The value of a daily service.
Perpetual remembrance of God is one of the greatest needs for the maintenance and furtherance of religion. "Pray without ceasing." "In everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God" (Philippians 4:6). "I have set the Lord alway before my face" (Psalms 16:8). These and numerous other texts lay down the perfect law—constant worship of the Almighty. But human weakness, and the pressing concerns of life, make literal compliance with the perfect law impossible. And in his mercy God relaxes the law. "At evening and morning, and at noonday, will I pray," says the man after his own heart (Psalms 55:17); "and he shall hear my voice." Daniel prayed "three times a day, with his window open towards Jerusalem" (Daniel 6:10). Coldness and worldliness have in the Christian Church reduced, for the most part, the "three times" to twice; but still the obligation is acknowledged under all circumstances at morn and even to lift the heart to God, and "look up." Now, it is a great help towards maintaining this minimum that there should be, twice a day, a public service. The daily morning and evening sacrifice were a perpetual reminder to the Israelites of their duty in respect of prayer—they felt the "lifting up of their hands" to be—according to the time of it—a morning or "an evening sacrifice" (Psalms 141:2). And so, in the Christian Church, public service twice a day, which prevails widely, is of great value.
I. AS REMINDING MEN OF THE DUTY OF SUCH CONSTANT SUPPLICATION—as keeping it before them, by the sight of open church doors, and the sound of chiming bells, that God is, at the least, to be addressed twice a day, at morn and even, in earnest, heartfelt prayer; to be praised and thanked for his mercies, intreated for his forgiveness, besought for his support, and help, and blessing. What is done by public authority rouses attention, provokes inquiry, raises a general feeling that it would not be done unless it were right. Many a man, who has long neglected private prayer, has been led to acknowledge himself wrong, and to revert to the practice of it by the witness borne—the protest made—by those churches which persistently keep up the substitute for the morning and evening sacrifice of the tabernacle and temple, to wit—that daily morning and evening service in the sanctuary, which the Church of England, among others, enjoins upon her ministers.
II. AS ENABLING THEM TO PERFORM THE DUTY IN QUIETNESS, WITHOUT DISTRACTION. In many homes there is no quietness, no retired spot to which husband, or wife, or child can go for silent communion with the Almighty Father, or the Saviour. All is noise, tumult, bustle, hurry—nay, sometimes, all is quarrel, angry words, cruel blows, threats, curses. Private prayer in such households, if it was ever known, drops out of use. Frequently, it is not allowed—it provokes an outbreak—if done at all, it has to be done secretly, hastily, in fear and trembling. In such cases, how great a blessing is it to those who feel the need of prayer, that there should be somewhere near them a sacred spot, whither they can, occasionally at any rate, betake themselves to pray their own prayers, or join in the prayers of others as may seem best to them, and feel the near presence of the Almighty! "How amiable are thy tabernacles, O Lord of Hosts! My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the Lord!" "One day in thy courts is better than a thousand" elsewhere.
HOMILIES BY J. ORR