for a time, but he cannot love it: it is impossible.

Hide not from yourselves, brethren, this truth, that the entire absence of joy in prayer is a sad, but sure, sign that you are a stranger to true religion.

But I was rather speaking of those who are serving God, and yet complain that they do not find the joy they could wish in praying.

How is this? Perhaps we are not living so near to God as we might live. There is a lack of close intercourse with Him. There is too wide a gap between Him and our souls. We have taken Him perhaps as our hope and our refuge, but not as the Friend. of our daily life. Surely if we knew Him better, and walked more closely with Him, we should soon feel the real enjoyment of conversing with Him in prayer. Our moments of devotion would be our happiest moments. The hour of prayer would indeed be to us a blessed hour.

There are times, I dare say, when you

feel warmth. Your heart glows within you, and God seems to be very near to you. And then you grow cold again, and the spirit of prayer flags within you. Now, did you ever try to keep up this warmth of feeling? Did you ever make a direct effort to do so? It may be done by meditation, by watchfulness, and by fixing the heart on God. When the

fire burns in your soul, keep it alight. Don't let it go out. Beseech God to fan the flame, and to make you feel, not sometimes, but always, in an earnest, believing, loving frame.

Lastly, who does not feel that his mind is sadly apt to wander in prayer? This is a great difficulty with any one who prays. But I am sure that if we were more watchful, this might in a great measure be got

over.

When you kneel down, think what you are going to do, whom you are going to address, and what you are going to ask. Remember you are in the presence of the

Great King, your Almighty Father; therefore, as Solomon says, "Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter anything before God."

I have sometimes found it good to walk up and down my room, when engaged in prayer. I would not recommend this as a regular habit; but it may be desirable occasionally, and especially when our minds are disposed to wander.

After all, dear brethren, the very best of us pray but very poorly. But if we make a conscience of our prayers-if we desire to render them what they should be-God will strengthen us. The Holy Spirit will "help our infirmities," teaching us what to ask, and how to ask, and giving us such a praying frame, as will make us feel that it is good for us to draw near to God.

Be encouraged, dear friends, to pray more earnestly, more frequently, and with more reality. When you send a message by the Telegraph, you expect it to reach its desti

nation; you expect it to accomplish the purpose for which it is sent. Expect the same with your prayers. Lose this idea of reality, and your devotion will droop; your prayer will become a mere form. It has been said by an old Writer, that "Good prayers never come weeping home." No, they are quite sure to bring down a blessing from Him, who is so ready to give, and has so much to bestow.

SERMON X.

THE LORD'S DAY, THE HOLIDAY OF THE

CHRISTIAN LIFE.

PSALM xlii. 4.- "When I remember these things, I pour out my soul in me: for I had gone with the multitude; I went with them to the house of God, with the voice of joy and praise, with a multitude that kept holyday."

A "Holiday," or "Festival," used to be the name given to those days which the Church specially set apart to be observed by her children. The Passover, Pentecost, and the Sabbath were counted as Holidays. by the Jews; and Christmas, Easter, Ascension Day, Whitsuntide, and the Lord's Day are Holidays in the Christian Church.