Page:The Collected Works of Theodore Parker volume 3.djvu/289

276 namely, that God would "remove" Mr Parker to some other locality, so that some other community might be subjected to the influence of his preaching and example, baneful as the suppliant evidently thinks it is ? Upon one horn or the other of this dilemma must this prayer be hung, and in* either view it is as unchristian as it is absurd. Another prayed thus:

"Lord, if this man will still persist in speaking in public, induce the people to leave him and come and till this house instead of that!" Who gave the preacher and brethren of the street church a monopoly of free speech, of prayer, or of exhortation, that they should pray God to shut Mr Parker's mouth? In that same church where this prayer was offered, we have often seen, during this very season, men, women, and children, standing in crowds in the porch, waiting in vain an invitation to take a seat in the pews that were not half filled ; but at Music Hall, where Mr Parker preaches, there is a free gospel, so far at least as the opportunity of hearing it is concerned. Is it a wonder that the people choose the latter ? Would it not be better than offering such prayers as these, if the wealthy members of the churches, instead of sweeping contemptuously, clad in their silks, furs, and satins, past the stranger and the poor, who would like to hear the word of God, would kindly, and like Christians, give these visitors, the people, a chance to sit down in the house of God? Another prayed as follows:

"O Lord, send confusion and distraction into his study this afternoon and prevent bis finishing his preparation for his labours to-morrow, or if he shall attempt to desecrate thy holy day by attempting to speak to the people, meet him there, O Lord, and confound him so that he shall not he able to speak!"

Columns might be written upon that as a text, but comment on such rant is wholly unnecessary. We cannot help, however, suggesting that "confusion and distraction" are very little likely to aid Mr Parker in reforming his theology, nor do we think that the praying brother would be injured if he had a little less of confusion and distraction on his own mind. Another prayed thus, after naming Mr Parker:

"Lord, we know that we cannot argue bim down, and the more we say against him, the more the people flock after him, the more they love and revere him. O Lord, what shall be done for Boston, if thou dost not take some of these matters in hand!"