THIRTY-FIFTH ANNUAL CONVENTION. 11 



PRAYER. 



By 



Rev. M. Flagg, Clinton, III. 



Mr. Chairman, a word before prayer. Gentlemen : — I do 

 not want to make a speech, simply want to state to you a 

 reason why it is very appropriate for you to open this meeting 

 with prayer. There is a relation on your part to that lower life 

 of the animal world that is just as mysterious as ours. In tak- 

 ing as good care of your cattle as you can, for profit — for that 

 is what you are aiming at first — there is that element of justice, 

 element of mercy, element of kindness that enables one in their 

 relation to these lower forms of life, to approach to near the 

 Master's standard. It is the same in my business, dealing with 

 the souls of men, only mine is from a different standpoint. You 

 are doing the Master's work as well as I am. There is a pecu- 

 liar appropriateness in opening your session with prayer. 



Please rise while we pray. 



Our Heavenly Father wfe thank Thee for this good land of 

 ours. We thank Thee for its intelligence and enlightenment and 

 spirit of progress. We thank Thee for the encouragement and 

 guidance in every form of industry. 



Our Heavenly Father, we praise Thee that as these persons 

 are gathered here to discuss those things of interest to themselves, 

 they come in the name and in the spirit of our Lord, Jesus Christ. 



We praise Thee, Our Father, that as they seek the profits 

 Thou hast indeed provided for them in these material things, 

 they can also be doing the work of our Lord. 



We thank Thee that Thou hast placed man in a high posi- 

 tion and made him master over these things. We thank Thee 

 for the material things and for all the beasts of the field, for 



