PRAYER AS A FORM OF PHYSICAL ENERGY 49 



Every feature here depicted, and some more ques- 

 tionable ones, have shown themselves of late; most con- 

 spicuously, 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 extin- 

 guished — 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, holi- 

 ness, abounding charity, and self-sacrifice by the other. 

 Keligion, in fact, varies with the nature upon which it 

 falls. Often unreasonable, 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 treas- 

 ure of fertility greater than the golden treasure sought. 

 Such indirect issues we all admit; but it would be sim- 



SCIENCE — YI — 3 



