The Manual of Intercessory Prayer. Part L Arranged by the
Rev. R. M. Benson, M.A. (Bell and Daldy.)—A society has been formed to "pray for the unconverted." You are to promise "some one of the clergy, whose names are appended, to spend a quarter of an hour daily in prayer for the conversion of those who neglect God's grace." If a quarter of an hour is too much for you, the society will accept five minutes, or even the daily repetition of "the prayer contained on page 77 of this manual." Reference, however, to page 77 has left us in doubt whether we are specially called on to entreat for "any with whom
we may have shared in sin" or for "all whom we have loved." It may be that the Rev. Mr. Benson concludes that the two expressions arc likely to come to much the same thing. We think this society an uncom-
fortable ono. We should not like te pray for others with a constant reference to their besetting sins, as this manual would have us do. It seems to us a Pharisaical judging of others. Men should rather pray for aid against their own special faults than the faults of the human race. When we think of others it should be to spy out their good qualities. Systematic religious censoriousness is not lovely.
Previous page
