among them. At present you must learn about them and their work and help them in every way in your power. In so doing you will merely be discharging one of the ordinary responsibilities of friendship with Our Lord.

III- Communion with God

I. THE NATURE OF PRAYER

IT may be said that prayer is the informal method of approach to God, and that the Sacraments are the formal way of drawing near to Him. This does not mean that one is natural and that the others are artificial. Nothing, as we have seen, can be more natural and more satisfying than that which corresponds, though it be on a far higher plane, with a grasp of the hand between friends. Prayer, however, resembles conversation between man and man. It is our means of communication with God, not merely on set occasions or at stated times, but constantly and whenever we have something to say.

We talk of "saying our prayers." The phrase is unfortunate. While we should speak familiarly to God our address should be reverent and earnest. We should pray our prayers not merely say them. When we are praying in private, let us first make up our minds for what we are to ask God, and then let us ask for it as if we were in earnest and really meant our petition to be granted. We know well enough how to beg for what we want from a fellow being. The true reason that we

are less earnest when we speak to God is our failure to feel a real need for that which we ask of Him. Before praying for forgiveness we must first feel the guilt of sin. Prayer for strength to resist temptation will be useless if we are not sure that without God's help we shall fall. If we do not want our fellow-man to be saved it is an insult to God to ask for his salvation.

To pray aright, therefore, requires that we should really feel the need which we are asking God to supply. In order that we may feel the need, we must think often of our dependence upon God. In a storm at sea, or during an earthquake shock, it is easy to realize man's helplessness. Man is just as helpless at all times as at these, but he is quick to forget this when the danger is past, and is apt to speak and act as if he were himself in control of the universe. It is God who is Ruler and Law-Giver, and we shall do well to remember it.

If I want relief at the hands of an earthly ruler or judge I must present my petition and pray for the relief that I need. Even if what I ask for is something that is plainly guaranteed to me by the constitution and the law of the land, I cannot secure it without asking for it in the appointed way. It may be that I am not entitled to the precise relief for which I beg. For this reason my attorney will add what is called a prayer for "general relief,” i. e., whatever the judge thinks that my case entitles me to receive.

God rules the universe in a systematic way, which we call "natural law." He thinks it for our best good to make us ask for what we need before allowing us to receive it. When we pray, therefore, we are not asking God to change His laws, as some people mistakenly suppose. We are merely complying with a condition which God imposes as part of His system of law. Like an earthly judge, He may grant exactly what we ask, or He may give us relief differing somewhat from that which we specify, or he may think it best to refuse our petition. It is our duty to pray- and to pray always. God will determine what is the best answer to our prayers.

These are thoughts applicable to all kinds of prayer. It remains to consider individual, or private, prayer and common, or public, prayer. We must study the characteristics of each and deduce some practical rules from our study.

II. PRIVATE PRAYER

We have seen that prayer is communication with God. Each Christian stands in a personal relation to Christ and he naturally desires often to communicate directly and privately with his Friend. Each Christian, however, is also a member of a fellowship: that Society of the Friends of Christ which we call the Church. Often, therefore, he will desire to join with his fellows in speak

ing to God, and this united communication we call

common prayer.

Of course the Lord's Prayer is the basis upon which all our other prayers must rest. Our Lord gave it to us as a model. We must, therefore, make constant use of it. It is necessary, however, that we should supplement it with other prayers, framed in the same spirit and adapted to our special needs. Books of devotion are often a help. Some, unfortunately, lack manliness and the prayers contained in them are such that no true boy can pray them with sincerity. Few things are more harmful to the spiritual life than to read or repeat prayers which do not come from the heart. This book has been written in the hope that a boy or young man will find, notwithstanding its imperfections, that he can use it as a stepping-stone in his approach to God.

We ought to practise making our own prayers. Following the pattern of the Lord's Prayer, our spirit must be that of children dependent upon a father. Moreover, it is to be noted that by using the plural pronoun our Father, Christ has reminded us that, as children of one Father, we are all brethren. Sonship to God and brotherhood with man should be the keynotes of our supplications. We should talk to God as we ought to talk to an earthly father, freely, without affectation, earnestly and respectfully.