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 ''Meditation,   Ejaculatory,    and    Continual  Prayer. '' These are  subjects  of  vast  importance  in  the  spiritual life, and  we  made  at  least  an  honest  effort  to  treat  them in a  practical,  succinct,  and  comprehensive  manner. These Introductory  Reflections  form  a  distinctive feature of  this  book  of  prayer;  they  are  calculated,  by the  help  of  divine  grace,  to  instruct  and  enlighten  the faithful with  regard  to  the  different  kinds  of  prayer, so that  from  a  better  understanding  and  a  deeper appreciation of  the  necessity,  value,  and  efficacy  of prayer,  they  may  be  led  to  a  more  perfect,  a  more practical, a  more  continual,  a  more  fervent  and  fruitful use  of  this  great  gift  by  means  of  which  we  raise our souls  to  God,  and  enjoy  a  sweet  communion  with our heavenly  Father.

Father de  Ravignan,  S.J.,  in  one  of  his  famous exhortations, says:

Believe me,  my  dear  friends,  believe  an  experience ripened by  thirty  years  in  the  sacred  ministry. I do here  affirm  that  all  deceptions,  all  spiritual  deficiencies, all  miseries,  all  falls,  all  faults,  and  even the most  serious  wanderings  out  of  the  right  path, all proceed  from  this  single  source  —  a  want  of  constancy in  prayer. Live the  life  of  prayer;  learn  to bring  everything,  to  change  everything  into  prayer  — pains and  trials  and  temptations  of  all  kinds.

"Pray in  the  calm,  pray  in  the  storm.

"Pray on  awaking,  and  pray  during  the  daytime.

"Going and  coming,  pray.

" Tired  out  and  distracted,  pray.

" Whatsoever  your  repugnance  may  be,  pray.

"Pray, that  you  may  learn  to  pray. "' Teach  us,  O  Lord,  how  to  pray. '

"'But I  can  not  pray.'    That  is  heresy.    Yes,  you can  always  pray.    If  you  feel  a  disgust,  nay,  a  horror