PRAYER is a universally acknowledged part of the worship due to God; a simple and natural expression of dependence. which seem: almost necessarily to follow from a belief in the existence of a god. Accordingly, we find it both where the object of worship is one supreme Being and in systems of polytheism It is also combined with every other part of worship. According to the Christian system, however, prayer is not the mere spontaneous approach of man to God, in the endeavor to appease his wrath, to win his favor, or to obtain from him any blessing; but the right to approach him in prayer, and the warrant to expect advantage in doing so rest on the revelation of his own will. Nor is any truth more indisputably taught in the Bible, or more frequently brought into view, both in the Old and in the New Testament, than that God is the hearer of prayer.
But a difficulty presents itself, in respect to what may be called the theory of prayer. How can prayer be supposed to influence the divine mind or will? How can a belief in its power be reconciled with any view of the divine decrees, from the most absolute doc trine of predestination to the nt..st modified scheme which recognizes the Creator as supreme in the universe!? Such questions bring up the same difficulty which attends all other questions of the relations between the human will and the divine, the freedom of man and the sovereignty of God. But whatever seeming inconsistencies may be implied in speculation concerning them, the necessity of prayer and the power of prayer are acknowledged equally by men of the most opposite views; and generally with an acknowledgment of the inability of the human mind to solve some of the problems which are thus presented to it. The extreme predestinarian includes prayer among the Means decreed of God along with the end to which it contributes. And while prayer is regarded by all Christians as of great value in its reflex influence on the feelings of the worshiper, this is scarcely ever stated as it whole value; however important this view of it maybe deemed as illustrating the divine wisdom in making it one of the chief "means of grace." Prayer being regarded by Christians as an ordinance of God, it follows that they must seek to be guided in prayer by the rules of his revealed will, in so far as his will, has been revealed. It is therefore held by Christians in general, in accordance with
their doctrine of the atonement (q.v.) and of the intercession (q.v.) of Jesus Christ, that the only true way of access to God is through the mediation of .Jesus Christ, and that prayer must be made in the exercise of faith in him; the worshiper taking his stand upon the ground of the obedience or • finished work and accepted sacrifice" of Christ, and looking up to Christ as now interceding in heaven. It is also held, in accordance with the doctrine of man's corruption, that prayer can be truly made, in faith, and for thing agreeable to God's will, only by the help of the Holy Spirit. Prayer, to be acceptable, must be for things agreeable to God's will, as that will is revealed in his Word; and therefore prayer for mere temporal or earthly good must be made in entire submission to his will; but prayer may be thus made for temporal or earthly good, the will of God having been revealed to that effect—an admirable instance of the grace of God.
Adoration, thanksgiving, and confession of sins, the accompaniments or adjuncts- of prayer, are very menerally regarded as parts of prayer; and prayer, which is 'strictly mere petition, is accordingly.
The Protestant churches all hold that prayer is to be made to God alone; the media tion of Jesus Christ and the help of the Holy Ghost being duly acknowledged. But in the Roman Catholic church, and to some extent in the oriental churches, prayer of a kind is made also to saints, the virgin Mary, and angels. See INVOCATION.
Prayer, according to Christians in general, must be made not merely in forms or words, but with the heart. Accordingly, Protestants hold that prayer ought to be con ducted in a language known to the worshipers. The church of Rome has, on the con trary, maintained the general use of the Latin language, where that language is unknown to most of the worshipers.
Prayer for the dead (see following article) is rejected by Protestants, as having no warrant in the Word of God. But according to the Protestant creed, prayer is to bo made for all the living—not only for believers but for unbelievers.