all men, and forced at times from reluctant lips, it is natural with an inexpressible sweetness to hearts accustomed to communion with God. The cultivated instinct becomes a rich enjoyment, and an unutterable relief. The high duty becomes the highest privilege. Among all the exquisite pleasures of God's praying children, there is not one they would not forfeit to retain the joy of heart-converse with their Father. Sweeter than the glad moment when he welcomed Rebekah, was the hour of evening meditation to Isaac. Better than the thrill of triumph which shot through the heart of Moses when he heard the thousands of Israel raise their pæan of victory over the vanquished Egyptians, were the days when he beheld the similitude of the Lord, and communed with Him as a man with his friend (Ex. xxxiii. 11). More heart-rejoicing than the loyal acclamations and rivalling enthusiasm of Judah and Israel (2 Sam. xix.), was the time when David's heart talked with God (Ps. xxvii. 4—8), and

gathered a gladness more than the increase of corn and wine and oil could afford (Ps. iv. 7). Dearer to Daniel than the lofty titles of Babylon, the gratitude of the king, and the homage of the profoundest Chaldeans, were the intervals when he could open his window toward Jerusalem, and pour out his heart to God's ever-listening ear.

As

To such prayer was as natural and necessary as the taking of food. On their knees they found strength and wisdom, the courage and patience for all their toil, the relief of all their burdens, and the happiest moments of their lives. Prayer is necessary to heartgrowth, and natural because necessary. the brisk fresh air brings bloom to the cheeks, and brightness to the eyes, so the atmosphere of prayer exhilarates the spirit and gladdens the heart. To neglect it is not simply to lose enjoyment, it is to impoverish the soul. Let us be convinced of its necessity, and in its exercise we shall find proof that it is natural and healthful to us; while at times

we shall rise into the clearer heights of communion with God, where clouds seldom come, and its rapt enjoyment is unbroken. by a doubt, and unsaddened by a care. As a little one lying in undisturbed peace upon its mother's breast, so shall we suck and be satisfied with the breasts of consolation. prayer we shall find the natural satisfaction of all heart-longings; and in the realization of God with us, the highest natural enjoyment of which the spirit of man is capable; for in His presence is fulness of joy.

In

There are times when prayer is natural to the most careless; but there are also times when all things tend to deaden the spirit of prayer in the most thoughtful and prayerful of God's children. Such times are times of great and extensive activity, when pleasure is busy, and even enjoyments are full of toil. In the ceaseless industry of business and gaiety, amusement becomes hard work. Hard work brings weariness, and weariness is followed by an indisposition for any exer

tion of the spirit. Such, too, are times of a wide-spread feeling of uneasiness, when a vague apprehension seems to have seized hold upon the minds of all classes, and a strange sense of insecurity begets an unreasoning and universally felt fear. Such are times of noisy religionism and demonstrative piety, when the minds of men are galvanized into an unnatural activity through the spirit. of an unwholesome rivalry; when convictions are degraded into opinions, and toil dwindles into talk, and organized Christian effort is strangled in discussion; when an impracticable tenacity of trifles and a stupendous disregard of principles throws the appearance of vitality over a degenerate and dead pietism. In such times the lulling influences of a strained activity, an undefined terror, and a self-asserting, heart-distracting zealotism steal over the spirits of the most watchful of Christ's servants, and often diminish insensibly their vigilance and earnestness in prayer.

A convergence of such times into one period Christ described, and on the description He founded His warning that men ought always to pray. He pictured to His disciples times like the days of Noah and of Lot, when the stream of commercial enterprise and prosperity was full and brimming over, when the enjoyments of life were seized upon with eagerness, and pleasure varied by industrious inventiveness, and pursued with unflagging diligence; when there was a great deal of religious talk, much ventilating of new opinions, and a good deal of positiveness and dogmatism abroad, and rival sects and new-formed philosophies all claimed the possession of the Christ,-times when amidst so much hurrying to and fro, and so much loud-tongued religion and angry-voiced controversy, the humble, but tried followers of Christ, bewildered and despairing, would yearn for but a glimpse of the gone-by days, when Christ was among men, but would yearn in vain. In times such as these, the