[TO THE EDITOR OP TIM "SPECTATOR. "] Sin,— Will you permit
me to quote an authority on this subject which I conclude the Spectator still deems worthy of respect ? "Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain : and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months. And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit."—James v. 17-18. The distinction you draw in the Spectator of February 14th between the effect of prayer on Nature and human nature does not seem to have been " obvious " to St. James.—I am, Sir, &c.,
E. W. M.
[We do not admit that our correspondent's quotation from St. James is to be regarded as a final settlement of the question; but we cannot enter now upon a discussion of the subject of prayer viewed not so much as an act of communion with God as a demand for temporelebenefits,
as in the case of prayers for rain. We would, however, ask our correspondent, in view of such prayers, to consider the case of prayers for conflicting material benefits. Some men desire rain for their crops, while others close by want fair weather. But though we cannot agree with our corre- spondent, we admit that prayer is one of the needs of the soul, and realise that few men fail to pray in moments of great distress or perplexity of mind or body. With Jowett himself private prayer was a lifelong practice. We must add that we cannot publish any more letters on this subject —ED. Spectator.]
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