Note 1 — ISAIAH.
Reading edition
Will men’s prayers be answered? Not if they pray as boys whittle sticks—silently, hardly knowing or caring what they are about. I have known men begin to pray about Adam, and go on from him to the present time, whittling their stick clear to a point, with about as much feeling, and doing about as much good as the boy does.—Beecher.
I often say my prayers, But do I ever pray, And do the wishes of my heart Go with the words I say: I may as well kneel down And worship gods of stone. As offer to the living God a prayer of words alone, For words without the heart The Lord will never hear; Nor will He to those lips attend Whose prayers are not sincere.—John Burton.