The Prayer Factor 
 
 IN THE WORLD’S EVANGELIZATION 
 
 R. P. MAGKAY 
 
Foreword 
 
 The Foreign Missions Conference of North America, composed of 
 representatives of some fifty foreign missions boards and societies in 
 the United States and Canada, meets annually, in or near New York 
 City. At the Twentieth Conference, held at Garden City, Long Island, 
 the Rev R. P. Mackay, D.D., of Toronto, presented a paper on Spir¬ 
 itual Emphasis in Mission Work. 
 
 The Conference addressed itself to the promotion of this ministry, 
 and in that connection this paper was presented. It was afterwards 
 agreed that it be published in separate form as the first of a possible 
 series of contributions on the same theme. The conviction exists in 
 the Conference, as it does elsewhere, that the hope of the Church lies 
 in the ministrv of intercession. 
 
 Readers who have any suggestions to offer or any literature to 
 recommend, will confer a favor by forwarding them to the Secretary. 
 In this there will be the strength of co-operation and the “Communion 
 of Saints.” 
 
 W. Henry Grant, 
 
 Secretary. 
 
 156 Fifth Avenue, 
 
 New York, March, 1913. 
 
TEACH US TO PRAY 
 
 REV. R. P. MACK AY, D.D. 
 
 “A praying soul wrapt in godly intercession is God's ozvn master¬ 
 piece on earth:’ 
 
 There would be joy in Heaven, and upon earth the “shout of vic¬ 
 tory,” if the forces promised in answer to prayer were released. 
 
 The spiritual side of Christian activity requires careful and constant 
 attention. There needs no apology for pressing its claims on this 
 Conference but in doing so let it first be gratefully acknowledged that 
 there are very many in all the churches, and their number is increasing, 
 who are faithfully seeking the best, who are reaching forth to the things 
 that are before, striving for the prize of the high calling of God in 
 Christ Jesus. With that recognition the following suggestions are 
 submitted for consideration: 
 
 i. There exists amongst the Churches at the present time, a deepen¬ 
 ing sense of insufficiency and need. In Conferences public and private, 
 no sentiment finds more frequent expression than this, that the Church 
 
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 with her present spiritual equipment is not equal to the requirements of 
 the day. Notwithstanding greatly increased knowledge of conditions 
 in mission fields, and notwithstanding highly developed organization, 
 the Church does not measure up to the opportunities and responsibilities 
 of the hour and cannot do so without a large accession of spiritual 
 power. So serious a charge so frequently expressed accompanied as it 
 sometimes is with feelings kindred to despair should arrest attention 
 and provoke earnest thought. In such a Conference as this dealing 
 
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with matters of infinite moment, the mere suggestion that we lack the 
 first and highest qualification of our office should excite humiliation 
 and confession and enquiry. 
 
 Is it true that we are not leading, not placing the emphasis where it 
 belongs? If true, what can be done to get the Conference and the 
 Boards and Churches represented in the Conference on a right footing, 
 for the campaign in which we are engaged? The enquiry demands 
 speedy attention and frank, conscientious investigation, for eternal 
 interests are at stake. 
 
 2. In addition to many promises and assurances in God’s Word there 
 have been given at intervals, down through the centuries, times of 
 refreshing fitted to inspire confidence and arouse expectations. These 
 extraordinary spiritual awakenings have been uniformly preceded by 
 extraordinary prayer. Recall for example one of the most remarkable 
 of these movements begun in New York City in the year 1857. It was 
 remarkable in many ways but especially in this, that it originated solely 
 in prayer. There were no evangelists, but little preaching, interdenomi¬ 
 national in character, conducted almost entirely by laymen, without 
 excitement or sensational methods, nothing but men coming together 
 under a great sense of need, and beseeching the Throne of grace for 
 an outpouring of His Spirit upon a lost world. Prayer was answered 
 and the outpouring came with results beyond all computation. Eternity 
 alone can reveal how great the results were and what they meant to the 
 world. Are the needs not as great today as they were in 1857? And 
 with the need a new urgency in doors open in all lands as they were 
 not open then! They may not be open long and if closed decades of 
 disappointment may come to the Church of Christ. If times and 
 seasons mean anything in the administration of Providence and Grace 
 is this not the time of times when the Church should awake, should 
 “take no rest and give Him no rest until He make Jerusalem a praise 
 in the earth”? We cannot force the divine hand but we can and ought 
 to fulfil the conditions, and God is not unfaithful who promised— 
 “When the poor and the needy seek water and there is none and their 
 tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them. I the God of 
 Israel will not forsake them. 1 will open rivers in high places, and 
 
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springs in the midst of the valleys. I will make the wilderness a pool 
 of water and the dry land springs of water.” Such promises are good 
 for all time. We have with us the wilderness and the parched land 
 and the weary heritage. Are we not all agreed that what yet lacketh 
 is “the seeking” the importunity that will not let go until the blessing 
 comes? 
 
 3. How can the prayer life be cultivated and a much larger number 
 be led to share in this blessed ministry? All recognize the difficulty 
 and delicacy of the problem. One naturally shrinks from the introduc¬ 
 tion of machinery in a realm so purely spiritual. Machinery is sugges¬ 
 tive of practices such as the rosary or prayer wheel that command 
 neither approval nor respect. One writes, “If there is any one phase of 
 the missionary enterprise in which it is possible to make serious mis¬ 
 takes by unwise, overemphasis and artificial plans it is in the matter 
 of missionary intercession.” That is true. It is nevertheless true that 
 organized effort has been tried to good purpose. What is begun and 
 stimulated by organization may grow into the liberty and freedom of 
 the Spirit. The following methods are in common use: 
 
 (1) Specified seasons, such as the “Week of Prayer” at the begin- 
 
 ing of the New Year; days or weeks of prayer for young men, 
 for Colleges, or in times of crisis for some particular mission 
 or country. 
 
 (2) Prayer Cycles—so arranged as to suggest the material of prayer, 
 
 giving intelligence and directness to the exercise of this gift. 
 
 (3) Prayer Circles—companies of Christians pledging themselves to 
 
 prayer in behalf of some department of Christian work in 
 which they are specially interested. 
 
 (4) A register kept at the Mission Offices in which are enrolled the 
 
 names of special intercessors who have definitely enlisted in 
 this ministry. The maintenance of such a roll implies labor, 
 but if wisely cultivated might bring abundant reward. 
 
 (5) The Monthly Missionary meeting. One reports, “I have been 
 
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doing all I could to make the monthly missionary meeting a 
 real nerve-centre in the life of the Churches, especially in the 
 way of giving point to intercession by means of fresh informa¬ 
 tion, selected with a view to the promotion of the prayer 
 spirit, as the burning-heart of the Church.” The monthly 
 concert of prayer for Missions has been in the past a source 
 of great power, but it is a cause of regret that it has in some 
 Churches largely fallen into disuse. 
 
 (6) Monthly Magazines are used to this end. One writes, “In our 
 
 Monthly Magazine, programs for the Monthly Missionary 
 meeting are published, laying emphasis on prayer for the spe¬ 
 cial objects suggested.” Another writes, “Through the depart¬ 
 ment known as the Sanctuary of Missions in our Monthly 
 Magazine, we endeavor to secure regular definite and intelli¬ 
 gent prayer.” In addition the same Church issues a quarterly 
 leaflet issued by the Church Prayer League which works in 
 close communication with the Board of Missions and seeks 
 similar ends. 
 
 (7) An hour set apart for daily united intercession in behalf of 
 
 Missions. In some parish Churches and in some of the cathe¬ 
 drals in connection with the Protestant Episcopal Church this 
 practice is followed, but the whole membership of the Church 
 is urged to offer intercession for Missions at the noon hour. 
 In accordance with this general appeal, at all diocesan and 
 triennial conventions and similar Church gatherings business 
 is suspended at twelve o’clock noon, to offer intercession in 
 behalf of the Mission enterprises of the world. 
 
 (8) Conferences on Prayer—One such Conference held at New Wil¬ 
 
 mington, Pa., is reported as exceedingly helpful. It is a two- 
 day Conference held immediately after a Summer Conference, 
 when time is given over to the practice of prayer. “Those who 
 attend, although it may be, comparatively few in number go 
 away with a new vision and new purpose and become agents 
 for setting up prayer circles that actually pray.” 
 
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4. In addition to these methods in common use what specially con¬ 
 cerns this Conference is whether there is anything further that it can 
 do to awaken the Church to a sense of responsibility and need. If the 
 purpose of our annual gathering is the consideration of all matters 
 pertaining to foreign mission enterprise surely this cannot be omitted. 
 It deserves a prominent place in our deliberations. It is suggested: 
 
 (1) That in all our gatherings prayer should be a prominent feature. 
 
 The program should provide for a lengthened period of inter¬ 
 cession some time during each day. It is felt that we have not 
 yet lifted our federated prayer-life as a Foreign Mission Con¬ 
 ference, to the same level to which we have lifted our other 
 activities. 
 
 (2) When Jesus was on earth He did not give Himself to literature 
 
 or organization, but to the building up of men, and into the 
 hands of these men He put one weapon for the conquest of 
 the world. They should be men of prayer. “If ye ask anything 
 in my name I will give it.” Should not we as secretaries set 
 the example and be known as men of prayer? Should we not 
 be to our missionaries and Boards and Churches living epistles 
 known and read? Every thought about us should be through 
 force of example, an incentive to prayer. Certainly, our appeals 
 will mean little unless we are what we ask others to be. 
 
 (3) Every effort should be put forth in farewell conferences with 
 
 missionaries going out for the first time or returning after 
 furlough, to give the cultivation of their own spiritual life a 
 first place. And to that end much time should be given to 
 communion with God in prayer. 
 
 (4) Meetings of Boards should be characterized by the same devo¬ 
 
 tional spirit we desire to have present in this Conference. It 
 is more than unfortunate, it is disastrous that the whole time 
 of a meeting of the Board should be so crowded with details 
 that they find no time for this, the most important thing. 
 A The chief responsibility for the atmosphere of the Board must 
 
 rest upon the officers who have the program in hand and give 
 direction to the discussions. -• 
 
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(5) The Secretaries of Mission Boards, might well take upon them¬ 
 
 selves the burden of suggesting the promotion of such 
 “moments on the mount” in Synods and Assemblies, Confer¬ 
 ences or other gatherings of ministers and Christian workers. 
 It is an acknowledged need, and the proposal would be wel¬ 
 comed if some one would but lead. Who could take prominence 
 in such effort more suitably than Mission officials chosen by 
 the Church as specially fitted to deal with the most sacred 
 interests in the Church’s care. Such a move would be almost 
 universally welcomed as the want of it is almost universally 
 lamented. 
 
 (6) Secretaries are called upon to deliver many addresses throughout 
 
 their Churches. In addition to impressing the duty of prayer 
 might not such visits be made the occasion of enlisting inter¬ 
 cessors, who will definitely undertake to share in this ministry? 
 
 (7) Might not secretaries have on hand a list of chosen ones, an inner 
 
 circle, to whom as to a council of war, they can turn in times 
 of crisis or special opportunity, in connection with which, a 
 marked manifestation of the power of God is needed and may 
 be expected. 
 
 (8) Might not more be done in the production and circulation of 
 
 literature, upon prayer as is being done in connection with 
 other departments of Mission work—not of equal importance? 
 There are on hand booklets on prayer of great value that might 
 be more widely utilized, but the number ought to be largely 
 increased and judiciously circulated, beyond the ordinary sales 
 of the Book Room. 
 
 (9) The Board of the Methodist Episcopal Church has adopted the 
 
 following comprehensive resolution, “We call upon the Church 
 to join with us and with the Women’s Foreign Missionary 
 Society, in making the coming year a year of prayer, with 
 
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quarterly meetings for prayer in behalf of Missions in every 
 Church, and with a noonday prayer circle girdling the earth, 
 a circle which shall unite the strong, the weak, the poor, the 
 rich, the learned, the unlettered, in the holy fellowship of inter¬ 
 cessory intercession.” So ambitious a resolution is not more 
 ambitious than the occasion demands. May this Board realize 
 that it pays “To attempt great things for God.” 
 
 (io) The General Council of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of 
 North America is at present preparing a revised Church-book 
 in which is to be incorporated a number of collects for Mis¬ 
 sions, in order that in the general and public prayers of the 
 entire Church there may be continuously remembered the 
 evangelization of the world. 
 
 (n) Let the Boards and missionary leaders, and others of kindred 
 spirit, meet and face this supreme problem by themselves, giv¬ 
 ing the time necessary to harmonize views and reach conclu¬ 
 sions. Out of these denominational Conferences let there arise 
 interdenominational conferences, through which may be dis¬ 
 covered what further steps should be taken to promote this 
 indispensable ministry. “If there is value in united conference 
 for the clearing of our vision and the perfecting of our 
 methods, will there not be some corresponding result if we meet 
 in prayer and exercise this gift unitedly?” 
 
 (12) Answered prayers in the Old Testament and New have been an 
 inspiration to the Church in all the ages. Might not greater 
 use be made of similar answers in modern Missions? A well 
 selected collection of incidents would be of historic value, as 
 well as prove a stimulus to the faith of believers. Prayer life 
 is quickened by anything that creates a sense of the reality 
 of the presence of Him who is in the midst of the golden 
 candlesticks. 
 
 * 
 
 These suggestions and others that may be offered are commended to 
 
 the consideration of the Conference. Again let it be said that the 
 
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delicacy and dangers of what may seem mechanical methods is recog¬ 
 nized, but because of difficulties we may not stand still. There is danger 
 in the pulpit, but the pulpit cannot on that account be abandoned. It is 
 to be expected that a method that commends itself to one mind and 
 heart will not appeal to another. There is, however, no difference of 
 opinion here as to the statement that this problem is fundamental—that 
 if the best results to be attained, we must daily return to foundation 
 principles and plant ourselves upon the solid rock of the eternal promise. 
 God uses many instrumentalities but the first and greatest of these is 
 prayer—“Ye have not because ye ask not”—“Ask and receive that your 
 joy may be full.” 
 
 Q 
 
UNITED PRAYER FOR THE WORLD 
 
 Praise 
 
 For the unspeakable gift of God’s love; for the share He gives us 
 in His work; for those He has delivered from the power of darkness 
 and translated into the Kingdom of His dear Son. 
 
 Common Daily Prayer 
 
 For a realization of the need of the non-Christian world; its help¬ 
 lessness, its poverty, its materialism, lust and superstition, the in¬ 
 adequacy of its religions; its spiritual hopelessness. 
 
 For a truer conception of the Mission of the Church; for more con¬ 
 secration and sacrifice; for a full surrender to the leadership of Christ; 
 and that the Lord of the harvest will thrust forth laborers into Flis 
 Harvest. 
 
 For the missionaries that they may have a continual sense of Christ’s 
 presence, and may have greater access to the hearts of the people. 
 
 For the Church that it may grow in faith and love and fruitfulness. 
 
 For religious liberty and peace. 
 
 For the evangelization of the whole world and the establishment of 
 the Kingdom of Christ. 
 
 “That they might know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ 
 whom Thou hast sent.”