What Dr. Thomas Goodwin, the Puritan, was to Strong, Arrowsmith and Spurstow; what John Wesley was to Whitefield, Fletcher and Clark, Bounds was to Chilton, Cary and Haynes. What David Brainerd’s _Journal_ did for Cary, Martyn, McCheyne, Bounds’ books can do for thousands of God’s children. He was a man who lived ever on prayer ground. He walked and talked with the Lord. Prayer was the great weapon in his arsenal, his pathway to the Throne of Grace. None who read what he has written can fail of realising that Edward McKendree Bounds talked with God, as a man talketh to his friend. HOMER W. HODGE. _Flushing, N. Y._ Contents I. PRAYER—A PRIVILEGE, PRINCELY, SACRED . . . 9 II. PRAYER—FILLS MAN’S POVERTY WITH GOD’S RICHES . . . 18 III. PRAYER—THE ALL-IMPORTANT ESSENCE OF EARTHLY WORSHIP . . . 28 IV. GOD HAS EVERYTHING TO DO WITH PRAYER . . . 34 V. JESUS CHRIST, THE DIVINE TEACHER OF PRAYER . . . 46 VI. JESUS CHRIST, THE DIVINE TEACHER OF PRAYER (_Continued_) . . . 56 VII. JESUS CHRIST AN EXAMPLE OF PRAYER . . . 69 VIII. PRAYER INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF OUR LORD . . . 80 IX. PRAYER INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF OUR LORD (_Continued_) . . . 87 X. OUR LORD’S MODEL PRAYER . . . 97 XI. OUR LORD’S SACERDOTAL PRAYER . . . 102 XII. THE GETHSEMANE PRAYER . . . 112 XIII. THE HOLY SPIRIT AND PRAYER . . . 122 XIV. THE HOLY SPIRIT OUR HELPER IN PRAYER . . . 133 XV. THE TWO COMFORTERS AND TWO ADVOCATES . . . 143 XVI. PRAYER AND THE HOLY GHOST DISPENSATION . . . 148 I PRAYER—A PRIVILEGE, PRINCELY, SACRED _I am the creature of a day, passing through life as an arrow through the air. I am a spirit come from God and returning to God; just hovering over the great gulf; till a few moments hence I am no more seen; I drop into an unchangeable eternity! I want to know one thing, the way to heaven; how to land safe on that happy shore. God Himself has condescended to teach the way; for this end He came from heaven. He hath written it down in a book. O give me that book! At any price give me the Book of God! Lord, is it not Thy word—“If any man lack wisdom, let him ask of God? Thou givest liberally, and upbraidest not. Thou hast said, if any be willing to do Thy will he shall know. I am willing to do; let me know Thy will.”_—JOHN WESLEY. The word “Prayer” expresses the largest and most comprehensive approach unto God. It gives prominence to the element of devotion. It is communion and intercourse with God. It is enjoyment of God. It is access to God. “Supplication” is a more restricted and more intense form of prayer, accompanied by a sense of personal need, limited to the seeking in an urgent manner of a supply for pressing need. “Supplication” is the very soul of prayer in the way of pleading for some one thing, greatly needed, and the need intensely felt.