is a great power in prayer. Power to avert
evil, to command the blessing, and to'move the hand that
moves the world,' that it may be opened to dispense revival to the church, and salvation to sinners ready to perish around her. Let this power be used, dear brethren,
by you. God has promised to give His Holy Spirit to
them that ask Him; and, laying hold of this by faith, you
may confidently expect that the blessing, for which you
may agree to ask, will be dispensed.
"An awakening of the public mind to the importance of
religion, is now existing in our city and its vicinity. It
pervades all classes. It leads men to soial prayer, to the
hearing of the gospel, and to inquiry for salvation through
Jesus Christ. Let us request you, dear brethren, that
when you gather in your holy convocation, you will remember, before God, the large cities of our land, where
Satan's seat is, and where it is our lot to labor for our
common Lord and Master.
"We trust that some of our brethren will be able to
meet you in convention, and from such you will receive
more extended information on these subjects. We will
343 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
therefore, conclude by saying that we have read your Circular in our churches; we have made your meeting a
subject of special prayer, and it is highly probable that at
the same hour on which you meet, assemblies among ourselves, which have been advised of yours, will be joining
with you in supplication at the Throne of God. That you
may enjoy the presence of the Master of Assemblies, and
be made joyful in His house of prayer, is, respected and
dear brethren, the prayer of yours, in the gospel of our
common Lord and Master."
The second day of the Convention, the following telegraphic dispatch was received from Philadelphia:
"Large meeting last evening-three bodies for united
prayer in concert with Convention. Three meetings this
evening-Wylie's, Cooper's, Sterret's. Send immediately
full dispatch  about  Convention.   Work  reviving  all
around."
REMARKS MADE IN CONVENTION.
Rev. Blair said: "A want of faith lies at the root of a
defective application of the gospel. God had brought together the bodies here represented; and this shows they
ought to be one. We have not prayed together-such
meetings are new. For forty years such meetings have
not been witnessed. They mean that we have been in
error heretofore, and teach us that we should be united in
future."
Rev. R. A. Browne, D. D., said: "There are three millions of human beings in bondage in this land, to whom
the word of God cannot be preached. Our fearful complicity in this giant wrong is one great reason why God
has made the heaven as iron and the earth as brass. This
system claimed not toleration merely, but was a ruling
power ill the land. A drain of whiskey might procure the
344 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
passage of a law which nullifies the law of God. We
should utter our protest against this crime, and pray
against it wherever two or three of us are together. The
eyes of many are on us to-day, looking up from every
corner of the land, to see whether Presbyterianism can
rear its standard in behalf of the poor bondmen."
Dr. Rodgers said: "When  God's ministers and people
become dissatisfied with the present state of things, and
feel their need of a revival, it is a sign of a better day
coming. It is an indication of the Most High. Our meeting together is an evidence of this. A prayer-meeting to
which brethren have come from so great a distance! There
is a feeling of dissatisfaction with self; and one object
should be to deepen this feeling. I shall then call your
attention to this point: the indications that we need a
revival." And, as an evidence of need of revival, farther
said: "Another matter. How difficult a thing it is to
keep up meetings for prayer! Is religion prospering
among us when we cannot meet, and pray, and talk over
the interests of our souls?"
Oh, these words come up like a voice from the dead,
speaking living truth in regard to the outstanding evidences of a low state of religion now in our churchles, and
our need of revival! The times of the Xenia Convention,
it is much to be feared, are gone by.
Dr. Clokey remarked:  "We should get up our prayermneetings in the lanes and alleys, wherever we can get a
chance." Words few, but fitly set.
Dr. Wylie, ill a very elaborate speech, said:  "From the
very signs of the times, we have reason to believe that it
is not long, it may not be more than ten years, until the
Millennium will come.  There will be a conflict with the
powers of darkness before that time comes. The hosts
will be arrayed. The Spirit is gathering his own elect
345 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
from all the corners of the world. Such meetings as this
one are encouragements that the day of their redemption
draweth nigh. That day will be to the redeemed as Noah's
Ark in the flood. All who are not in that Ark will be
destroyed. I need not refer to the workings of Providence.   Here are Christians assembled  from  different
parts of the land to pray together. We have one faith, one
hope, etc., etc. For years we have been resolving, now we
seem to be ready to declare, we are one-so much unity
of heart, of sentiment, of faith."
Report of Special Committee, from which the following
are extracts:
"Resolved, That it is the duty of this Convention to give
an expression to our churches in regard to the specific
measures which should be adopted by our Sessions and
members, so that a proper direction may be given to the
present awakening on the subject of religion.
"While we have no new measures to recommend, it
may be proper for us to set about the use of God's measures and means with new life and vigor; these are the
faithful, direct preaching of the word, earnest prayer to
God in the closet, in the family, and in the social meetingopening our churches for prayer through the week, where
the circumstances of our people, and the need of the community, render such a measure expedient. Establishing
meetings for prayer and conference in as many localities as
possible-urging on our members and elders the duty of
taking an active part in these meetings."
Well would it be for the church did she heed these
recommendations, and earnestly endeavor to carry them
out faithfully and practically. This is certainly just what
is now needed-prayer-meetings established in as many localities as possible.
"The Convention, after spending a few days in most de
346 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
lightful Christian fellowship, adjourned to meet in the
City of Allegheny, immediately previous to the time appointed for the assembling of.our respective Synods. A
large number of the brethren of both churches accordingly
met, and spent several days in conference and in devotional exercises. After anxious solicitude, and fervent
prayers, and earnest efforts, persevered in for more than
twenty years, the hearts of those who love the'peace of
Zion were made glad by seeing brethren who were substantially one in the faith, but who had long been ecclesiastically separated, brought together in the bonds of
Christian love, under one banner, and dwelling together
in unity."
THE ALLEGHENY CONVENTION.
In some respects this Convention presents a contrast
with the one held in Xenia. Among all the speeches and
remarks, during the conferences in the Allegheny meeting,
scarcely an allusion was made to the prayer-meeting, or to
social prayer, while at Xenia this seemed to be the burden
of many speeches, documents, and resolutions. In the
Allegheny Convention, any reference to the subject seems
to have been merely incidental, and thrown in upon the
meeting from without. We give all in the following extracts:
On Wednesday, the third day of the convention, "before proceeding to prayer, Dr. Pressly announced that he
had received a dispatch from the Reformed churches in
Cincinnati, requesting an interest in the prayers of the convention, and stating that they met daily for prayer and
conference." Shortly after, "Dr. Pressly stated that he
had received through the post-office a letter from a lady
about sixty miles distant from the city, desiring an interest
in the prayers of the convention, in behalf of her unhappy
347 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
faniily. She is the mother of seven small children, and the
wife of an intemperate husband. She adds: Our pastor is
laboring hard in the pulpit and in the prayer-meeting for
our good, but he never visits the down-trodden and the oppressed." Nearer the close of the convention, the following remarks were made:
"It may seem presumption in me to.venture a suggestion
in the midst of so much assembled age and wisdom, but if
you are sincerely engaged in these services you will cheerfully accept the suggestion of the humblest disciple of
Jesus. All seem disappointed here. The exercises have not
met the expectations of many. I confess that the confereice has not come up to my own feelings as to what it
should be. What is the reason? What is it that arrests,
so often, the growing interest? What is it that dampens
so often the rising fervor of devotion? It is the inordinate concern about an event anticipated in the future."
RECENT EXPRESSIONS OF  OPINION  IN REGARD TO THE
PRAYER-MEETING.
The following is taken from an article in the Chrtian
Intructor, Philadelphia, Sept. 4th, 1869:
" SOCIAL PRAYER."
"It has been often remarked, that the best thermometer
to indicate the spiritual warmth of a congregation, is the
attendance of its members upon social prayer-meetings.
That man who neglects the sopial prayer-meeting, no matter how long and loud he talks about' contending for the
faith once delivered to the saints,' has, at best, but a frozen
orthodoxy. That faith that don't work by love, and don't
produce good fruits, is very likely a spurious faith. Ordinarily, faith manifests its life and developments as conspicuously in a prayer-meeting as anywhere else. The
348 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
attendance at the sanctuary on the Sabbath, is not so good
a test of genuine religion as the attendance upon the
prayer-meeting is.
"With many the Sabbath is a day of leisure. They cannot pursue their secular labor during its sacred hours,
conscious that it does not comport with the Christian profession to make it a day of amusement or social visitation;
its time hangs heavily on their hands. To sleep away its
quiet hours would be, to one accustomed to active life, irksome. At the house of God, even those whose tastes are
such as not to relish the exercises of the sanctuary, often
meet such society as their social nature demands, and by
such meetings they feel they are compensated for any outlay of effort they may have made to be present. Conscience,
too, not altogether dead, is somewhat quieted by such attendance; hence they have their reward.
"At the sanctuary the curious can find something to
feed their curiosity, the devotees of fashion have an opportunity to exhibit their finery, and find something to administer to their pride; sometimes the refined and literary
can find that which is pleasing, and the admirers of eloquence and learning, that which satisfies them.
"Ordinarily, they do not look for these in the social
prayer-meetings. These are usually held on week-days
and nights, and those who are devoted to this world rarely
find time to attend them; sacrifices of time, ease, and
worldly comfort are required, and the formal professor is
not willing to make such sacrifices. The attractions that
draw many out on the Sabbath are not there. The gay
and fashionable, and the admirers of learning and eloquence do not expect to find what they seek at a prayermeeting. Prayers may be offered up by the illiterate and
unlearned, and exhortations offered by the same class of
persons. Praise may not be so well performed as on the
30
349 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Sabbath, in the sanctuary. It is the saints who generally
frequent the prayer-meetings; and as there is more of the
fear of God, and less of human parade, there, these meetings are more made up of God's own children, and fewer
worldlings, than ordinary Sabbath services are. In these
meetings of the saints, God is feared, and those who meet
speak often one to another; they tell what God has done
for their souls, and it is no wonder that these revelations
of Christian experience-should be insipid and uninteresting to those who have not tasted that God is good. When
we consider who it is that ordinarily attends these meetings for social prayer, we need not wonder at the marvellous
results that have been effected by them; that these exercises, everywhere, and at all times, have been so crowned
with success, and so owned of God for the conversion of
sinners and for the edification of the church.   These
results exemplify the power of fervid, united, humble
prayer. When many attend these meetings habitually,
we readily recognize the fact that spiritual life is there,
and hence we look for manifestations of divine power.
When God's own children travail in believing, importunate
prayer, souls are born unto God, and new life comes down
upon cold and languishing congregations. God will be
inquired of to bless his church, and'where but two agree
as touching anything they shall ask, it shall be done for
them.'
"One of the saddest aspects of the present time, is the
fewness of Christian professors that attend social prayermeetings, and the little interest taken in them, sometimes,
even by those from whom we would expect better things.
In many places, ruling elders seem to have lost their relish
for social prayer-meetings. It is in these meetings especially that elders should'take heed to themselves and the
flock over which the Holy Spirit has made them over
350 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
seers, to feed the church of God which he hath purchased
with his blood.' After all, it may be, the ministry is
somewhat at fault in not properly encouraging and countenancing these meetings for social prayer. It is with no
wish to bring a railing accusation against the ministry of
his own or any other church, that the writer says the ministry is at fault in not properly encouraging and countenancing meetings for social prayer. Sometimes the inquiry
is started, Do they recognize social prayer as an ordinance
of God?  If so, why not honor it as such?"
There are some points in this article important as waymarks in tracing the history of the prayer-meeting, and
important as an application of tests by which the state of
religion may be determined:
1. This article is very seasonable; there is pressing need
that the attention of the church should be thoroughly
waked up to the subject. There is danger of forgetting
this blessed and precious institution, and so falling off from
its observance. 2. The writer, very justly, holds this ordinance to be "the spiritual thermometer," by which the
state of the spiritual health of the church, and of the professed Christian, is to be determined. Because, to secure
punctual observance of the prayer-meeting, there must be
piety-not dormant, but wakeful-constraining love to
Christ, to his children, and to his ordinances. 3. And it
is to be feared that the apprehension is too well founded
of a very general neglect, on the part of so many professors, of this ordinance of worship. 4. The suggestion that
sin lies at the door of the ministry, may be entitled to very
grave consideration. Let the ministry be waked up to
their duties and responsibilities here, and this article will
be found to be not in vain. 5. The article presses upon
us the important inquiry, Is the prayer-meetinig an ordinance of religious worship?  And if it be, why not honor
351 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
it as such? We might add, just here, another inquiry:
If the prayer-meeting be an ordinance of Christ's appointment, how should it be honored?
The following article may be seen in the United Presbyterian, Pittsburgh, Sept. 18, 1869:
"NOON-DAY PRAYER-MEETING."
"We would remind our readers that the meetings for
prayer, at noon of every day, are continued at No. 23
Fifth Avenue. These prayer-meetings are intended for
business men and others, whose engagements will allow a
half hour's attendance at this time of day. In past times
these meetings were largely attended, and were the means
of much good. Latterly they have been much neglected,
and an effort is made to revive the interest in them. They
should have an interest for all denominations."
This notice is cheering. May we receive it as a token
for coming good? May we hope for an outpouring of the
Spirit in the revival of religion, and entertain this as some
of its first fruits? Then shall we feel encouraged to hope
that our feeble attempt to do something, in this cause, at
this time, is not in vain, and will not, by the blessing of
God, be in vain.
The following extract is taken from a volume of sermons, published by Rev. James Thompson, New York
City:
"A CHARGE, DELIVERED TO THE CONGREGATION OF VENICE,
AT THE ORDINATION AND INSTALLATION OF REV. A. R.
ANDERSON.  BY REV. JOSEPH THOMPSON, DECEASED."
"It is also your duty to co-operate with him in organizing praying societies in the congregation. I have heard
of professing Christians who entertained doubts about the
propriety of such societies. I hope, however, there are
352 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
none of this class in this congregation. It is very discouraging for a minister to travel perhaps several miles,
to attend a prayer-meeting, and find, when he goes, that
some of his congregation, who perhaps live in sight, are
absent. It is the duty of all who can to attend such meetigs; and it is especially the duty of heads of families,
and others, who are capable of taking a part in the exerceises, to attend. This will greatly strengthen the hands
and encourage the heart of your pastor, and promote your
growth in grace. These are some of the ways in which
you are bound to co-operate with your pastor."
This "Charge" is important, not only as the expression
of the opinion of a beloved brother, deceased, and here
speaking from the dead, but also, because it speaks the
view of the Standards of the Church. Praying societies
should be organized in the congregation-not one only;
whether monthly or weekly, but as many as circumstances
may require, so as to secure the attendance of all the membership of the congregation.
The following is from a letter received from a beloved
brother in the ministry, whose congregation enjoyed a
precious revival in the year 
"The work to which you refer appeared to have its
commencement in a greater interest than usual manifested
throughout the congregation. There was, for some time
previous, evidence, I think, of greater concern and sincerity than had been. This resulted ill the Session's appointing a day for conference and prayer, in view of the
welfare of the congregation, and the good of the cause.
We held this conference as a Session. We consulted
freely in relation to duty, and the best course to be putrsued; frequently, in our deliberations, approaching the
throne of grace, and asking for light and direction. In
this way we spent as much of the day as could be conve      30*
353 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
niently spent-all the members being present. The result
was, that it was concluded to hold a series of meetings
about the time of the week of prayer; and, as it was
thought to suit better, in a country place, to have the
meetings during moonlight, the time was put a little beyond the week of prayer. It was also understood that the
members of Session, in their families, should specially remember the object in view, in their devotions; and the
congregation, as such, was requested to have the matter in
view, particularly in their prayers, as individuals and
families. During the period of our meetings, the pastor
gave very frequent opportunities to persons to meet with
him for conversation. The Session often met to converse
with and receive applicants.
"We had prayer-meetings in the congregation. But
there was no special arrangement to this end beyond what
I have mentioned. I have every reason, however, to believe that the people were very much engaged in prayer.
The interest manifested could not have been separated
from this. And I do believe that there can be no true revival where prayer is not most prominently associated
with it. And I believe, also, that no congregation will
unitedly engage in sincerely seeking the outpouring of the
Spirit, where there shall not be evidences of his power,
which shall make their hearts rejoice.
"I think that, during that season, much, under the
blessing of the Divine Spirit, was done through prudent
individual effort. Members of Session, and private members of the congregation, and the pastor, sought every opportunity of conversing with individuals, of learning their
feelings and views, and of urging upon them their duty.
I think that these efforts were specially blessed, as I think
such efforts made in the proper spirit always will be. One
hundred and eight persons made a profession of religion,
354 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
and were received into the church. Eighteen adults were
baptized. Of this number, only three, of whom I have
heard from, were unfaithful; and in their case there was
something peculiar.
"I think we have reason to believe that a true revival
begins in the hearts of the people of God. When they
themselves, through prayer, and careful observance of all
the nmeans of grace, are refreshed by the influences of the
Spirit, they necessarily are prepared to exert an influence,
which, through the blessing of God, must have its effect.
With them a revival commences; through them it is carried on; and by them the instrumentalities are employed
which the power of God makes efficient."
This letter is of practical importance to every congregation, and worthy of earnest attention:
1. To enjoy a revival of religion, the pastor, elders, and
leading members must take a leading interest in revival,
and in the employment of the instrumentalities divinely
appointed to secure it. 2. They must make it a subject
of earnest conversation. This is Christ's way of making
disciples' cold hearts burn with renewed love. 3. They
must make it a matter of earnest, united prayer. Then
will God's Spirit come down with a blessing and revive.
355 
CHAPTER XVI.
CHURCH CREEDS AND THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Discipline of the Methodist Episcopal Church-Testimony of the Re formed Presbyterian Church-Directory for Worship of the United
Presbyterian Church-Reflections.
THE  deliverances of all the churches upon this subject,
whether in the form of organic law, or occasional
declaratory acts, would form an interesting chapter here;
but we have neither space, time, nor the means for it in
this connection. We give a brief specimen only.
In the doctrines and discipline of the "Methodist Episcopal Church," we find the following:
"In the latter end of the year 1739, eight or ten persons
came to Mr. Wesley, in London, who appeared to be
deeply convinced of sin, and earnestly groaning for redemption. They desired (as did two or three more the
next day) that he would spend some time with them in
prayer, and advise them how to flee from the wrath to
come; which they saw continually hanging over their
heads. That he might have more time for this great
work, he appointed a day when they might all come together; which, from thence forward, they did every week,
namely, on Thursday, in the evening. To these, and as
many more as desired to join with them (for their number
increased daily), he gave those advices, from time to time,
which he judged most needful for them; and they always
concluded their meeting with prayer suited to their several
necessities.
"This was the rise of the UNITED  SOCIETY, first in
356 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
Europe, and then in America. Such a society is no other than
'a company of men having the form and seeking the power
of godliness, united in order to pray together, to receive the
word of exhortation, and to watch over one another in love,
that they may help each other to work out their salvation.'
"That it may the more easily be discerned whether they
are, indeed, working out their own salvation, each society
is divided into smaller companies, called classes, according
to their respective places of abode.   There are about
twelve persons in a class; one of whom is styled the leader."
" OF THE BAND SOCIETIES."
"Two, three, or four, true believers, who have confidence
in each other, form a band. Only, it is to be observed,
that in one of these bands all must be men, or all women;
and all married, or all unmarried."
" RULES FOR THE BAND SOCIETIES, DRAWN UP
DEC. 25, 1738."
"The design of our meeting is to obey that command of
God,'Confess your faults one to another, and pray for one
another, that ye may be healed.' James v. 16. To this end
we agree: 1. To meet once a week, at least. 2. To come
punctually at the hour appointed, without some extraordinary reason prevents. 3. To begin exactly at the hour,
with singing, or prayer. 4. To speak, each of us in order,
freely and plainly, the true state of our souls, with the
faults we have committed in tempers, words, or actions,
and the temptations we have felt, since our last meeting. 5.
To end every meeting with prayer suited to the state of each
person present."-Discipline, edition 1852. Pp. 25-6, 81-2.
TESTIMONY OF THE REFORMED PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
"Christians should frequently meet, at stated times, for
acts of private social worship, in order to strengthen each
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HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
otker in piety and zeal, and maintain sincere friendship
upon evangelical principles." Chapter xxiv., Section 5,
"Of Christian Worship."  P. 231.
DIRECTORY FOR WORSHIP OF THE UNITED PRESBYTERIAN
CHURCH.
"Prayer-Meetings: 1. Meetings for prayer should be
held in every congregation. Matt. iii. 16, etc.; Acts ii. 42,
etc. When a minister is present, he should preside and
give direction to the exercises.  In his absence, an elder,
or member of approved piety, should conduct the meeting.
"2. The exercises should consist of reading the Scriptures, the singing of Psalms, the offering of suitable
prayers, and remarks founded on some passage of Scripture, or interesting event of Providence.   The whole
should conduce to brotherly love, personal piety, and the
general interests of religion.
"3. Meetings for prayer may be held at one or more
times, and in one or more places, in the congregation during the week. But they should never be allowed to interfere with, or to take the place of, important religious duties
in the family.
"4. Church Sessions should hold a Sessional prayermeeting at least once a month, at which they may consult
about the condition and interests of the flock, and implore
divine guidance in all that to which they are called.
"5. When a congregation has no pastor, or when he is
absent, it may be profitable to spend a part of the Sabbath
in social prayer; and if none are present capable of making
appropriate remarks, let some one read an evangelical and
instructive sermon.
"Church officers should exhort the people to a faithful
attendance on prayer-meetings, and none should excuse
themselves from attending, without good reason."
358 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
CONCLUDING REFLECTIONS.
These deliverances of the churches have not only an
advisory character, but the force of organic rule, to which
members of the church are expected to conform. If they
are salutary rules, the spiritual health of individuals and
churches will be affected both by their observance and
their neglect. Like all other means of grace having an
institution in God's word, and like that word itself, the
prayer-meeting will be to the church member a savor of
life unto life, or a savor of death unto death. And here,
as in the case of all church creeds, rules, and deliverances
of church judicatories, whether organic or merely occasional, there should be a faithful observance of the rules,
or they should be rescinded altogether.   Better  have
creeds with less detail, rules too few, and Directories defective, than to have more extensive ones a dead letter in
the book. Whatever we may have, whether organic law,
or rule in other form, let us observe it while it remains in
force, especially when we believe it to be founded in the
Divine authority in the word. Faithfulness here is important to unity among brethren, and harmony and efficiency in ecclesiastical operations, enterprises, and labors
in Christ's cause.
Church Directories for Worship form an important part
of the voluntary church covenant into which every member enters, with the whole brotherhood of membership, in
entering the communion of the church. We are then all
bound by our brotherly covenant to observe the prayermeeting. And here let us reflect hpw dangerous it is to
trifle with vows! It damages the spiritual interests of the
soul, offends God, and grieves the Holy Spirit, wounds
brethren, and harms the cause of Christ. Creeds, confessioins, testimonies, are worthless, if they have no counterpart in the conversation and lives of those pledged to
359 
HISTORY OF THE PRAYER-MEETING.
them. This is the effective epistle known and read of all
men. As it has been well remarked by a very judicious
observer and writer, so let us remember, "The prayermeeting is the Thermometer of the church, by which the
state of religion is distinctly indicated."
Friends of Christ: In now parting with you,'after
travelling together the pathway of the earnest followers of
Jesus, from Enos down along through the successive cycles
of the centuries, may we not ask you, Have you not seen,
and are you not persuaded, that the followers of the Lamb
have ever been found-in prosperity and in adversitywalking in the way of prayer-in the way of the prayer
meeting, with Him who so often met with his disciples and
the women, in the upper rooms, for private social prayer?
And are you not satisfied that if we shall, in the future,
ever see and enjoy a day of Revival, it must be in the way
in which God has, in times of past refreshings, so remarkably sent down the fiery baptisms of pentecostal times?
0, may the time soon come, when all who love Jesus,
who love the godly bearing his image, who love prayer
and the sweet communion of saints, shall speak one to
another, and shall agree to ask together that God will
fulfil his promises of revival! "And I will pour upon the
house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem,
the Spirit of grace and supplications: For I will pour
water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry
ground; and I will pour my Spirit upon thy seed, and my
blessing upon thine offspring: And they shall spring up
as among the grass, as willows by the water courses. Thy
watchmen shall lift up the voice; with the voice together
shall they sing: for they shall see eye to eye, when the
Lord shall bring again Zion. Thus saith thetLord God:
I will yet for this be inquired of by the house of Israel, to
do it for them."
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