I lay down one Sunday afternoon with a nervous headache, knowing that after a friendly nap, if it were only for ten minutes―and thus close the avenues of thought that I should rise and write a word for others. As. I awoke these words were spoken to my mind, I believe by the Holy Spirit: What you are really is what you are secretly. The time you spend secretly with God is really the making of you. Private prayer, and still more, secret prayer, is never wasted time. Public prayers are sometimes wasted time; the same with family prayer, it may degenerate into form, and even private, when only gone through as a habit, even that morning watch, may perchance turn sleepy, but down-right prayer in secret. I say, must of necessity be a reality and is never in vain. It begins in secret, but it ends “openly.” “That is it,” I said to myself, “so I will at once send the word to my dear friend who is anxiously hoping for a word about prayer.” This is indeed a God-given word from our Father in heaven, so encourage yourselves, dear readers, in secret prayer.
Emily P. Leakey.