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Chapter 70—Social Meetings
I recently received a letter from a brother whom I highly respect,
making inquiries in regard to how meetings should be conducted.
He inquires if there should be many prayers offered in succession,
and then a relief of a few moments, and quite a number of prayers
again.
From the light I have had upon the subject I have decided that
God does not require us, as we assemble for His worship, to make
these seasons tedious and wearisome by remaining bowed quite a
length of time, listening to several long prayers. Those in feeble
health cannot endure this taxation without extreme weariness and
exhaustion. The body becomes weary by remaining bowed down
so long; and what is worse still, the mind becomes so wearied by
the continuous exercise of prayer that no spiritual refreshment is
realized, and the meeting is to them worse than a loss. They have
become wearied mentally and physically, and they have obtained no
spiritual strength.
Meetings for conference and prayer should not be made tedious.
If possible, all should be prompt to the hour appointed; and if there
are dilatory ones, who are half an hour or even fifteen minutes
behind the time, there should be no waiting. If there are but two
present, they can claim the promise. The meeting should open at the
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appointed hour if possible, be there few or many present. Formality
and cold stiffness should be laid aside, and all should be prompt
to duty. Upon common occasions there should not be prayer of
more than ten minutes’ duration. After there has been a change of
position, and the exercise of singing or exhortation has relieved the
sameness, then, if any feel the burden of prayer, let them pray.
All should feel it a Christian duty to pray short. Tell the Lord just
what you want, without going all over the world. In private prayer
all have the privilege of praying as long as they desire and of being
as explicit as they please. They can pray for all their relatives and
friends. The closet is the place to tell all their private difficulties,
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