002. NOTICE OF THE ASSOCIATION.
CHAPTER I.
NOTICE OF THE ASSOCIATION.
SEVERAL friends have agreed together to spend a certain time daily in prayer for the conversion of sinners, and they are anxious to increase the blessings which may thus be secured by obtaining the co-operation of others. The present Manual has been printed as an invitation to all who may be able and willing, that they may take part in the endeavour. It is proposed that persons, on becoming members of the Association, should promise to spend at least a quarter of an hour daily in prayer for theunconverted. The Secretary will be glad to receive the Names of any who like to join, and to communicate with them further upon, matters of detail,
Most persons can give a quarter of an hour if they will try. To some, however — especially amongst the labouring classes — this length of in tellectual effort may be too great. Those clergy by whom this Association has been formed do not wish to shut out such peraons from joining it: quite otherwise. If a single Collect daily is all that can be managed, by all means let us have the help of that Collect, said heartily. It will rest with each clergyman, according to his judgment, to determine whether the amount should be relaxed for any person who expresses to him a wish to join. To meet as far as possible the requirements of every one, the original promoters of the Asso ciation have agreed to offer three terms of union: —
1. Those who wish to consider themselves as full Associates will make this promise to some Clergyman or to the Secretary that they will spend at least one-quarter of an hour daily in prayer for the conversion of all those who neglect God’s grace. This quarter of an hour may be one unbroken period of prayer, or may be made up of three periods, of five minutes each, at different times in the day.
2. If any think they cannot manage so much as this — whether through having much business, or being little used to prolonged prayer— they may become associated with the others in a minor degree, by promising that they will spend Jive minutes daily in prayer for the same object.
3. The lowest degree of the Association will be open to all who promise that they will say daily the prayer contained on page 62 of this Manual.
Any who are already in the habit of spending much more time in intercessory prayer than that which is here proposed may of course join the Association, in order to obtain the blessing which attaches to united prayer. “ If two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that they shall oak, it shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven.” (Matthew 18:19.) If they spend a quarter of an hour daily in prayer for the conversion of sinners, they are already satis fying the requirements; and the promise made by them, when their names are enrolled, would not be understood to imply that they would add a quarter of an hour to their devotions. They may certainly expect to derive a special gain from such an union with others, and it will give them renewed fixity of purpose when they pray, and this will lead to greater regularity of method in prayer. The spiritual strength, also, which God vouchsafes to all who act upon the faith of His promises — as we do when we agree together in what we as fc— will probably lead even those who are in the habit of much prayer to pray with more earnestness than before. This will draw them to longer prayers. The better we pray, the more we shall pray; the more we pray, the more shall we know the value of prayer; the more we know the value of prayer, the more we shall desire to pray.
Some who spend much time in prayer will yet think that a quarter of an hour is too large a portion of their prayer-time to be given to the object which this Association contemplates. O, let them consider what a blessed object it is which we have before us— the conversion of sinners! — whether those “ whose sins go before to judgment,” open profligates, or those who live moral and respectable lives in the judgment o1The world, but yet neglect the grace of God. It is an object so great that it includes almost all others. All the evils which afflict the Church, whether from within or from without, would be healed, if every individual were converted to God. The conversion of one soul to God involves consequences which affect not that soul only, but many others also. It is impossible to say what the effect of one sincere conversion to God may be, as hastening the time when the number of God’s elect shall be made complete.
Certainly, the soul which prays for the conversion of others will not be any loser by praying for others rather than for self alone. The truth is, the more we pray for others, the more we shall pray for ourselves. Praying for others, instead of hindering us in prayer for our selves, will lead us to pray the more for ourselves.
We may perhaps learn, by praying for others, what is meant by prayer, and what its value is, and how to practise it; and if we have learned the meaning, the value, and the work of prayer, we shall try and put it in force for ourselves. Many often dream over their own religious condition, and fancy they are praying. It is when we pray for ourselves with the same definiteness as we should pray for an object external to ourselves that we are really praying. Intercessions for others will teach us to pray for ourselves.
Besides this, the very act of prayer for others must bring many blessings on ourselves. Prayer is the highest expression of that charity which ia *’ twice blest,” which “ blesseth him that gives and him that takes.” The promise of God is sure to all who pray for others. “ He that watereth shall be watered also himself.” (Proverbs 11:25) It is one thing to feel annoyance at the faults of others and to criticise them in conversation.
It is quite another thing to fall secretly before God and ask His forgiveness for the sins we know, and His grace that those we know may be brought to serve Him more truly. We shall leave off being censorious in conversation if we are earnest in in tercession. Here is a very evident blessing which comes immediately to ourselves from the practice of prayer for the unconverted. What sin is so common as the sin of finding fault with others? When you are tempted to find fault and complain of them, be silent and pray for them. This observation will meet a difficulty which some persons may feel — viz, that there is a kind of self-righteousness in praying for the conversion of others. Very often it is a mere wicked, blinded self-righteousness which makes us loud in denouncing other persons’ sins, faults, or mistakes. We try, perhaps, to make ourselves seem the better to ourselves by the idea of seeing so accurately where another person is wrong. We shall not keep our pride if we come before God. When we kneel, as it were, alongside of our brother in the light of God’s presence, we shall see our own faults at least as clearly as his. If we pray really for him, we shall desire that he may attain the Divine standard of holiness — rot the puny standard of our own imagination. When we tave once realized this in our hearts, we shall find what a puny standard of holiness our own is. If our standard is puny, how much more our practice? Pray for the conversion of others, and at length you will feel yourself the greatest of sinners But there is another class of persons —those who scarcely say any prayers at all. Doubtless there are many to whom a quarter of an hour will seem a very long time to spend in private prayer. For the sake of those persons, the blessings of this Association are opened on what may seem easier conditions. This is not done without an earnest hope that they will before long be led on to be full Associates.
If we feel the importance of conversion to God, we shall feel the blessedness of communion with God. Oh! if it is a blessed privilege and a means of Almighty power to speak to God, how is it possible that any can be contented with just hurrying over a little prayer before getting into bed? People pray so little because they do not believe in prayer; and they do not believe in prayer, because they do not pray for the right things. “ Seek ye first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33.)
We have the gifts of God’s kingdom within our reach. What we should pray for, in the first place, is this, that we may all have our hearts individually drawn to value those gifts; that is, we should pray for the conversion of all, inproportion as their hearts need severally to be converted and made perfect in their conformity to God’s will. This is a prayer which will bring its own answer, in leading every one who makes it to spend more time in prayer. If you ask God to reveal Himself to those who need, He will reveal Himself in your own heart; and if He has revealed Himself there, you cannot leave His presence unnoticed. If you see God by faith, you will pray to Him with love. «« Faith worketh by love.” (Galatians 5:6.)
Prayer for a quarter of an hour seems a great undertaking to those who do not know the power of prayer; but the more you know your heavenly Father as a God Who heareth and answereth prayer, the more you will wish to pray.
Suggestions will be given in the fifth chapter of this Manual as to the manner in which the time may be spent in mental prayer for thepurposes of the Association. Try and act upon those suggestions, so as to make a real effort of prayer. Prayer is not an easy, idle thing. It is a serious effort. Even if you only promise to pray for five minutes, try and pray for a longer time, in the consciousness of the blessing which may thus be obtained. Even if you onlypromise to say the daily Collect, try and say it several times every day; for instance, morning, noon, and evening, or before each meal, or when you hear the clock strike, or whenever you see any one in an act of sin. In all religious undertakings it is well to do something more than we have promised, that is, to do something out of an unmeasured, overflowing love.
If you feel any doubts respecting the best mode of fulfilling your promise, it will be well for you to ask the advice of the clergyman to whom yon make the promise, or any suitable guide. Some modes of prayer may be suited for some persons, and others for others. The object to be striven after in prayer is just simply the elevation of the soul to God; speak to Him in the name of Christ, as to a Father full of love. The object of our Association is that all may be brought to love Him.
While all are agreed to pray together, each person will, of course, choose whatever mode of prayer he feels most profitable to himself. Each one should pray for those whom he most fully knows, and loves, and cares for. Knowledge of danger and need must excite a deeper interest, and kindle warmer devotion, than mere abstract considerations or general forms. If the fire of love is once kindled it will spread. If we pray well for one, we shall pray better for all. Our agreement is to pray — to pray for Jhose who need. Let us pray each one for all, as far as we know their need, that God may bless them in return; not as we know their need, but as He knows it. Only let us bring before God, as fer vently and as fully as we can, those wants of society which we see and feel ourselves. All wants are but parts of one great want — the want of love to God. Sinners will be converted when they love God perfectly, when their will and God’s will are one. In proportion as we are eo converted, earth will become heaven. Whatever wants any one may feel, let him try and see that a more perfect conversion to God is the way of supplying them. If we see much evil in the world round about us, let us pray for ft, and so we shall not faint because of it. Each one can best tell for himself in what way the evil and misery of the world most painfully come before him. So let him pray. In this way he willprobably pray most, and pray most fervently, as desiring with his whole soul what he asks for.
Love will be stimulated by the thought ofparticular need, and faith by the consciousness of union with others in the general intention. All will know that they are sharing in the promise vouchsafed to such as agree together to ask any thing in Christ’s name. Certainly we can ask nothing else more accordant with God’s will than the conversion of sinners, and of all who forget God and are quenching His Spirit.
Every one who joins the Association will do what he finds best to kindle within himself an affectionate desire for the conversion of souls. The consciousness of union according to Christ’s promise will bring with it an increase of faith. The promise to do the work of the Association along with others will lead to its being done more systematically. How many people feel they might gain much by prayer, yet never pray for more than a few moments! The time fixed is not a long one. People often waste as much, even in the busiest lives, in idle talk. Two persons who pray together in separate rooms are more profited than two who talk together at random in one. Every Associate should feel that he is thus daily meeting with his fellowmen before our common Father. If he is not praying heartily, he is not meeting with them. This will help him to remember, that if he is not praying heartily, he is mocking God.
Each one will, of course, bear in mind, as has been hinted above, that he is not only praying for a change of heart on behalf of those who neglect God altogether, but that others are included in this prayer; for all persons need a more perfect conversion of the whole being to the love of God’s holy will. No one, therefore, will fail to include himself and all members of the Association in his prayer, and all will feel in return that they are sharing in the prayers of the brethren.
Reflect upon some of the advantages which are likely to follow from thus joining with Christian brethren in this prayer: — the support of sympathy which results from combination; — definiteness of mental application, aided by having a fixed time, during the continuance of which all are pledged to intercede for one common object; — increase of grace to ourselves, in consequence of the love for others which God gives; — increased sense of God’s holiness, from which we all are gone astray; and of God’s love in restoring us, and of the value of the souls of our brethren ready to perish, and of our own; — a livelier interest in the conversion of those round about us; — a fuller sense of the obligation of intercessory prayer; as well as more regularity and completeness in the practice of this duty; — and, consequently, a larger outpouring of God’s gifts in answer to our petitions. We know how great and unspeak able, and even beyond thought, are the many blessings which God will give to those who dili gently seek Him. “ Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way, shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of «in».” (James 5:19-20)