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Social Meetings
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and trials, and temptations. A common meeting to worship God is
not the place to open the privacies of the heart.
What is the object of assembling together? Is it to inform God,
to instruct Him by telling Him all we know in prayer? We meet
together to edify one another by an interchange of thoughts and
feelings, to gather strength, and light, and courage by becoming
acquainted with one another’s hopes and aspirations; and by our
earnest, heartfelt prayers, offered up in faith, we receive refreshment
and vigor from the Source of our strength. These meetings should
be most precious seasons and should be made interesting to all who
have any relish for religious things.
There are some, I fear, who do not take their troubles to God in
private prayer, but reserve them for the prayer meeting, and there do
up their praying for several days. Such may be named conference
and prayer meeting killers. They emit no light; they edify no one.
Their cold, frozen prayers and long, backslidden testimonies cast
a shadow. All are glad when they get through, and it is almost
impossible to throw off the chill and darkness which their prayers
and exhortations bring into the meeting. From the light which I have
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received, our meetings should be spiritual and social, and not too
long. Reserve, pride, vanity, and fear of man should be left at home.
Little differences and prejudices should not be taken with us to these
meetings. As in a united family, simplicity, meekness, confidence,
and love should exist in the hearts of brethren and sisters who meet
to be refreshed and invigorated by bringing their lights together.
“Ye are the light of the world,” says the heavenly Teacher. All
have not the same experience in their religious life. But those of
diverse exercises come together and with simplicity and humbleness
of mind talk out their experience. All who are pursuing the onward
Christian course should have, and will have, an experience that is
living, that is new and interesting. A living experience is made up of
daily trials, conflicts, and temptations, strong efforts and victories,
and great peace and joy gained through Jesus. A simple relation
of such experiences gives light, strength, and knowledge that will
aid others in their advancement in the divine life. The worship of
God should be both interesting and instructive to those who have
any love for divine and heavenly things.