t Christ would work. Seven times Paul speaks of believers
following him: (1 Cor. iv. 16), "Wherefore I beseech you, be ye
followers of me"; (xi. 1), "Be ye followers of me, even as I am of
Christ"; Phil, iii. 17, iv. 9; 1 Thess. i. 6; 2 Thess. iii. 7-9.

If Paul, as a pattern of prayer, is not as much studied or appealed to
as he is in other respects, it is not because he is not in this too as
remarkable a proof of what grace can do, or because we do not, in this
respect, as much stand in need of the help of his example. A study of
Paul as a pattern of prayer will bring a rich reward of instruction and
encouragement. The words our Lord used of him at his conversion, "Behold
he prayeth," may be taken as the keynote of his life. The heavenly
vision which brought him to his knees ever after ruled his life. Christ
at the right hand of God, in whom we are blessed with all spiritual
blessings, was everything to him; to pray and expect the heavenly power
in his work and on his work, from heaven direct by prayer, was the
simple outcome of his faith in the Glorified One. In this, too, Christ
meant him to be a pattern, that we might learn that, just in the measure
in which the heavenliness of Christ and His gifts, the unworldliness of
the powers that work for salvation, are known and believed, will prayer
become the spontaneous rising of the heart to the only source of its
life. Let us see what we know of Paul.

PAUL'S HABITS OF PRAYER.

These are revealed almost unconsciously. He writes (Rom. i. 9), "God is
my witness, that without ceasing I make mention of you _always in my
prayers_. For I long to see you, that I may impart unto you some
spiritual gift, to the end ye may be established." Rom. x. 1, ix. 2, 3:
"My _heart's desire and prayer to God_ for Israel is, that they may be
saved"; "I have great heaviness and _continual sorrow of heart_; for I
could wish that myself were accursed from Christ for my brethren." 1
Cor. i. 4: "I thank my God _always_ on your behalf, for the grace of God
which is given you by Jesus Christ." 2 Cor. vi. 4, 6: "Approving
ourselves as the ministers of Christ, _in watchings_, _in fastings_."
Gal. iv. 19: "My little children, of whom _I travail in birth again_
till Christ be formed in you." Eph. i. 16: "_I cease not_ to give thanks
for you, making mention of you _in my prayers_." Eph. iii. 14: "_I bow
my knees_ to the Father, that He would grant you to be strengthened with
might by His Spirit in t