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EVANGELICAL MAGAZINE,

AND

MISSIONARY CHRONICLE.

FOR APRIL, 1847.

THE PRAYING CHURCH.

"The mount of danger is the place
Where we shall see surprising grace."

CHRISTIANITY has always had to struggle with enemies. Among the first who opposed it was Herod the king. He killed James, the brother of John, with the sword; and because he saw it pleased the Jews, he proceeded further to take Peter also; and when he had caught him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to a hundred soldiers, intending, after Easter, to bring him forth to the people. Peter, therefore, was kept in prison, "but prayer was made without ceasing unto God for him." And the church prayed him out. The church gained the victory. God heard their prayer, and set the prisoner free.

The account, as given by the sacred historian, is uncommonly cheering, and quite sufficient to get the whole church upon their knees. Peter's friends were generally poor. They had no influence with the rulers. O no! The kings of the earth stood up, and the princes took counsel together, against the Lord, and against his anointed. The church had only one resource, but it was a glorious one. It was all prayer. Notice,

I. Where the church assembled for prayer.

It was in the house of Mary, the mother of John. Where the queen and her household are, there is the court. And where two or three are gathered

VOL. XXV.

together in the name of Christ, he is in the midst of them, and there is the church. When these godly people met in Mary's house, they took with them all the instruments which were needful to liberate Peter.

Lift

Prayer is the key which unlocks the treasury-house of the Almighty. Knock, and it shall be opened unto you. Prayer is the ascent of the desires to God. up your hearts, O ye people. Pour out your hearts before him. God is a refuge for us. Prayer is an invisible and invincible weapon, which is sure to make the enemy flee.

II. The time when the church met.

It was by night, perhaps midnight, for Peter was asleep, and all was quiet. There were powerful reasons for this nightly meeting. The disciples often met secretly, for fear of the Jews. In despotic countries men cannot meet for religious purposes where they please. In times of persecution, our godly forefathers could not meet for prayer, without fear of fines or imprisonments. Yea, even now, owing to the calls of business, we often find it difficult to have a meeting for prayer, except at night. And O what joy have multitudes felt at the evening prayer-meeting! They have cast their burdens on the Lord, or have been so happy as to forget their burdens, and sung

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and he opened heaven, and shut heaven; and as it was then, so it is now. The fervent, effectual prayer of a righteous man availeth much; and, glory be to God,

III. Notice the chief subject of their they found it so.

prayer.

They knew what to pray for. It was Peter's deliverance. Prayer was made continually for him. It is a great matter in prayer to fix the thoughts on some specific object, and to confine ourselves to that for the present time. This is remarkably the case in all the examples given us in the Scriptures. There are four which confirm this remark. When Abraham was interceding for Sodom, he made several prayers, varying a little in expression, but it was all about the guilty city.

Jacob wrestled in prayer until the break of day, but the only words which he uttered, as far as we know, were, "I will not let thee go, except thou bless me;" that was all—that was everything; and he obtained the gift.

The Lord Jesus Christ, while agonizing in the garden, and sweating great drops of blood, prayed three times, saying the same words. It was always about the cup. His agony increased his earnestness, and his earnestness produced repetition.

Peter was kept in prison, and prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him. There is much to be learnt by this, by all who take the lead in prayer. Short; fervent; to the point! IV. Their untiring perseverance amidst the most formidable difficulties.

He

Think how the devil worked to prevent their prayer from being answered. Peter was chained with two chains. was sleeping between two soldiers. The men on guard kept the door. The great iron gate which led to the city was bolted. In addition to all this, there were ninety soldiers ready to pounce upon him in a moment. Poor Peter! what an effort to keep him! but it was all in vain. The church was determined not to give up praying. They knew that Elias was a man as feeble as themselves,

V. The prayer answered.

It was a mighty struggle; fear and hope, belief and unbelief, alternately filling their bosoms. We can form no idea of their feelings. It was the last night. To-morrow Herod intended to bring forth Peter to the enraged multitude. O, how they felt! O, how they prayed! I think I can hear the deep sigh, the loud sob, the heartfelt prayer. It was a crisis. Now or never. No sleep to-night. It was almost hoping against hope; but, hallelujah, the Lord God omnipotent reigneth. I hear a knock at the door! Who is it? Are the police come? Are the servants of the high priest come? O, think of their feelings! The old divines speak of the love of God in timing his answers to prayer. It was the last night, and while they were wrestling in their supplication-"Lord, bring out Peter," an angel was sent down, who smote Peter on the side, saying, "Rise up quickly:" and off fell the chains! See how easily they drop from his hands! O what are chains compared to the power of prayer! "Gird on thy sandals, and follow me." Peter obeyed. But who shall open the great iron gate? Ah, that is the question. Behold, it opens to them of its own accord. Bolts fly back,—chains fall off,— everything yields to the omnipotence of prayer. Reader, think of this, and take courage. Is thy way dark-are obstacles many? Take courage. God can open an iron gate as easily as he opened Lydia's heart. God can break iron chains as easily as he took off the scales from the persecutor's eyes. It was a night of agonizing prayer, and it gained the victory.

VI. The church astonished.

It ought not to have been astonished, for if the fervent prayer of one righteous man availeth much, what may we not confidently expect when many—a house

ful-say two or three hundred, are met for prayer? But so it was. Like the disciples of old, they believed not for joy. The angel conducted Peter safely out of prison, and departed; and when Peter came to himself, he thought at first he had seen a vision, but on considering the matter, he exclaimed, "Now I know that the Lord hath sent his angel, and delivered me out of the hand of Herod, and from all the expectation of the people of the Jews. But here I am in the midst of the city-where shall I go?" Where ought a Christian to go? Where! why, to the prayer-meeting! and he came to the house and knocked. One venturous spirit goes to the door to hearken; it was a damsel named Rhoda; and when she knew his voice, she opened not the door for gladness, but ran in and told-it was Peter. Yes, it is Peter. God has answered your prayer. He is free. But they believed not, yea, they said unto her, "Thou art mad." "Peter, alas! O no, he is in chains; it is not Peter." But she constantly affirmed that it was Peter. "Then," said they, "it is his angel." "No, it is Peter;" and Peter followed it up. He continued knocking; and when they opened the door, and saw him, they were astonished. Strange, very strange this-and yet it is just the same now with some good people who have been praying for seven years for the conversion of sinners-if they hear of the conversion of some great sinner, they shake their heads and say, "I hope it is true-but I have my doubts." What a shame!

VII. The confusion which the praying church produced among its enemies. As soon as it was day there was no small stir among the soldiers, what was become of Peter. There were the old chains among the straw on which the apostle slept, but where is Peter? And when Herod had sought for him, and found him not, he examined the keepers, and commanded that they should be put to death. Poor fellows! It is dangerous work to meddle with God's servants. is fearful work to serve a bad master.

It

Application.

1st. The person who is most eminent for prayer is the strongest man in the parish. He has the greatest iufluence. He opens heaven by prayer. He may be a poor man, and work hard for his daily bread, but he is one of Christ's nobility. He has access to God. He takes hold of the arm that made all things, that sustains all things, that can do all things. He must be a mighty man! Think of his prayer. The great Intercessor perfumes it with his precious incense, and presents it before the golden throne, and speedily an answer is sent down.

2nd. Dear reader, do you pray?

You ought. There is great need for it. Never so much need as now! You are nearer to eternity than you ever were before. Can you enter eternity prayerless? O remember there are no prayerless sinners in heaven. They all go to hell. Think-what are you risking? Now, call upon God-cry for help-ask the Spirit of all grace to bless you. Begin! God will give his Holy Spirit unto them that ask it. Are you young? Consider what an example Rhoda has set to our young people, especially those of her own sex. God took notice of her, and moved the penman of the book to add her name. Now she will be known to all the nations of the earth as the young damsel, who first made known to the praying church that God had set Peter free.

3rd. Has the church been at prayer so much as she ought?

Every godly minister will say, No. Every devout Christian will say, No. Query-Is this the cause of the blight which has passed over the churches? The Lord thy God is a jealous God! O what have we lost by our half-frozen prayers! Men and brethren, how much better how much happier-how much more useful might each of us have been at this moment, if we had lived more in the spirit of prayer! O Lord, help us to pray! Amen. RICHD. KNILL.

Wootton Tabernacle.

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