"when they had prayed,” laid their hands upon them, consecrating them to the work. This solemn act of ordination, now performed for the first time, had its analogue in the Jewish ritual, where the laying on of the hands was believed to convey peculiar benefits to those entering upon office. From a purely psychological point of view, the laying on of the hands of praying men upon the heads of those who are being set apart to some distinctive work implies such a concentration of energy as to constitute a battery of psychic force; from a religious point of view it has added significance in that it connects the sensitive self-surrendered soul with the original source of power, bringing into him a stream of divine recreative energy. It is an act in which the human and the divine blend, the touch of the hand being accompanied with the touch of God.

In the present day there are those who are called off from the outward activities of life to its more spiritual activities as truly as were the apostles. A great host are called to the work of teaching; why should not some be called to the work of prayer? That some are so called does not admit of doubt. "There is such a thing," says Herrmann, "as elect souls, here and there, being called apart from the life of action and intercourse to a life of prayer and contemplation, as truly vicarious and altruistic as a life of philanthropy; for these are they who can say, 'For their sakes I sanctify myself.'"

Sometimes physical infirmities and limitations, by shutting certain people out of life's busy scenes, constitute a divine ordainment to this form of service, which a Jewish sage describes as "the service of the heart"; but oftener the order comes as an inward call, which those who hear should hasten to obey, joyfully foregoing all the prizes of earth, that they may occupy the humble places, and take up inconspicuous work, saying, "To this will we give ourselves in the Master's name, working out of sight, remaining unknown and unpraised, hiding ourselves in the lives of others as the leaven is hidden in the meal, that by losing our lives we may save them."

It is worthy of note that of the twelve apostles who gave themselves up to this general spiritual ministry only the few who took up the more spectacular work of missionary evangelists receive any mention from the chronicler of the Acts of the Apostles. Yet, who shall say that the influence of those who prayed and labored in secret was any less potent than the influence of those who performed heroic deeds in the light of appreciative publicity?

In this twofold ministry prayer may have been mentioned first, not merely because it is an aid to work, or because it is in itself a form of work, but because it is the one part of the spiritual ministry of the church which is most apt to be neglected. Prayer is in itself just as distinct and definite a way of influencing others as teaching, but

because it deals with intangible forces its real value is apt to be overlooked. Those who specialize on prayer are in efficiency of service no whit behind those who specialize on teaching. The two forms of ministry will always go hand in hand. Those who pray will minister along the line of their prayers, and those who teach along the line of their teaching; and those who teach will pray, and those who work in prayer will work in every other direction that may open to them.

5. Praying to Jesus.

"They stoned Stephen, calling upon the Lord" (Acts 7. 59). Stephen, the first Christian martyr, in dying prayed to Jesus. In doing so he used the same form of prayer which Jesus himself had used upon the cross. His words, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit," show conclusively that he looked upon his risen Lord as one who had divine power, and hence as one in whose keeping his spirit would be eternally safe.

According to the testimony of Pliny, the early Christians "were accustomed to sing among themselves alternately a hymn to Christ and to God." They doubtless prayed to him also as to God. Having been wont to ask his guidance and help when he was with them in the flesh, they continued to do so when he departed from them into another sphere. They never seemed to have imagined that his death could make any difference whatever in his relation to them. They believed him to be

alive, although withdrawn from sight; they believed that he had ascended to the place of power at God's right hand, and hence was more able than ever to aid them in every emergency. That they should continue to maintain the old attitude of dependence upon him was the most natural thing in the world.

The expression "calling upon the name of the Lord," which frequently occurs in the Acts of the Apostles, and in the epistles, always means calling upon Christ-for to Christ the term Kurios uniformly refers. The salutation of Paul, in his first letter to the Corinthian church, includes "all that call upon the name of the Lord in every place." Upon that name the early Christians called in every circumstance, never doubting that it was a name of supreme power. While very little direct reference is made in the New Testament to the offering of prayer to Jesus, the inferential significance of the expression "calling upon the name of the Lord" seems to imply that this was a prevailing attitude. Throughout the Christian centuries prayer has been made to him continually. To the Christian's consciousness he has had all the value of God. He has been to many the spirit's resting place, beyond which they have never thought of going; yet Jesus never taught men to pray to himself, but always to pray to the Father, in his name. But does it matter on which side we find God, so that we find him? The representations of his manifoldness given in the terms "Father," "Son," and "Holy Spirit" are

mere accommodations to the limitations of human thought and language. Names are not of the essence of prayer. The essential thing in prayer is to get behind the name to the Infinite One as a living, loving, personal Reality, and to hold communion with him. He is often found under strange forms; he is often addressed by strange names; but whatever the form under which men worship him, whatever be the name by which they call upon him, if they are only sincere he "will answer them out of his holy heaven with the saving strength of his right hand."

6. Prayer and Miracle.

"Prayer was made earnestly of the church unto God for him" (Acts 12. 5). "Many were gathered together and were praying" (Acts 12. 12). With the early Christians prayer was the first and last resource in trouble. When hunted to cover by their cruel persecutors they prayed; when in their hands they prayed. Allying themselves with the Infinite they believed that anything might happen. And strange things did happen. One of the strangest was the escape of Peter from prison.

The arrest of Peter, their puissant leader, had thrown the Christian brotherhood into consternation. Fortunately, although Herod the king had no scruples about putting him to death, he had scruples about doing so at the time of the passover. The delay gave time for something to be done. What the disciples did was to pray on Peter's behalf.