A Chaplain of the army once related an incident of a young soldier who, on one occasion, had consulted him on the subject of prayer.
“Last night,” said the young man, “before getting into bed, I knelt down and prayed; suddenly my comrades began to throw their hoots at me, and raised a great laugh.”
“Well,” replied the chaplain, “but suppose you defer your prayers till you get into bed, and then silently lift up your heart to God.” A week or two afterward the young soldier called again.
“Well,” said the chaplain, “you took my advice, I suppose? how has it answered?”
“Sir,” he answered, “I did take your advice for one or two nights, but I began to think it looked rather like denying my Saviour, and I once more knelt at my bedside, and prayed as before.”
And what followed?”
“Not one of them laughs now, sir; fifteen kneel and pray too.”
“I felt ashamed,” added the chaplain in narrating the story, “of the advice I had given him. That young man was wiser and bolder than myself.”
ML 10/25/1936