26 NOVEMBER 1881, Page 15

CHARLES KINGSLEY ON PRAYER.

[TO THE EDITOR OF THE "SPECTATOR."] Six,—It happens accidentally that I have only just seen your number of November 12th, in which a correspondent sends you a copy of a letter of Charles Kingsley's on Prayer, which, as he truly says, may be " of service and interest to others." With- out in the least undervaluing this utterance, may I venture to remark on the curious instance it affords of a (surely) inaccurate use of language, to which a good deal of the difficulty felt on this subject appears to me to be owing,—the use, namely, of the word " answered " as synonymous with " granted" ? Charles Kingsley speaks of trusting, " in spite of the fact that my own prayers are not answered." Should we say of a request to any human being that it was " not answered," because it was met by a refusal ? Ought the fact that our prayers are not always granted to be a trial to our faith ? Would it not rather be a monstrous thing, if the prayers of one ignorant human being were always granted ? None of us' expect that our prayers should be answered in words. Surely, it is only reasonable to look for the answer in the whole course of life, especially in the relation between our allotments and our needs, and to ask not so much whether prayer is answered, as whether we rightly interpret the answer, be it a granting or a refusal of our request. ‘` The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise," but those who " seek a sign " will generally fail to obtain