Page:Two Sermons on the Duty and Joy of Frequent Public Worship.djvu/31

 APPENDIX.

I am glad to reprint here some excellent remarks, contributed by a friend to the Hagley Parish Magazine, referring to the daily prayers of the Church, under the title of

"ONLY THE PRAYERS."

"One too often hears this expression used, as a reason against going to church, even by persons who are in many ways good and religious. And as it seems to me to contain in itself a very grievous though a very common error on a most important subject, I have wished to take this opportunity of saying a few words about it.

"Now, I have two objections to make to this form of words; (1), that it is in the main untrue; and (2), that, in so far as it is true, it is very unchristian and irreligious. I use strong language; but if you will read to the end, I think you will agree, not too strong.

"I. 'Only the Prayers' is untrue, when it is said of the short Services so admirably appointed for our use, the use of rich and poor, in the Church of England. For the Morning and Evening Prayers in the Prayer-book contain, besides many beautiful prayers, a number of the sweet songs of David, called the Psalms, one or two Canticles taken either from the Bible or from the