ON PRAYER A3 A FORM OF PHYSICAL ENERO 



notions vague, distant, and vast, which we cannot bring 

 into contact with facts; as when we connect natural events 

 with moral and historic causes." "Thus," he continues, 

 " the character of mysticism is that it refers particulars, 

 not to generalizations, homogeneous and immediate, but 

 to such as are heterogeneous and remote; to which we must 

 add, that the process of this reference is not a calm act of 

 the intellect, but is accompanied with a glow of enthusias- 

 tic feeling." 



Every feature here depicted, and some more question- 

 able ones, have shown themselves of late; most conspic- 

 uously, I regret to say, in the "leaders" of a weekly 

 journal of considerable influence, and one, on many 

 grounds, entitled to the respect of thoughtful men. In 

 the correspondence, however, published by the same jour- 

 nal, are to be found two or three letters well calculated to 

 correct the temporary flightiness of the journal itself. 



It is not my habit of mind to think otherwise than 

 solemnly of the feeling which prompts prayer. It is a 

 power which I should like to see guided, not extinguished 

 devoted to practicable objects instead of wasted upon 

 air. In some form or other, not yet evident, it may', as 

 alleged, be necessary to man's highest culture. Certain it 

 is that, while I rank many persons who resort to prayer 

 low in the scale of being natural foolishness, bigotry, and 

 intolerance being in their case intensified by the notion 

 that they have access to the ear of God I regard others 

 who employ it, as forming part of the very cream of the 

 earth. The faith that adds to the folly and ferocity of the 

 one is turned to enduring sweetness, holiness, abounding 

 charity, and self-sacrifice by the other. Religion, in fact, 

 varies with the nature upon which it falls. Often unreason- 

 able, if not contemptible, prayer, in its purer forms, hints 

 at disciplines which few of us can neglect without moral 

 loss. But no good can come of giving it a delusive value, 

 by claiming for it a power in physical nature. It may 

 strengthen the heart to meet life's losses, and thus 

 indirectly promote physical well-being, as the digging of 

 .^sop's orchard brought a treasure of fertility greater than 

 the golden treasure sought. Such indirect issues we all 

 urlmit; but it would be simply dishonest to affirm that it is 

 such issues that are always in view. Here, for the present, 

 I must end. I ask no space to reply to those railers who 



