16' LITTLE ANN. [16 “ And grant thy Holy Spirit may “ Renew my infant heart.” The next morning she came to her parent and said, “ Mother, last night I said my prayers 1” My dear, replied the mother, you say your prayers every night, don’t you ? “I have pretended to say them,” answered the child, “ but last night 1 felt them, when I said them.” Happy child I Was it not the indwelling Spirit of the most High God, that had delivered thee from all thy infant terrors, and had given thee to love that silence, that solitude, and darkness which are, at times, so suitable to the praying Christian ? Was it not the Holy Ghost, who had taught thee to know the difference between the service and prayers of the lips, and the supplications and devotions of the heart ? It was the light of the eternal Jehovah’s countenance that was lifted up upon thee in thy evening sacrifice, and which made thee to experience what thou hadst not words or understanding to explain fully to others. Oh, that every one, who pretends to approach God in prayer, were more like thee—oh, that all of us could but more frequently rise from our knees and say, “we had felt our prayers when we said them.” Then would our souls thrive as a watered garden, and we should go on our way rejoicing, even in tribulation, and glorifying God our Saviour. But, alas! too many condemn all this feeling as enthusiastic madness, and content themselves with the mere form of godliness, when they are utterly destitute of, and strangers to its power. While not a few, who long to give up their souls to Christ, have to mourn over the remains of their sins, and to exclaim, “ When T attempt to soar above, “ To view the heights of Jesus’ love; “ This monster seems to mount the skies, “ And veils his glory from my eyes.” As the tree is best known by its fruits, so, from the
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=