, still needing to grow in grace,
in purification, in fitness for the final heaven by and by. And we can
help their growth as they can help ours.

Some of the most deeply religious people that I know shrink from the
thought of prayer for the departed. There has been reason for it.
This beautiful old custom, the custom of the Jews, the custom of the
whole Christian Church till the Reformation[3] had grown at that time
into great corruption. And one danger of great corruption is that
indignant reformers are likely to tear away more than the corruption,
"hating even the garment spotted by the flesh." So it was here.
Because of the abuse men feared even the use. In their hatred of the
sordid traffic in masses for the dead they looked with suspicion on any
prayer for the departed. And at length men began to think that such
prayers were even wrong.

Ah, it was a pity! Our departed ones have more quickly passed into
oblivion. The great Paradise life has almost faded from our view. We
are the more lonely in our desolate bereavement. Perhaps our dear ones
beyond are the more lonely, too, if they know about our life and our
prayers on earth. A friend said to me lately, "I was a little child
when the news came of father's death far away. That night in my
prayers I prayed for father as usual. But my aunt stopped me.
'Darling,' she said, 'you must not pray for father now; it is wrong.'
And I can remember still how I shrank back feeling as if some one had
slammed the door and shut him outside."

I think we should be happier and better, I think the Unseen World would
come back more clearly on our horizon if we kept our dear ones in our
prayers as we used to do before they died. Do not keep any hidden
chambers in your hearts shut out from Christ. Bring your dear departed
ones to Him as you bring all else to Him. He knows what is best for
them. Pray only for that. Pray "Lord help them to grow closer to
Thee. Help them if it may be to help others and make them happy in Thy
great Kingdom until we meet again." Pray something like that. Oh, how
can you help doing it if you love them and believe in prayer?

How can I cease to pray for thee? Somewhere
In God's wide universe thou art to-day.
Can He not reach thee with His tender care?
Can He not hear me when for thee I pray?
Somewhere thou livest and hast need of Him,
Somewhere thy soul sees higher heights to climb,
And somewhere, too, there may be val