Faults to Avoid in Public Prayer

Samuel Miller was the second professor at the Theological Seminary of the Presbyterian Church in Princeton, NJ--what is now Princeton Theological Seminary. He was one of the most prolific and able of 19th Century Reformed theologians. Among the most beneficial of his works are those that focus on special aspects of pastoral ministry, namely, his books on The Ruling Elder and his work on Public Prayer. It is from the latter of these works that the church of our day so desperately needs to glean. While prayer in public worship services has virtually vanished from the evangelical church, Miller's reflections remain valuable for those churches in which prayers of invocation, confession, adoration, thanksgiving and supplication continue to be offered. Miller includes, in this work, an invaluable section on "Frequent Faults of Public Prayer." In this section, Miller set out 18 common mistakes that ministers, elders and deacons should labor to avoid when leading the congregation in public prayer. Read More