Article July 14, 1923 Issue

Signs of the Times

with contributions from Henry Stiles Bradley

["Prayer," from the Star, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada, Jan. 6, 1923]

Certainly it is impossible for two people to reach an agreement regarding the efficacy of prayer unless they are one as to the nature of prayer. Civilized man has succeeded to some extent in dissociating prayer from supplication and conciliation. But comparatively few people are sufficiently conscious of the life of the Spirit to have any ... grasp of the nature of prayer. Intellectual grasp, fortunately, is not the first essential of faith, and there are a great number who pray better than they know. Dean Inge, in his latest book, makes an illuminating and candid statement concerning prayer: "It is only occasionally that I can pray with the spirit and pray with the understanding also; a very different thing from 'saying one's prayers.' ... The sweet sanctities of home life, and especially the innocence of young children, more often bring me near to the felt presence of God." Fortunate beyond description is he who is able to pray, for prayer is an experience. This experience must be sought, to be gained; and for those who have had the experience there is no question of the "efficacy" of prayer.

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