Finney Charles G Lecture VIII Meetings for Prayer

8/13/2019 Finney Charles G Lecture VIII Meetings for Prayer

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Finney, Charles Meetings for Prayer

Lecture VIII Meetings For PrayerAgain I say unto you, That if two of you shall agree on earth as touching anything that these shall ask, it

shall be done for them of My Father which is in heaven. Matthew !"#!$.

%IT%&'T( , in treating of the sub)ect of P'A*&', I have confined my remarks to secret +rayer. I am now

to s+eak of social +rayer, or +rayer offered in com+any, where two or more are united in +raying. uch

meetings have been common from the time of Christ, and it is +robable that -ods +eo+le have always been

in the habit of making united su++lication, whenever they had the +rivilege. The +ro+riety of the +ractice

will not be /uestioned here. I need not dwell now on the duty of social +rayer. 0or is it my design todiscuss the /uestion, whether any two Christians agreeing to ask any blessing, will be sure to obtain it. My

ob)ect is to make some remarks on Meetings for Prayer, noting#

I. The design of +rayer meetings.

II. The manner of conducting them.

III. everal things that will defeat the design of holding them.

I. THE DESIGNS OF PRAYER MEETINGS.

!. (ne design of assembling several +ersons together for united +rayer, is to +romote union among

Christians. 0othing tends more to cement the hearts of Christians than +raying together. 0ever do they love

one another so well as when they witness the out+ouring of each others hearts in +rayer. Their s+irituality

begets a feeling of union and confidence, highly im+ortant to the +ros+erity of the Church. It is doubtful

whether Christians can ever be otherwise than united, if they are in the habit of really +raying together. And

where they have had hard feelings and differences among themselves, these are all done away by uniting in+rayer. The great ob)ect is gained, if you can bring them really to unite in +rayer1 if this can be done, the

difficulties vanish.

2. To e3tend the s+irit of +rayer. -od has so constituted us, and such is the economy of %is grace, that weare sym+athetic beings, and communicate our feelings to one another. A minister, for instance, will often,

as it were, breathe his own feelings into his congregation. The +irit of -od that ins+ires his soul, makes

use of his feelings to influence his hearers, )ust as much as %e makes use of the words he +reaches. o %emakes use of the feelings of Christians. 0othing is more calculated to beget a s+irit of +rayer than to unite

in social +rayer with one who has the s+irit himself1 unless this one should be so far ahead that his +rayer

will re+el the rest. %is +rayer will awaken them, if they are not so far behind as to revolt at it and resist it. If

they are anywhere near the standard of his feelings, his s+irit will kindle, and burn, and s+read all around.

(ne individual who obtains the s+irit of +rayer will often arouse a whole Church, and e3tend the same

s+irit through the whole, so that a general revival follows.

4. Another grand design of social +rayer, is to move -od. 0ot that it changes the mind and feelings of -od.

5hen we s+eak of 6moving6 -od, as I have said in a former 7ecture, we do not mean that +rayer alters thewill of -od. 8ut when the right kind of +rayer is offered by Christians, they are in such a state of mind that

it becomes +ro+er for -od to bestow a blessing. They are then +re+ared to receive it, and %e gives because%e is always the same, and always ready and ha++y to show mercy. 5hen Christians are united, and

+raying as they ought, -od o+ens the windows of heaven, and +ours out %is blessing till there is not room

to receive it 9Malachi 4#!:;.


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convicted by hearing +rayer. A young man of distinguished talents said, concerning a certain minister to

whom, before his conversion, he had been very much o++osed#

6As soon as he began to +ray, I began to be convicted1 and if he had continued to +ray much longer, I

should not have been able to hold myself back from Christ.6 =ust as soon as Christians begin to +ray as theyought, sinners then know that they +ray, and begin to feel awfully. They do not understand what s+irituality

is, because they have no e3+erience of it. 8ut when such +rayer is offered, they know there is something init1 they know -od is in it, and it brings them near to -od1 it makes them feel awfully solemn, and they

cannot bear it. And not only is it calculated to im+ress the minds of sinners, but when Christians +ray in

faith, the +irit of -od is +oured out, and sinners are melted down and converted on the s+ot.

II. THE MANNER OF CONDUCTING PRAYER MEETINGS.

!. It is often well to o+en a +rayer meeting by reading a short +ortion of the 5ord of -od, es+ecially if the

+erson who takes the lead of the meeting, can call to mind any +ortion that will be a++licable to the ob)ect

or occasion, and that is im+ressive, and to the +oint. If he has no +assage that is a++licable, he had better

not read any at all. >o not drag in the 5ord of -od to make u+ +art of the meeting as a mere matter of

form.

This is an insult to -od. It is not well to read any more than is a++licable to the sub)ect before the meetingor the occasion. ome +eo+le think it always necessary to read a whole cha+ter, though it may be ever so

long, and have a variety of sub)ects. It is )ust as im+ressive and )udicious to read a whole cha+ter as itwould be for a minister to take a whole cha+ter for his te3t, when his ob)ect was to make some +articular

truth bear on the minds of his audience. The design of a +rayer meeting should be to bring Christians to the

+oint, to +ray for a definite ob)ect. 5andering over a large field hinders and destroys this design.

2. It is +ro+er that the +erson who leads should make some short and a++ro+riate remarks, calculated toe3+lain the nature of +rayer, and the encouragements we have to +ray, and to bring the ob)ect to be +rayed

for directly before the minds of the +eo+le.

A man can no more +ray without having his thoughts concentrated than he can do anything else. The

+erson leading should therefore see to this, by bringing u+ before their minds the ob)ect for which they

came to +ray. If they came to +ray for any ob)ect, he can do this. And if they did not, they had better go

home. It is of no use to stay there and mock -od by +retending to +ray when they have nothing on earth to

+ray for.

After stating the ob)ect, he should bring u+ some +romise or some +rinci+le, as the ground of

encouragement to e3+ect an answer to their +rayers. If there is any indication of Providence, or any

+romise, or any +rinci+le in the >ivine government, that affords a ground of faith, let him call it to mind,

and not let them be talking out of their own hearts at random, without knowing any solid reason for

e3+ecting an answer. (ne reason why +rayer meetings mostly accom+lish so little, is because there is so

little common sense e3ercised about them. Instead of looking round for some solid footing on which to

re+ose their faith, +eo+le come together and +our forth words, and neither know nor care whether they have

any reason to e3+ect an answer. If they are going to +ray about anything concerning which there can be anydoubt or any mistake, in regard to the ground of faith, they should be shown the reason there is for

believing that their +rayers will be heard and answered. It is easy to see that, unless something like this is

done, threefourths of them will have no idea of what they are doing, or of the ground on which they should

e3+ect to receive what they +ray for.

4. In calling on +ersons to +ray it is always desirable to let things take their own course, wherever it is safe.If it can be left so with safety, let those +ray who are most inclined to +ray. It sometimes ha++ens that eventhose who are ordinarily the most s+iritual, and most +ro+er to be called on, are not, at the time, in a

suitable frame1 they may be cold and worldly, and only free?e the meeting. 8ut if you let those +ray whodesire to +ray, you avoid this. 8ut often this cannot be done with safety, es+ecially in large cities, where a

+rayer meeting might be liable to be interru+ted by those who have no business to +ray1 some fanatic or

cra?y +erson, some hy+ocrite or enemy, who would only make a noise. In most +laces, however, the course

may be taken with +erfect safety. -ive u+ the meeting to the +irit of -od. Those who desire to +ray, let

them +ray. If the leader sees anything that needs to be set right, let him remark, freely and kindly, and +ut it

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right, and then go on again. (nly he should be careful to time his remarks, so as not to interru+t the flow of

feeling, or to chill the meeting, or to turn the thoughts of the +eo+le from the +ro+er sub)ect.


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III. THINGS WHICH MAY DEFEAT THE PRAYER MEETING.

!. 5hen there is an unha++y want of confidence in the leader, there is no ho+e of any good. 5hatever may

be the cause, whether he is to blame or not, the very fact that he leads the meeting will cast a dam+ over it,and +revent all good. I have witnessed it in Churches, where there was some offensive elder or deacon

9+erha+s )ustly deemed offensive1 +erha+s not; set to lead, and the meeting would die under his influence.

If there is a want of confidence in regard to his +iety, or in his ability, or in his )udgment, or in anything

connected with the meeting, everything he says or does will fall to the ground. The same thing often takes+lace where the Church has lost confidence in the minister.

2. 5here the leader lacks s+irituality, there will be a dryness and coldness in his remarks and +rayers1everything will indicate his want of unction, and his whole influence will be the very reverse of what it

ought to be. I have known Churches where a +rayer meeting could not be sustained, and the reason was notobvious, but those who understood the state of things knew that the leader was so notorious for his want of

s+irituality that he would inevitably free?e a +rayer meeting to death. In many Churches the elders are so

far from being s+iritual men that they always free?e a +rayer meeting. And at the same time they are often

ama?ingly )ealous for their dignity, and cannot bear to have anybody else lead the meeting. If any member

that is s+iritual takes the lead, they will take him to task for it, saying# 65hy, you are not an elder1 you

ought not to lead a +rayer meeting in the +resence of an elder6 And thus they stand in the way, while the

whole Church is suffering under their blighting influence.

A man who knows he is not in a s+iritual frame of mind has no business to conduct a +rayer meeting hewill kill it. There are two reasons. First, he will have no s+iritual discernment, and will know neither what

to do, nor when to do it. A +erson who is s+iritual can see the movements of Providence, and can feel the

+irit of -od, and understand what %e is leading them to +ray for, so as to time his sub)ects, and take

advantage of the state of feeling among Christians. %e will not overthrow all the feeling in a meeting by

introducing things that are incongruous or illtimed. %e has s+iritual discernment to understand the leadings

of the +irit, and %is workings on those who +ray1 and to follow on as the +irit leads. u++ose anindividual leads who is not s+iritual, that there are two or three +rayers, and the s+irit of +rayer arises, but

the leader, having no s+iritual discernment to see it, makes some remarks on another +oint, or reads a +iece

out of some book that is as far from the feeling of the meeting as the 0orth Pole 5hat they are called to

+ray for may be )ust as evident to the +raying +eo+le +resent as if the on of -od %imself had come into

the meeting and named the sub)ect1 but the leader will overthrow it all, because he is so stu+id that he does

not know the indications of the meeting.

And then, if the leader is not s+iritual, he will very likely be dull and dry in his remarks, and in all his

e3ercises. %e will give out a long hymn in a dreamy manner, and then read a long +assage of cri+ture, in a

tone so cold that he will s+read a wintry +all over the meeting, and it will be dull, as long as his cold heartis +laced in front of the whole thing.

4. A want of suitable talents in the leader. If he is wanting in the talents which are fitted to make a meeting

useful, if he can say nothing, or if his remarks are so out of the way as to +roduce levity or contem+t, or if

they have nothing in them that will im+ress the mind, or are not guided by good sense, or are not

a++ro+riate, he will in)ure the meeting. A man may be +ious, but so weak that his +rayers do not edify, but

rather disgust. 5hen this is so, he had better kee+ silence.


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@. Persons coming late to the meeting. This is a very great hindrance. 5hen +eo+le have begun to +ray, and

their attention is fi3ed, and they have shut their eyes and closed their ears, to kee+ out everything from their

minds, in the midst of a +rayer somebody will come bolting in and walk through the room. ome will look

u+, and all have their minds interru+ted for the moment. Then they all get fi3ed again, and another comes

in, and so on. I su++ose the devil would not care how many Christians went to a +rayer meeting, if theywould only go after the meeting had begun. %e would be glad to have ever so many go 6scattering along6

in such a way, dodging in very +iously and distractingly.. 5hen +ersons make cold +rayers and cold confessions of sin, they are sure to /uench the s+irit of +rayer.

5hen the influences of the +irit are en)oyed, in the midst of the warm e3+ressions that are flowing forth,

let an individual come in who is cold, and +our out his cold breath like the dam+ of death, and it will make

every Christian who has any feeling want to get out of the meeting.

B. In some +laces it is common to begin a +rayer meeting by reading a tong +ortion of cri+ture. Then the

deacon or elder gives out a long hymn. 0e3t, they sing it. Then he +rays a long +rayer, +raying for the

=ews, and the fullness of the -entiles, and many other ob)ects that have nothing to do with the occasion of

the meeting. After that +erha+s he reads a long e3tract from some book or maga?ine. Then they have

another long hymn and another long +rayer, and then they go home.

I once heard an elder say that a Church had ke+t u+ a +rayer meeting so many years, and yet hade3+erienced no revival. The truth was, that the officers of the Church had been accustomed to carry on the

meetings in )ust such a dignified way, and their dignity would not allow anything to be altered. 0o wonderthere was no revival uch +rayer meetings are enough to hinder a revival. And if ever so many revivals

should commence, the +rayer meeting would destroy them. There was a +rayer meeting once in this city, as

I have been told, where there a++eared to be some feeling, and some one every reasonably +ro+osed that

they should have two or three +rayers in succession, without rising from their knees. (ne dignified man

+resent o++osed it, and said that they never had done so, and he ho+ed there would be no innovations %e

did not a++rove of innovations. That was the last of the revival uch +ersons have their +rayer meetingsstereoty+ed, and are determined not to turn out of their track, whether they receive blessing or not. To allow

any such thing would be 6a new measure,6 and they never like 6new measures6

". A great deal of singing often in)ures a +rayer meeting. The agoni?ing s+irit of +rayer does not lead

+eo+le to sing. There is a time for everything1 a time to sing, and a time to +ray. 8ut if I know what it is to

travail in birth for souls, Christians never feel less like singing than when they have the s+irit of +rayer for

sinners.

5hen singing is introduced in a +rayer meeting, the hymns should be short, and so selected as to bring out

something solemn1 some striking words, such as the =udgment %ymn, and others calculated to +roduce an

effect on sinners1 or something that will +roduce a dee+ im+ression on the minds of Christians1 but not that

)oyful kind of singing that makes everybody feel comfortable, and turns off the mind from the ob)ect of the

+rayer meeting.

I once heard a celebrated organist +roduce a remarkable effect in a +rotracted meeting. The organ was a

+owerful one, and the double bass +i+es were like unto thunder. The hymn was given out that had theselines#

ee the storm of vengeance gathering over the +ath you dare to tread1 %ear the awful thunder rolling, 7oud

and louder over your head.

5hen he came to these words, we first heard the distant roar of thunder1 then it grew nearer and louder, till

at the word 6louder,6 there was a crash that seemed almost to over+ower the congregation. uch things in

their +ro+er +lace do good. 8ut common singing dissi+ates feeling. It should always be such as will nottake away feeling, but dee+en it.

(ften a +rayer meeting is in)ured by calling on the young converts to sing )oyful hymns. This is highly

im+ro+er in a +rayer meeting. It is no time for them to let feeling flow away in )oyful singing, while so

many sinners around them, and their own former com+anions, are going down to hell. A revival is often +ut

down by the Church and the minister giving themselves u+ to singing with young converts. Thus, by

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sto++ing to re)oice when they ought to feel more and more dee+ly for sinners, they grieve away the +irit

of -od, and they soon find that their agony and travail of soul are gone.

$. Introducing sub)ects of controversy into +rayer will defeat a +rayer meeting. 0othing of a controversialnature should be introduced into +rayer, unless it is the ob)ect of the meeting to settle that thing.

(therwise, let Christians come together in their +rayer meetings, on the broad ground of offering united

+rayer for a common ob)ect. And let controversies be settled somewhere else.!:. -reat +ains should be taken, both by the leader and others, to watch narrowly the leadings of the +irit

of -od. 7et them not /uench the +irit for the sake of +raying according to the regular custom. Avoid

everything calculated to divert attention away from the ob)ect. All affectation of feeling should be+articularly guarded against. If there is an affectation of feeling, most commonly others see and feel that it

is affectation, not reality. At any rate, the +irit of -od knows it, and will be grieved. (n the other hand, all

resistance to the +irit will e/ually destroy the meeting.

0ot infre/uently it ha++ens that there are some so cold that if any one should break out in the s+irit of

+rayer, they would call it fanaticism, and +erha+s dis+lay o++osition.

!!. If individuals refuse to +ray when they are called u+on, it in)ures a +rayer meeting. There are some

+eo+le who always +retend they have no gift. 5omen sometimes refuse to take their turn in +rayer, and

+retend they have not ability to +ray. 8ut if any one else should say so, they would be offended u++ose

they should learn that any other +erson had made such a remark as this# 6>o not ask her to +ray, she cannot+ray, she has not talent enough6# would they like itD o with a man who +retends he has no gift1 let any one

else re+ort that 6he has not talent enough to make a decent +rayer,6 and see if he will like it. The +retense is

not sincere1 it is all a sham.

ome say they cannot +ray in their families1 they have no gift. 8ut a +erson could not offend one of them

more than to say# 6%e cannot +ray a decent +rayer before his own family.6 The retort would be# 65hy, o

andso talks as if he thought nobody else had any gifts but himself.6

Peo+le are not a+t to have such a low o+inion of themselves. I have often seen the curse of -od follow such

+rofessors. They have no e3cuse. -od will take none. The man has got a tongue to talk to his neighbors,

and he can talk to -od if he has any heart for it. *ou will see their children unconverted# their son has a

curse1 their daughter tongue cannot tell.

-od says %e will +our out %is fury on the families that call not on %is name. I could mention a host offacts to show that -od MA'E with %is disa++robation and curse those who refuse to +ray when they

ought.

ntil +rofessors of religion will re+ent of this sin, and take u+ this cross 9if they choose to call +raying 6a

cross6;, they need not e3+ect a blessing.

!2. Prayer meetings are often too long. They should always be dismissed while Christians have feeling, and

not be s+un out until all feeling is e3hausted, and the s+irit of +rayer is gone.

!4. %eartless confessions in)ure a meeting. Peo+le confess their sins but do not forsake them. &very week

they will make the same confession. 5hy, they have no intention to forsake their sins It shows +lainly that

they do not mean to reform. All their religion consists in these confessions. Instead of getting a blessing

from -od thereby they will get only a curse.

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seventeen days, and +rayed as if he would have -od come to his terms1 but it would not do, and therefore

he went out to work, and immediately he had the +irit of -od in his soul.

It is well for Christians to +ray for themselves, and confess their sins, and then throw their hearts abroad,till they feel as they ought.

!@. Prayer meetings are often defeated by the want of a++ro+riate remarks. The things are not said which

are calculated to lead them to +ray.Perha+s the leader has not +re+ared himself1 or +erha+s he has not the re/uisite talents to lead the Church

out in +rayer, or he does not lead their minds to dwell on the a++ro+riate to+ics of +rayer.

!. It is a hindrance, when individuals who are )ustly obno3ious are forward in s+eaking and +raying. uch

+ersons are sometimes very much set u+on taking +art. They say it is their duty to get u+ and testify for

-od on all occasions. They will say, they know they are not able to edify the Church, but nobody else can

do their duty, and they wish to testify.

Perha+s the only +lace they ever did testify for -od was in a +rayer meeting1 their lives, out of the meeting,testify against -od. They had better kee+ still.

!B. 5hen +ersons take +art whose illiteracy is so +ronounced as to cause disgust among +eo+le of taste and

intelligence, attention is diverted. I do not mean to im+ly that it is necessary that a +erson should have a

liberal education, in order to lead in +rayer. All +ersons of common education, es+ecially if they are in the

habit of +raying, can lead in +rayer, if they have the s+irit of +rayer. 8ut there are some +ersons who use

e3+ressions so absurd and illiterate as to disgust every intelligent mind. The feeling of disgust is aninvoluntary thing, and when a disgusting ob)ect is before the mind, the feeling is irresistible. Piety will not

kee+ a +erson from feeling it. The only way is to take away the ob)ect. uch +ersons may feel grieved at not

being called u+on to take +art, but it is better that they should be kindly told the reason, than that the +rayer

meeting should be regularly in)ured, and rendered ridiculous.

!". A want of union in +rayer mars the meeting1 that is, when one leads, but the others do not follow, for

they are thinking of something else. Their hearts do not unite, do not say# 6Amen.6 It is as bad as if one

+erson should make a +etition and another remonstrate against it. It is as though one asks -od to do a thing,

and the others ask %im not to do it, or to do something else.

!$. 0eglect of secret +rayer is yet another hindrance. Christians who do not +ray in secret cannot unite with

+ower in a +rayer meeting, and cannot have the s+irit of +rayer.

REMARKS.

!. A badly conducted +rayer meeting often does more hurt than good. In many Churches, the general

manner of conducting +rayer meetings is such that Christians have not the least idea of the design or the

+ower of such meetings. It is such as tends to kee+ down rather than to +romote +ious feeling and the s+irit

of +rayer.

2. A +rayer meeting is an inde3 to the state of religion in a Church. If the +rayer meeting is neglected, or

the s+irit of +rayer is not manifested, you know of course that religion is in a low condition. 7et me go into

the +rayer meeting, and I can always see the state of religion which +revails in the Church.

4. &very minister ought to know that if the +rayer meetings are neglected, all his labors are in vain. unless

he can get Christians to attend the +rayer meetings, all else that he can do will not im+rove the state of

religion.


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leaders fault that they do not attend. If he felt as he ought, they would find the meeting so interesting that

they would attend as a matter of course. If he is so cold, and dull, and lacking in s+irituality, as to free?e

everything, no wonder +eo+le do not come to the meeting.

Church officers often com+lain and scold because +eo+le do not come to the +rayer meeting, when the truth

is, they themselves are so cold that they free?e to death everybody who does come.

. Prayer meetings are most im+ortant meetings for the Church. It is highly im+ortant for Christians tosustain the +rayer meetings, in order to

9a; +romote union, 9b; increase brotherly love, 9c; cultivate Christian confidence, 9d; +romote their own

growth in grace, and 9e; cherish and advance s+irituality.

B. Prayer meetings should be so numerous in the Church, and be so arranged, as to e3ercise the gifts of

every member man or woman. &very one should have the o++ortunity to +ray, and to e3+ress the feelings

of his heart. The sectional +rayer meetings are designed to do this. And if they are too large to allow of it,

let them be divided, so as to bring the entire mass into the work, to e3ercise all gifts, and diffuse union,

confidence, and brotherly love, through the whole.

". It is im+ortant that im+enitent sinners should attend +rayer meetings. If none come of their own accord,

go out and invite them. Christians ought to take great +ains to induce their im+enitent friends and neighbors

to come to +rayer meetings. They can +ray better for im+enitent sinners when they have them right before

their eyes. I have known womens +rayer meetings e3clude sinners from the meetings. And the reason was,they were so +roud that they were ashamed to +ray before sinners. 5hat a s+irit uch +rayers will do no

good. They insult -od. *ou have not done enough, by any means, when you have gone to the +rayer

meeting yourself. *ou cannot +ray if you have invited no sinner to go. If all the members have neglectedtheir duty so, and have gone to the +rayer meeting, and taken no sinners along with them, no sub)ects of

+rayer what have they come forD

$. The great ob)ect of all the means of grace is to aim directly at the conversion of sinners. *ou should +ray

that they may be converted there.

>o not +ray that they may be merely awakened and convicted, but that they may be converted on the s+ot.

0o one should either +ray or make any remarks, as if he e3+ected a single sinner would go away withoutgiving his heart to -od. *ou should all make the im+ression on his mind, that 0(5 he must submit. And if

you do this, while you are yet s+eaking -od will hear.

If Christians made it manifest that they had really set their hearts on the conversion of sinners, and were

bent u+on it, and +rayed as they ought, there would rarely be a +rayer meeting held without souls being

converted1 and sometimes every sinner in the room. That is the very time, if ever, that sinners should be

converted in answer to those +rayers. I do not doubt but that you may have sinners converted in every

sectional +rayer meeting, if you do your duty. Take them there, take your families, your friends, or yourneighbors there with that design1 give them the +ro+er instruction, if they need instruction, and +ray for

them as you ought, and you will save their souls. 'ely u+on it, if you do your duty, in a right manner, -od

will not kee+ back %is blessing, but the work will be done.

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Finney Charles G Lecture VIII Meetings for Prayer

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Transcript of Finney Charles G Lecture VIII Meetings for Prayer