The Prayer Life, Andrew Murray

The Prayer Life, Andrew Murray

A few words with regard to the origin of thisbook and the object with which it was written will help to put the reader intothe right position for understanding its teaching. It was the outcome of a conference of ministersat Stellenbosch, South Africa, April 11-14,1912. The occasion of the conference was asfollows: Professor de Vos, of our Theological Seminary, had written a letter to theministers of our church (Dutch Reformed Church) concerning the low state ofspiritual life which marked the Church (universal) generally, which, (he said),ought to lead to the inquiry as to how far that statement included our churchtoo. What had been said in the book, The State of the Church, called for deepsearching of heart. He thought there could be no doubt about the truth of thestatement in regard to the lack of spiritual power. He asked whether it was nottime for us to come together and in God's presence to find out what might bethe cause of the evil. He wrote: 'If only we study the conditions in all sincerity,we shall have to acknowledge that our unbelief and sin are the cause of thelack of spiritual power; that this condition is one of sin and guilt beforeGod, and nothing less than a direct grieving of God's Holy Spirit.'