Copyrights are essentially the exclusive right to make a copy. Society grants a temporary monopoly to an author for copying and selling a text. Then, after it expires, it becomes owned by the public at large. Why? Because without public ownership texts will slowly die without the ability to be shared. And the knowledge in them has better use to a society than to just let them disappear.
I personally found "Praying Clear Through" years ago and found reading it to be a blessing to my life. I can't tell you to go get a copy ( you can't ... yet ) so I figured I would share it with you this way. So I'll be "republishing" it here a chapter per post. I'll edit for clarity at times. When Pastor Harney uses third person for his voice I'll change it to first person. And I hope to fix any editing errors as well. That should be all that my contribution is to this text.
So let's start.
Praying Clear Through
William J. Harney
Preacher -- Evangelist of Wilmore, Kentucky
Edited by Mark Arrasmith
William J. Harney
Preacher -- Evangelist of Wilmore, Kentucky
Edited by Mark Arrasmith
DESCRIPTION
A book on a subject essential to all who would get into a state of grace, and grow therein; also for those who study to show themselves approved unto God, workmen that need not to be ashamed. "O Thou, by whom we come to God, The Life, the Truth, the Way; The path of prayer Thyself hast trod; Lord, teach us how to pray."
PRINTING
1915 God's Revivalist Press Cincinnati, Ohio
Printed Book Copyright 1916 God's Revivalist Office
DEDICATION
To My Precious Wife, Whose Devotion To Principle, Loyalty To Light, And Courage,And Faith In Duty, Have Been My Constant Inspiration; Whose Kind, Gentle Womanhood And Thoughtful Motherhood Have Blessed And Hallowed Our Sunny Home,This Book Is Lovingly Dedicated By The Author.
AN EARNEST PRAYER
Our Father, assist us as we open this book, to get out of each and every chapter, that Thou hast in each thought, for each and every reader. May we read slowly, cautiously, digesting all we read. Forbid we should be surface readers, but grant us Thy good Spirit to help us to use our picks, drills and sledges, getting down into every thought and out of every thought that which will help us most. Too many read just to be reading. Too few really get into the thoughts. Lead us and may we follow. Help us to study, to be real students. Bless each reader and grant us Thy continued presence. Bless this book. Thou knowest the hours in real soul travail, the tears and heart agony it cost the author.
PREFACE
It has been the author's firm conviction that the crying need of this age is a praying Christianity. When the weakest saint falls upon his knees the devil trembles. If the weakest can cause him to fear, what about a Daniel? A Paul? One's experience is as rich and his faith and as strong as his prayer life. In all my ministry, I have never failed when I could get the church on her knees. Christians all over the country having read my articles, and heard my sermons and lectures on this vital subject, have begged for this book. I know that the prayer life is the Christian's force, the Christian's power-house, and the more we pray the stronger will we be against evil and for the right.
I have not written this book for the learned man, nevertheless he can find food for his soul, but for those who want, and need, help in their prayer life. I have written this book while upon the field of battle and in the thickest of the fight, where God answered by fire every heart-cry of His children.
Let me urge each and every reader to begin today a constant waiting upon God; an unrelenting, deep, quiet prayer life. We must get quiet to get the ear of God. I know, by twenty-five years' experience, that God will hear, and that God does answer prayer. I wish for every reader a burden for prayer, a hunger for prayer. We must pray. We must never quit just because we do not get the answer at once. When God leads out in prayer, follow earnestly, He is leading, there is something ahead. Take notice, look, listen, get ready. The cloud is rising. There is soon to be a going in the mulberry-trees. Do not read one chapter and quit the book, but give each and every chapter a faithful reading.
The Saint who has done most for God and his fellows has been the one who has prayed most, for it is through this channel that we get the working grace. We will do more, and that the easier, by living upon our faces longer. It is very destructive to rush into the white harvest-fields with a prayerless life. It spells defeat to God. The man who is winning most souls for God is he who lingers much and long in the closet of prayer.
Yours in much prayer, Will J. Harney
INTRODUCTION
"Take time to pray!
When fears and foes distress you,
And tiresome toils oppress you,
Then the Master waits to bless you,
If you'll take time to pray.
"Take time to pray!
Come what there may To stand in the way:
Look often to Jesus And take time to pray."
"I will therefore that men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting."
I Timothy 2:8
"The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much."
James 5:16
"Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need."
Hebrews 4:16
"When thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly."
Matthew 6:6
The author could not have chosen a more important subject on which to write. Indeed, if every Holiness book contained one or more chapters on prayer; or rather, if the opening and closing chapters of every book were on this great theme, it would not be amiss, for today there is a universal confession among Christians of "neglect of the secret closet." Jesus said, "Men ought always to pray and not faint," and is not this neglect the cause of so many falling away from the Truth, so many not going on unto perfection?
The author caught the vision and has seen the reality of that vision through the secret of Prevailing Prayer. The book is only a record of how God answers him who calls; how God gives victory to the man who will hear from Heaven.
We send it forth trusting the Holy Spirit to use it to enlighten the children of God on the attacks of the enemy on the "secret chamber;" to arouse them to the glorious possibilities of prevailing prayer; to help them learn the secret of "Praying Clear Through." Amen!
Read it; study it; obey its injunctions; and for God's glory, circulate it.
Meredith G. Standley
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