among the various denominations of Christians, whose devotions ascend as acceptable incense to the Throne of Grace, we most assuredly believe; to those only they attach, who, depending upon rituals, attempt to approach the Divine Presence, and to address the Most High, without any preparation of heart.

It is possible the erroneous opinion which appears to have been formed of our sentiments on this head, may, in some measure, have arisen from the difficulty we have ever felt in sanctioning the reading of prayers at the beginning and conclusion of school hours. In addition to our objection to prayer becoming a mere form, we cannot divest ourselves of the idea, that subjecting children to the immediate transition from play toprayer, and from prayer to play, does not comport with the sanctity of a religious duty, and is ill calculated to instil into their tender minds a due revereuce for it. But whilst we feel these objections, we are prepared cordially to unite in impressing upon children the solemn nature of prayer, and the duty of its daily observance.

We commence the extracts we propose to make, with the sentiments of an author of the present century, on the subject in question ; which, being recognised by the Society, and in strict unison with those of the Body, from the first period of its existence, we deem an appropriate introduction. We then proceed to select a few passages from the writings of Friends, in nearly chronological order; these might be greatly multiplied, but we desire to be as brief as may be consistent with the clear elucidation of our principles.

"Of all the duties which religion requires, there is not one more clearly obligatory, or more interestingly important, than that of Prayer; by which it is scarcely necessary to say, is meant, the making our requests known to God, for those things of which we stand in need, whether temporal or spiritual. This is a duty which we may be said to owe to ourselves, as well as to God. When we consider our manifold wants, our infirmities, and our dangers, with our incapacity to supply or relieve ourselves; aud when we reflect, that the Divine Being alone is capable of affording us that supply and assistance, which are necessary for our present and future well-being; the importance of this duty to ourselves, or for our own benefit, must be obvious. Again, when we consider that God is the giver of every good and perfect gift; that the earth is his, and the fulness thereof; that in him are hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge; these considerations shew, that Prayer is a duty which we owe to his omnipotence and goodness: but, in addition to these reasonable considerations, the commands which are given us in the Holy Scriptures, impose prayer upon us, as being indispensably due to the Almighty."—Tuke's Religious Duties, 1807.

Geo. Fox, after quoting Ephes. 6 c. 18 v. and Rom. 8 c. and 26 v. says, "It is not using a company of words, and making prayers, but it must be in the same spirit which helps the infirmity and makes intercession; for without this spirit the Apostles were in, we know not what we should pray for as we ought; so, therefore, the spirit is the helper and makes intercession; and, therefore, they that have not the same spirit the Apostles had, want the helper that should make intercession."—Fox's Gospel Truth, 1675.

"Concerning prayer, we do not read that ever Christ or his Apostle did seek, by force, to compel any to fast or pray with them. But Christ taught them how they should pray. His words are as followeth: 'When thou pray est, thou shalt not be as the hypocrites are; for they love to pray, standing in the synagogues, and in the corners of the streets, that they may be seen of men, &c. But, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut the door, pray to thy Father which is in secret, and thy Father, that seeth in secret, will reward thee openly. But when you pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do; for they think they shall be heard for their much speaking. Be not ye, therefore, like unto them; for your Father knoweth what things ye have need of, before ye ask him,' &c.—As the Apostles and Saints did, so do we; we pray in secret, and we pray in public, as the Spirit gives us utterance, which helps our infirmities, as it did the Apostles and true Christians; after this manner we pray for ourselves, and for all men, both high and low." —G. Fox's Journal, 1677.

William Penn, speaking of Geo. Fox, generally considered the Founder of Quakerism, says,

"But above all, he excelled in prayer. The inwardness and weight of his spirit—the reverence and solemnity of his address and behaviour, and the fewness and fullness of his words, have often struck even strangers with admiration, as they used to reach others with consolation. The most awful, living, reverent frame I ever beheld, was his in prayer."—Perm's Rise and Progress of the People called Quakers, 1694.

"Now as the Father teacheth to pray, so he giveth desires or words (if he please), according to the present need. Sometimes he gives but ability to sigh or groan, (if he give no more, he accepts that). Sometimes he gives strong breathings and plenty of words to pour out the soul in before the Lord. But if a man should catch those words, and lay them up against another time, and offer them up to God in his own will, this would be but will-worship and abomination. This I have known experimentally, and have felt the wrath of God for it. That is prayer which comes fresh from the Spirit; and that is a true desire which the Spirit begets."—J. Pennington's Works, 1661.

"Those that are not sensible of their inward wants, that have not fears and terrors upon them, who feel no need of God's power to help them, nor of the light of his countenance to comfort them; what have they to do with prayer? Their devotion is but, at best, a serious mockery of the Almighty. They know not, they want not, they desire not, what they pray for. They pray the will of God may be done, and do constantly their own; for, though it be soon said, it is a most terrible thing to them. They ask for grace, and abuse that they have; they pray for the spirit, but resist it in themselves, and scorn at it in others; they request the mercies and goodness of God, and feel no real want of them. And in this inward insensibility, they are as unable to praise God for what they have, as to pray for what they have not."—Penn's No Cross, No Crown, 1668. "' Prayer is the gift of God:' no man can be said to pray, who has not, first, a deep sense of his own wants: second, of the reasonableness of the thing prayed for; third, enough of faith to obtain; fourth, a due reverence of that God to whom he makes his supplication; 'for the prayers of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord/ says the Divine Writ (or are no prayers at all, in a religious sense.) But if these Books of Devotion