Writing at the close of the 19th century, McIntyre explores the purpose and power of prayer in the Christian’s life. After explaining the necessity of prayer, and the proper frame of mind with which to engage it, he breaks prayer itself down into elements: worship, confession, and request. To conclude, he discusses the effects of prayer on our lives. While choppy in places (due to outdated sentence structure), this book is a challenging encouragement—and recommended.

The equipment for the inner life of prayer is simple, if not always easily secured. It consists particularly of a quiet place, a quiet hour and a quiet heart. [37]

We who live with the clang of machinery and the roar of traffic always in our ears, whose crowding obligations jostle against each other as the hours fly on, are often tempted to withdraw to other uses those moments which we ought to hold sacred to intercourse with heaven. [40]

A question which has been frequently discussed and is not without interest is: whether should we employ the morning or the evening hour for our more deliberate and prolonged period of waiting upon God? It is probable that each person can answer this question most profitably for himself or herself. But it should always be understood that we give our best to God. [44]

Our realization of the presence of God may, however, be accompanied with little or no emotion. Our spirits may lie as if dead under the hand of God. Vision and rapture may alike be withdrawn. But we ought not therefore to grow languid in prayer. So far from intermitting the exercise at such times, we ought to redouble our energy. And it may be that they prayer which goes up through darkness to God will bring to us a blessing such as we have not received in our most favored hours. [54]

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