what they must do to be saved. Many thousands, too, throughout the land seem to have been thus savingly awakened and converted; and still the work is going on, and embraces all ranks and classes in the community. O that the Spirit of grace and supplication may continue to be thus poured out on all flesh, till all shall be led to press into the kingdom of God, "and the Redeemer's name be sung through every land, by every tongue."

Having thus directed attention to what may be termed the history of united prayer-meetings, let us now,

II. Point out some of the special benefits which flow from the regular observance of such meetings. Here we remark,

1. They present an excellent opportunity for preserving brotherly love in proper exercise among the members of a church. In our present imperfect state, differences of opinion will sometimes occur even among the best of the people of God; and the great thing in reference to them, when they unhappily occur, is to prevent them, as far as possible, from injuring the harmony of the Church at large. Now, of all the means which can be devised for accomplishing this, none will be found so effectual as meetings for prayer. For here heart blends with heart, individual or party interests are forgotten or sacrificed in the general good, every member is reminded of the interest which he has in his brethren, the best affections of the heart are drawn out into exercise, and all are led to feel and to regard that they are brethren and members, one with another. Hence, where there is a general spirit of prayer in exercise in a church, the spirit of division cannot exist in it; the members will be too united in affection, in interest, and in co-operative plans and exertions for endeavouring to promote the glory of God and their mutual spiritual advancement, to admit of it. But not only are their affections thus united, they are also greatly strengthened. For, "as iron sharpeneth iron, so does the face of a man his friend;" and, of all the means for strengthening affection among brethren, which may be thought of, none will be found so effectual as meetings for prayer. Frequent intercourse with one another in the common walks and avocations of life may, no doubt, do much towards the attainment of this end; but, no intercourse will be found so effectual as that which takes place at the throne of grace. For there we mutually connect ourselves with God, with Christ, and with heaven, and are led more than in any other way to feel that we are children of a common parent, that we are partakers of the same privileges and blessings, heirs of the same glorious inheritance, and destined to dwell forever in the same heavenly home. And how is it possible for us to feel all this, without, at the same time feeling our affection to one another greatly invigorated? For, if we are destined to spend our immortal existence together, and that too in heaven, how can we prevent our affection to each other from being strong and lasting even as our being itself? Now, if this is the invariable effect which they will produce,

how important are united prayer-meetings to the spiritual prosperity of a church?

2. These meetings afford an excellent opportunity for improving the gifts of the members of a church. Exercise, combined with study and meditation, is the surest way of improving mental endowments and gracious habits; and no way of exercising the gifts of the members of the church is so appropriate as meetings for prayer. And it is of the first importance that their gifts should be improved to the utmost; for the more they are improved, the more will they be able to edify one another, and the greater will be their influence in promoting the spiritual well-being of others. And of all the gifts which are ornamental to the Christian character, there is no one that is more so than an humble, edifying, and spiritual gift in prayer. But, how frequently do we find persons possessed even of a high degree of intelligence, and who furnish, it may be, satisfactory evidence of genuine piety, exceedingly deficient in this matter. Converse with them on the affairs of this world, and on the general subject of Christianity, and words will flow apace. Or, if they have any matter of complaint, or any trouble, in reference to which they wish your sympathy or assistance, and they find no difficulty in stating it; but ask them to pray, and they are all confusion and full of excuses, and this may be even where we have unquestionable evidences of genuine piety. Now, in all such cases, it is a matter of no little importance to ascertain the cause from which this proceeds. And, after making all due allowance for constitutional timidity and diversity of gifts, we have no doubt that a great part of this feeling is to be attributed to a want of practice, particularly of praying in the presence of others. But, surely, it is on every account desirable to get above this timidity and confusion, and to feel as much at ease when praying in public, as we do when praying alone. And what can be more likely to enable us, under the blessing of God, to acquire this ease and self-possession than meetings for prayer among the members of a church? And the more frequently and regularly they are attended, they will always be found to have this effect, and thus secure a greater measure of edification and usefulness to all.

3. These meetings afford an excellent opportunity for ascertaining the real state of religion in a church. As religion never can exist in any soul without prayer, so the manner in which the regular prayer-meetings of a church are attended will be found, at least as a general rule, a good criterion by which we may judge of the state of religion in it. If they are numerous enough to meet the exigencies of a church, and if they are regularly and well attended, if they are looked forward to with interest, and engaged in with proper motives, and if the whole heart and soul are consecrated in them to God, they will form a most gratifying and safe evidence of the flourishing state of religion in it. But if, on the contrary, they are but few in number, and thinly and irregularly

attended, regarded with no interest, and engaged in in a cold or lifeless manner, or if they dwindle away till at last they are given up, it is a sad evidence that that church is far gone in a state of backsliding. It is thus that every church possesses within herself the means of accurately ascertaining the present state of piety among her members. Are they given to prayer? And are they eminent for this exercise? For these, a great deal more than numbers, or wealth, or mere worldly intelligence, will be found a safe criterion by which we may judge of the real state of piety within her. And do not think, my dear readers, that it is a small matter to ascertain the real state of piety in a church. In place of its being so, it is a matter of great importance; for, according to the state of religion in a church, just so is the duty of all her members clearly pointed out. As in the case of bodily diseases, the physician, after having ascertained the nature and progress of the disease, knows what means are necessary to resort to, with the view of effecting a cure, just so in reference to spiritual diseases; when their nature and progress are known, both pastor and people may also easily know what means are necessary to be adopted in order to a cure, or to stop the spiritual pestilence from making any farther havoc among them. And we know of nothing which is so likely to render such important assistance to us in this matter as meetings for united prayer.

4. Such meetings have ever been honoured by God with obtaining the most important blessings for the Church. "The effectual fervent prayer (that is, the inwrought prayer) of a righteous man availeth much;" how much more then may we naturally expect from such prayers of many righteous men? Hence, said the Saviour, Matt. 18: 19, 20, "If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall ask, it shall be done for them of my Father who is in heaven. For, where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." From what Christ here says, it is evident that he bestows the highest honour on united prayer; and, in attestation of the truth of this statement, we have many proofs in the Sacred Scriptures. Thus, the victory over the Amalekites, we are taught to regard as the result of the joint prayer of Moses and Hur: Ex. 17: 8, 13. See also 1 Chron. 5: 20; Ezra, 8: 23. Daniel and his companions were saved from destruction, in answer to their united prayers: Dan. 2 17, 18, &c. Just so too were the Hebrew captives, who were scattered throughout the Persian empire, saved from utter extermination in answer to their united prayers: Est. 4: 15, 16, and chap. 9th. When the Holy Spirit, too, was poured out, on the day of Pentecost, it was when the disciples were assembled in one place for prayer: Acts, 2: 1. Peter, too, was delivered from prison and intended martyrdom in answer to the united prayers of the Church Acts, 12: 5, 12. Paul and Silas also were delivered from the prison at Philippi in answer to their united prayers: Acts, 16:

:

25. And, in every age, piety has been revived and invigorated where it has decayed, and, in many instances, produced where it did not previously exist, in answer to the prayers and exertions of God's people. What an inducement, therefore, is this for us all to abound and persevere in prayer; for, never shall it be said "that praying breath is ever spent in vain." The promises of God are exceeding great and precious, and they show us what he is ready, and able, and willing to do for us; and all that he asks of us is to believe his word, and apply to him in faith, humility, and love, that he may fulfil it to us. For all the blessings which he has promised to bestow, "he will be inquired of by the house of Israel to do it for them." And just in proportion as they have thus inquired of him, in holy, humble, believing, earnest, and persevering prayer, just so it will be found that, in all ages, He has opened the windows of heaven, and poured down His blessings upon his waiting people, sometimes even till there was not room enough to contain them. From what has been said, we learn

1. That meetings for united prayer have ever been considered of great importance in the Church. In all her troubles, individually and collectively, and in every age, they have been her great resort, and have been honoured with many marked attestations of the Divine acceptance and blessing. They, therefore, who entertain a mean opinion of them, display either great ignorance or sinful carelessness on the subject of vital godliness. But there are many, we fear, in all parts of the vineyard of the Lord, who entertain such an opinion of them. Thus, some, when invited to attend them, reply, as an excuse for neglecting them, "It is only a prayermeeting. Only a prayer-meeting! And what is there in a prayer-meeting that it should be thus despised? Is it nothing to hold communion with God? Is it nothing to carry our united wants to the fountain of Divine fulness, that they may all be supplied? Is it nothing to pray for the prosperity of religion in our own souls, and in the souls of others around us, or for the conversion of the world to Christ? In place of these being uninteresting and unimportant subjects, they are decidedly the greatest and most important subjects in which we can concern ourselves. Surely, then, it becomes all who are neglecting, and it may be, despising the prayer-meeting, to lay their own state well to heart; for, in so doing, they have great reason to fear that their heart is not right with God. The Church, too, that has no prayer-meetings is evidently neglecting an important means of grace; and, where this is the case, we need not be surprised if it is left destitute of the awakening and reviving influences of the Holy Spirit; and, if not awakened to a becoming sense of its duty, it at last becomes barren as the heath of the desert.

2. The present state of the Church in general should operate as a strong inducement and encouragement to the universal observance of meetings for prayer. After a long period, during which the

spiritual heavens above the Church appeared as if shut against her, for some time past the Holy Spirit seems to be returning in his awakening, reviving, and converting influences to many of the churches throughout our land. And the consequence of this happy state of things has been, that, almost everywhere, multitudes are daily seen assembling in the churches for united prayer and exhortation; and this is the case not merely in retired places of the country, where many, at certain seasons of the year, have little to do, but even in our largest cities, and in our thronging marts of commerce, thousands may be seen laying aside for a time their attention to the concerns of this world, and flocking to the house of God, that they may spend an hour in united prayer and praise, and thus seek to improve this wonderful manifestation of Divine influence. So general an outpouring of the Holy Spirit, it is said. by those who are far better acquainted with the subject than I am, has probably never heretofore been granted to the churches in our land. Very precious fruits too, in the conversion of many souls, seem already to have sprung from it, and still the gracious influence continues, and in some places seems to be extending. Surely then, this is not a time for any church to be careless and indifferent about the conversion of souls, and the universal extension of the kingdom of Christ. Rather than this, should not everything be carefully avoided that is likely again to grieve away the Holy Spirit from the churches, and everything be done in the way of united prayer and supplication, and in the use of the other means of grace, in order that we may obtain a copious effusion of the influences of the Holy Spirit on our own souls, and on the souls of others? And, if this is unquestionably the duty of the Church at large, are there not circumstances among us that should lead us to see that it is pre-eminently our own duty? For, why is it that vital godliness is at such a low ebb among us? Is it not because the Spirit is not poured out from on high upon us, with his reviving and quickening graces? And how are we, as a church, likely to enjoy these if we do not ask for them? Come then, yea, let us all come, and with holy, humble, believing, and fervent prayer wrestle with God till he grant us his blessing, and revive us in days that are past, and let us from the heart say, "Come from the four winds, O breath of the Lord, and breathe upon these slain, that they may have life." For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest till the righteousness thereof go forth as brightness, and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth" Is. 62: 1.

3. It is evidently the duty of all, if possible, to attend meetings of prayer. It requires no argument to prove that it is the duty of every member of a church to do everything he can do in order to improve its spiritual prosperity and usefulness, and this, we have the clearest evidence to prove, can never be secured without prayer. And for this no great sacrifice is called for. All, indeed, that is